Chris Hemsworth has become synonymous with the role of Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so much so that it’s all too easy to forget some of his other roles. That’s not to say they’re actually forgettable, but the 38-year-old Australian actor has certainly made a name for himself in both the Thor movies and wider MCU entries such as the Avengers series.
However, Hemsworth has also appeared in another major franchise — and no, we don’t mean Men in Black: International (2019), we’re talking about another movie that involves busting otherworldly creatures, which, like Men In Black: International, is also a reboot. Yes, Hemsworth appeared in the widely controversial reboot Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016).
The Paul Feig-directed, female-led reboot didn’t get off to a great start, with its first trailer becoming one of the most disliked videos in YouTube history. In short, the film just didn’t look very good, and not only that, but the fact that Hollywood had decided to put a beloved ’80s classic like Ghostbusters (1984) under the knife didn’t go down well with many Ghostbusters fans.
As per IMDb, here’s the synopsis for Ghostbusters: Answer the Call:
Paranormal researcher Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy) and physicist Erin Gilbert are trying to prove that ghosts exist in modern society. When strange apparitions appear in Manhattan, Gilbert and Yates turn to engineer Jillian Holtzmann for help. Also joining the team is Patty Tolan, a lifelong New Yorker who knows the city inside and out. Armed with proton packs and plenty of attitude, the four women prepare for an epic battle as more than 1,000 mischievous ghouls descend on Times Square.
While Hemsworth’s role in the film is as cringe-worthy as many of the other performances, he does at least make for some of the more memorable moments. However, initially, the character of Kevin Beckman wasn’t to supposed to have as much screen time as he does in the final product, something Hemsworth challenged during production.
It’s fair to say that Chris Hemsworth is no stranger to comedy, having appeared in films such as Vacation (2015) while also flexing his comedy muscles more often than not as the God of Thunder in the MCU. But now, speaking with GQ, the actor talks about his concerns over how small the role of Kevin Beckman was in the script for Ghostbusters: Answer the Call:
“I said to Paul, ‘There’s not a whole lot on the page, like, what do you want me doing?’ He said, ‘Oh, we’ll figure it out when you get here,”” Hemsworth told GQ. “So I said, ‘Okay, why not? Let’s go.’ And I got there, turned up to the studio the day before we started shooting and he handed me the script. I read the script and I said, ‘There’s still nothing in here. Like, what am I doing?'”
It’s plain to see that Hemsworth got more screen time in the end, as his dim Ghostbusters assistant Kevin suddenly goes from seemingly inconsequential to having quite a large impact on the overall plot of the film, with the film’s villain Rowan (Neil Casey) possessing the buff actor. However, despite getting more screen time, Hemsworth was still worried about his career:
In his interview with GQ, Hemsworth said, “He [Paul Feig] said, ‘It’s okay, we’re going to improvise and have fun.’ And my immediate reaction was, this is not only the end of my career but I’m going to ruin this film. I’m gonna let everyone down, I haven’t done this before. What am I doing?”
“And then I met Melissa McCarthy, Kristin Wiig, the whole crew, the cast and I just became a whole lot more comfortable because there was such a sense of camaraderie and collaboration there at play. They took me under their wing and we just went on this adventure, this wacky adventure of discovering who this character was,” the actor said. “It just became so much fun. It became about trying to not laugh, about trying to make the other person laugh. It reminded me of drama class or being back in high school. I thought, ‘I want to take that into everything I do.'”
Chris Hemsworth will be reprising his role as Thor the God of Thunder in the Taika Waititi-directed Thor: Love and Thunder, which releases in theaters on July 8, 2022. It is the fourth Thor movie and Hemsworth’s ninth appearance in the MCU. So, needless to say, the actor’s career wasn’t at all ruined by the controversial Ghostbusters reboot.
With that said, there are rumors that the actor will soon be exiting the MCU following what is currently an 11-year tenure, having made his debut with the original Thor (2011). If the rumors are true, where Hemsworth will go from here remains to be seen, but it’s fair to say that the actor won’t be short on offers to appear in other major franchises.
As per Wikipedia, here’s the synopsis for Thor: Love and Thunder:
Thor embarks on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced — a quest for inner peace. However, his retirement gets interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher, a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie, Korg and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who — to his surprise — inexplicably wields his magical hammer. Together, they set out on a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance.
Thor: Love and Thunder releases in theaters on July 8. It stars Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Natalie Portman (Jane Foster/Mighty Thor), Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie), Christian Bale (Gorr the God Butcher), Chris Pratt (Peter Quill/Star-Lord), Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Pom Klementieff (Mantis), Bradley Cooper (Rocket Raccoon), Vin Diesel (Groot), Sean Gunn (Kraglin Obfonteri), Jeff Goldblum (Grandmaster), Taika Waititi (Korg), Jaimie Alexander (Lady Sif), and Russell Crowe (Zeus).
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Credit: Sony Pictures
