The Marvel Cinematic Universe has spanned nearly two decades, and the God of Thunder has been a cornerstone for almost that entire duration. Chris Hemsworth first wielded the hammer in 2011’s Thor, a film celebrating its 15th anniversary this May 6. As it turns out, after all this time, director Kenneth Branagh—yes, the man behind the recent Hercule Poirot adaptations—still harbors ideas about how he would have evolved the character had his tenure in the MCU continued.
“There’s a part of me that would cherish the opportunity to conclude my journey with that character. I had always intended to do more, and I certainly developed a few concepts—envisioning something closer to the tone of James Mangold’s masterful Logan,” Branagh shared in a recent interview with Business Insider. “I would love to witness Chris Hemsworth and his peers experience their own definitive final chapter that guides Thor into a majestic, twilight era.”
While the MCU version of Thor is far from his final chapter—after all, this is a deity destined to endure for eons—he is technically still in his youth despite his 1,500 years. Conversely, the source material often embraces temporal leaps and alternate realities with greater abandon. Consequently, the comics have already explored a somber, Logan-esque “glorious twilight” for the Asgardian.
Jason Aaron, a prolific voice in modern comics, penned a defining run on Thor between 2012 and 2019. Even for those who don’t frequent comic shops, his influence is undeniable, as the MCU drew heavily from his narrative arcs for 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder. Alongside artist Esad Ribic, Aaron introduced the formidable Gorr the God Butcher; with artist Russell Dauterman, he orchestrated the transformation of Jane Foster into The Mighty Thor—both of whom were central to the fourth film.
Aaron’s tenure reached its zenith with the 2019 miniseries King Thor, which serves as a definitive “final act” for the hero. Incorporating future timelines and the fallout from the Gorr saga, the story depicts an ancient, weary Thor facing off against his brother, Loki, in an era eons hence. Despite the passage of time, their fraternal strife remains a constant. The visuals are striking, featuring moments of intense, cosmic carnage—from Thor annihilating a planet to him using his own entrails, entwined with Mjolnir, to propel Loki into a distant star.
Loki wields the All-Black the Necrosword, the same malevolent artifact Gorr utilized to slaughter countless deities throughout Aaron and Ribic’s overarching saga. In true cyclical fashion, the story concludes where it began: a final, desperate battle against Gorr amidst the stars.
Beyond the visceral action, the narrative serves as a meditation on the nature of divinity and the complex reconciliation between brothers. As is typical in their shared history, Thor and Loki are ultimately forced to unite against a greater evil; regardless of their numerous betrayals and attempted murders, Thor remains eternally committed to his mischievous sibling.
The story also sees the return of Thor’s granddaughters, who played pivotal roles in the original “Godbomb” storyline, arriving on the scene atop mystical goats and a flying shark. They help rally forgotten, long-dormant gods to join the fight, finally granting them the recognition Thor fought to secure after his initial encounter with the God Butcher.
Much like Mark Millar and Steve McNiven’s Old Man Logan, King Thor offers the protagonist one final opportunity to settle the score with his most dangerous adversary. Yet, where Logan might have chosen brutal execution, Thor offers Gorr a moment of unexpected mercy. This choice resonates deeply with the character, as Aaron consistently highlighted Thor’s capacity for compassion, particularly toward mortals; in King Thor, this manifests as the elder deity serving as the protector of a newly established Midgard.
The MCU would be well-served to bring Branagh back into the fold to guide Thor into such a “glorious twilight,” especially given that recent entries have occasionally leaned too heavily into caricature. While the MCU previously dispatched Gorr—and provided him a degree of redemption—these are superhero narratives, after all; rarely does a character stay buried for long. King Thor itself treats the return of the God Butcher with a sense of cosmic inevitability—just roll with it.
A cinematic finale for Thor would not require a direct page-to-screen adaptation, but rather a distillation of the spirit found in King Thor. Mangold’s Logan merely adapted the thematic concepts of Old Man Logan, and there is no reason the MCU could not do the same to bring a venerable King Thor to the big screen.
Regarding the prospect of Branagh returning to helm a definitive farewell for the God of Thunder, there is only one appropriate response: “Another!”
Source: Polygon
