Multiple auteur filmmakers, from Francis Ford Coppola to James Cameron, have expressed concern over the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its dominance over the theatrical film industry. Martin Scorsese has argued that Marvel movies aren’t “cinema,” while Quentin Tarantino has declared that franchise faces like Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans are “not movie stars,” at least not compared to the characters they play: “Captain America is the star. Thor is the star.”
Hemsworth addressed the criticism in a recent British GQ profile, calling comments from Scorsese and Tarantino “super depressing.” He continued, “There goes two of my heroes I won’t work with. I guess they’re not a fan of me.”
The actor, who has starred in four solo Thor movies and a bevy of other Marvel projects, expressed gratitude for his role. “I’m thankful that I have been a part of something that kept people in cinemas. Now, whether or not those films were to the detriment of other films, I don’t know,” Hemsworth said. “I don’t love when we start scrutinising each other when there’s so much fragility in the business and in this space of the arts as it is… I say that less to the directors who made those comments, who are all, by the way, still my heroes, and in a heartbeat I would leap to work with any of them. But I say it more to the broader opinion around that topic.”
Although he’s grateful for the opportunity to yield his all-powerful hammer, Hemsworth did admit in the story that 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder, the fourth and latest solo outing for his character, was a bit of a swing and a miss. “I think we just had too much fun. It just became too silly,” he said of the Taika Waititi-directed installment. “It’s always hard being in the center of it and having any real perspective… I love the process, it’s always a ride. But you just don’t know how people are going to respond.”
At least Hemsworth has something to look forward to—namely, his role in Furiosa, the upcoming Mad Max: Fury Road prequel in which he stars alongside Anya Taylor-Joy. Calling it “by far the best experience of my career,” Hemsworth said director George Miller was “masterful,” adding, “I’m on the hunt for more George Millers. Or more of George Miller. If he’ll have me.”