Chris Hemsworth's MCU return as Thor revealed (and it's not Avengers)

The God of Thunder is on his way back to screens, and not a moment too soon. Yes, Chris Hemsworth's regal warrior has been a fixture of our lives for well over a decade at this point and, as one of the few remaining original Avengers with an active role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's always a treat to see him pop up. And, much as we have with Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton in Hawkeye and all of the guest appearances that Mark Ruffalo's Hulk continues to make, you can't help but appreciate every moment with them as you never know when the veteran superheroes will hang up their capes/hammers/bow-and-arrows.

We last saw Hemsworth's Thor in 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder. That film was well-received by critics at the time, but as time has gone on, its reputation has gotten worse. The reason for that is the fan response, as audiences felt that its off-the-wall tone completely undercut the dramatic arcs of the movie. And Hemsworth himself agrees, hoping for a fifth Thor movie to put things right.

Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, but we know that we haven't seen the last of the God of Thunder. He's likely set to play a role in the upcoming Avengers movies, but now we know that the star will be returning to the role much, much sooner than those.

Chris Hemsworth confirmed to voice Thor in Marvel's What If...? season 3

Marvel Studios has officially confirmed that Chris Hemsworth will be returning to voice Thor in the third and final season of animated Disney Plus series What If...?. The star is no stranger to the series, as Hemsworth made appearances in it during seasons 1 and 2, but it was unclear if the hammer-wielding God of Thunder would return in the final season (and if the star would voice him). Now, we know that he will.

While the events of What If...? are not canon to the MCU's primary timeline on Earth-616, they are set in parallel timelines that reimagine how the saga could have played out if some things went a little differently. We also know that the events of the series will continue to play a major role in the Multiverse Saga and could well influence the upcoming movies Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Speaking of those two Avengers movies, they are likely the place that the God of Thunder will make his canon return in live-action format. Thor has been a part of the four previous Avengers movies and given that he's one of the only three original Avengers left, it's very likely that he will be involved in at least one of these two films. After all, if you're going up against Doctor Doom, you need one of the strongest Avengers to help you win that battle.

If we're talking like Thor's return to the franchise is guaranteed, that's because it is. At the end of Thor: Love and Thunder's post-credits sequence, we were told that "Thor will return" - just as we were told at the end credits of the early MCU movies about each respective hero - so we always knew that Hemsworth would reprise the role at least one more time. And with that film's post-credits scenes setting up a fifth Thor movie, and the star's desire to redeem the franchise after that one, it's likely that we'll see that come to fruition after the Multiverse Saga concludes.

As for what kind of role the God of Thunder could play in What If...? season 3, that remains to be seen, but we'd say that it's a pretty safe bet that he will be involved in the episode that is already shaping up to be the buzziest of the season. Prior to the release of the season's first trailer, we were told that the iconic X-Men member Storm would be making her MCU-adjacent debut in an episode of the series and that she would wield none other than Thor's hammer Mjolnir.

With that in mind, we should expect to see Hemsworth's Thor make an appearance in this episode. After all, Mjolnir's very existence rests upon the notion of someone being as worthy as the mighty Thor, so he should probably show up to see Storm in all of her grandeur, right?

Hemsworth, Renner, and Ruffalo are the only three of the original Avengers who actually voice their respective characters in What If...? and that is likely down to the fact that they are the only three who still actively play those characters in the franchise (although now we know some of their Avengers co-stars will return to the franchise in different roles). It goes without saying that, after nearly 15 years, we appreciate every single opportunity we are given to see - or hear - them bring these legendary characters to life.

What If...? season 3 premieres on Disney Plus on December 22, 2024.