Film news: Chris Hemsworth’s Thor prays to Odin in new ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ trailer
The Avengers: Doomsday hype train has reached its next station: a trailer featuring Chris Hemsworth’s Thor.
A short teaser, released on Tuesday, features the God of Thunder praying to his father, Odin.
Film News Blitz’s Dan Lawrence reacts.
What has Thor been up to?
We last saw Thor in 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder, a pretty goofy follow-up from director Taika Waititi that took Hemsworth’s character far from the emotionally wounded warrior of Avengers: Endgame.
Still, the film did end with Thor settling down with his adopted daughter, Love, giving him something incredibly valuable to lose once again, after seeing the demise of his parents, brother, best friend and former lover.
What happens in the teaser trailer?
Thor is in his short-hair warrior aesthetic in the new teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, wandering through the woods, Stormbreaker in hand, praying to Odin that he may return home to his daughter after one last battle (against Doom, no doubt).
“Lend me the strength of the All-Fathers,” the God of Thunder says.
“So that I may fight once more. Defeat one more enemy and return home to her.
“Not as a warrior but as warmth.”
What does this mean for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?
A strong theme being built up ahead of Avengers: Doomsday is the jeopardy that parenthood plays in a hero’s life.
The credits scene from The Fantastic Four: First Steps saw Doom gate-crashing Sue Storm’s story time with her son, Franklin.
Last week’s trailer confirming the return of Chris Evans as Captain America saw Steve Rogers cradling a newborn, and now, we know Thor’s mission in Avengers: Doomsday is to return safely home to his daughter.
These ingredients are setting up some pretty personal stakes for our heroes.
Moreover, after a thematic misstep with Love and Thunder, Marvel fixers Anthony and Joe Russo look set to put the God of Thunder on a course correction in Avengers: Doomsday, having successfully given the character a strong arc through Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.
READ MORE: Film opinion: Confirming Steve Rogers’ return in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ shows Marvel is out of ideas
So, while Steve Rogers’ return feels like nostalgia baiting, Thor’s inclusion in Avengers: Doomsday feels like a necessary step to potentially end a story on a high note.
However, focusing on another key member of the original Avengers core feeds the narrative that Marvel is brushing aside the failures of its post-Endgame offerings.
This narrative is fed further by the fact that Avengers: Endgame will be re-released in cinemas on September 25, 2026, reportedly with a new credits scene that will lead us right into Avengers: Doomsday.
How that scene will address the time between the two Avengers films is unknown, or whether the last eight years will be completely brushed aside.
This is the problem Marvel is facing: building hype for an Avengers film that hasn’t had the carefully manufactured story buildup its predecessors enjoyed.
Are more trailers expected for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?
The latest teaser for Avengers: Doomsday isn’t likely to be the last.
Empire reports that next week, fans will be treated to a teaser showing the X-Men preparing for Doomsday, and a later fourth trailer will offer a more traditional look at the film set to release on December 18, 2026.
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