Thor director Kenneth Branagh opens up about the current direction of the Marvel character on film.

Kickstarting the Thor franchise was no easy feat. Out of all the characters in Phase 1 of the MCU, it seemed like the hardest nut to crack. How can you follow an Asgardian god and still make it feel like it fits into the same universe as Iron Man, Captain America, and Hulk? I didn’t think it was possible and fully expected the franchise to crash and burn. And yet, when the movie came out, I was impressed. I know it got a lot of flack at the time, but it balanced its Shakespearean tone with a more accessible one the MCU is now known for. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a fun movie, and it got the job done.

And yet, the character has changed greatly since. After doubling down on a more Shakespearean tone and style with Thor: The Dark World, Marvel Studios went in a whole new direction. With Thor: Ragnarok, they leaned into the galactic side of things and the ‘80s sci-fi aesthetic and style. So, after all this time, what does director Kenneth Branagh think?

Obviously, Branagh has a lot to be proud of, given his work on the original Thor, but could he have foreseen the direction he would take in the years since?

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“In a way, I think we put in some emotional ballast at the front of the story that means he could bounce around and develop in the way that he has and rather like all of the extraordinary ways that the Thor comics do,” Branagh said to ComicBook.com. “There’s an amazing diversity of story and character development inside 50-odd years of comics. The films are now doing it with the character.”

That’s certainly an interesting way to look at it. Many of us could look at his initial take on Thor as a vestige of an uncertain studio, but the reality is, that’s how stories often work, especially in the comics. They go for a bit, evolve, and then someone comes in for a radically new take that becomes the new standard. In a way, that’s exactly what happened here with Thor. And, to Branagh’s credit, he understands that perfectly. 

But, what matters most is that there was actually an emotional backbone to work off of. I think we can all agree that the Thor and Loki dynamic is one that worked well in all three movies — no matter the genre skin they pasted over it. So, credit all around to those involved, I guess.

What do you think of Kenneth Branagh and his comments? Are you excited to see where the Thor franchise goes with Thor: Love and Thunder? Let us know your thoughts down below!

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SOURCE: ComicBook.com