The Marvel Cinematic Universe has managed to bring Thor, Marvel’s God of Thunder, to the big screen for the first time. Stan Lee and Sam Raimi had pitched an idea about a Thor movie as early as 1990, but it was initially rejected so, until the MCU, the only Thor we got to see on the screen was either an animated version of the character or the one that appeared in the Hulk television movies.
But, with the induction of the MCU, Thor was bound to appear in the series and has since become one of the most important characters of the whole franchise. In this article, we are going to bring you a chronological list of all the Thor movies within the MCU, with a guide to each of them and some additional information.
Since the focus is on Thor, we’re going to list just his individual movies, and not the ones where he appeared as a supporting character, in a cameo role, or as part of a group. If you want a complete watch order of all MCU movies where Thor has appeared, you can check our whole MCU watch order.
How Many Thor Movies Are There?
As of the time of writing this article, four Thor solo movies have been released. They are:
- Thor (May 6, 2011)
- Thor: The Dark World (November 8, 2013)
- Thor: Ragnarok (November 3, 2017)
- Thor: Love and Thunder (July 8, 2022)
Thor has, of course, appeared in other movies, including all four Avengers movies, but they are not “Thor movies” per se, so they are not included on this list.
Thor Movies in Order
The list is going to include all the Thor movies that have, so far, been released as part of the MCU. The list is, as we have said, going to include just the individual Thor movies, without those where Thor appeared as part of a group or not as the main character. We’re going to bring you some basic production info and an overview of each of the movies’ plots.
Thor (2011)
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Screenwriter: Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz, Don Payne
Release Date: April 17, 2011
Starring: Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Anthony Hopkins (Odin), Natalie Portman (Jane Foster), Stellan Skarsgård (Erik Selvig), Colm Feore (Laufey), Ray Stevenson (Volstagg), Idris Elba (Heimdall), Kat Dennings (Darcy Lewis)
In 965, the Ice Giants and their King Laufey launched an invasion of Earth at Tønsberg in Norway. They threatened to plunge the Earth into a new Ice Age thanks to the Chest of Old Winters, the source of their power. But Odin, king of Asgard, arrived with his army to fight them. During the battle, Laufey blinded Odin’s right eye.
Asgard’s army drove the Ice Giants back to their world: Jötunheim. The losses were heavy, but Odin managed to beat Laufey and seized the Chest. At the end of this last great war, Odin and his army returned to Asgard.
In the eyes of men, all these beings from elsewhere became myths and legends. Nowadays, Odin’s son Thor is preparing to inherit the throne of Asgard, but this ceremony is interrupted when three Jotuns attempt to retake the Chest.
Despite his father Odin’s ban, Thor, blinded by his thirst for glory and battle, travels to Jötunheim to face Laufey, accompanied by his brother Loki, his childhood friend Sif and the Three Warriors: Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogun.
A battle ensues before Odin steps in to save the Asgardians. For showing arrogance towards his father and starting a new war against the Jotuns, Thor is stripped of his power and exiled to Earth by Odin, in the guise of a mere mortal. His hammer, Mjolnir, is also sent there after being enchanted by Odin, so that it can only be of use to whoever proves worthy of it.
Thor lands near Puente Antiguo in New Mexico, where astrophysicist Jane Foster, his assistant Darcy Lewis, and his mentor Dr. Erik Selvig are doing important work. Residents of Puente Antiguo find Mjolnir, but SHIELD quickly arrives and secures the area, while Agent Phil Coulson grabs the data Jane has collected regarding Thor’s arrival on Earth.
The latter, shortly after finding out where Mjolnir was, attempts to grab it and easily brings down the SHIELD staff. He then attempts to remove Mjolnir from the rock in front of Agent Clint Barton. Deprived of his powers and unworthy of them, Thor fails to lift his hammer and, annoyed, allows himself to be captured by the guards.
Loki then appears to him, making him believe that Odin is dead and that he must never return to Asgard again. With the help of Dr. Selvig, Thor is freed, but devastated by grief, he resigns himself to living on Earth as he begins to have feelings for Jane. During this time on Asgard, Loki discovered he was Laufey’s son, adopted by Odin after the war ended.
The latter, weakened and overwhelmed by events, sank into Odin’s Sleep in order to recover his strength. Loki is crowned king in his absence and offers Laufey his chance to kill Odin and take back the Chest. Sif and the Three Warriors, suspecting Loki’s actions, decide to go find Thor on earth and manage to convince Heimdall, the keeper of the Bifröst, without much difficulty, to help them.
Realizing the danger that Thor’s return could entail, Loki sends the Destroyer, a seemingly indestructible automaton, to find and kill his brother and his friends. The Warriors find Thor and teach him that his father is still alive, but the Destroyer joins them and manages to defeat them without difficulty.
Odin’s son then decides to sacrifice himself in order to save his friends and the innocent people around them. Seriously injured by a single blow from the Destroyer, Thor thus proves that he is once again worthy of possessing Mjolnir. The hammer detaches itself from the boulder and returns to Thor’s hand.
Recovering his power, the God of thunder manages to destroy the automaton. After saying goodbye to Jane and promising to see her again one day, he returns with his companions to Asgard to put an end to his brother’s actions.
On Asgard, the latter betrays and kills Laufey, thus revealing his true plan: to destroy Jötunheim to finally acquire the esteem of his father whom he has sought to have for years so that it is superior to that he has for Thor.
Loki unleashes the power of the Bifröst on the world of Jotuns but Thor confronts him and chooses to destroy the Rainbow Bridge.
Odin wakes up and barely saves the two brothers, but Loki decides to end it and seems to want to kill himself when he realizes that he would never have the same respect as his brother in their father’s eyes, disappearing into the open vortex during the destruction of Bifröst. Thor concedes to Odin that he is not ready to be king, acknowledging his mistakes and his immaturity.
Meanwhile, on Earth, Jane and her team try to find a way to open a portal to Asgard.
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Director: Alan Taylor
Screenwriter: Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Release Date: October 22, 2013
Starring: Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Anthony Hopkins (Odin), Natalie Portman (Jane Foster), Stellan Skarsgård (Erik Selvig), Christopher Eccleston (Malekith), Ray Stevenson (Volstagg), Idris Elba (Heimdall), Kat Dennings (Darcy Lewis)
Long before the creation of the universe, there was darkness. And out of that darkness came the Dark Elves. Five thousand years ago, Malekith, the leader of the Dark Elves, wanted the universe to fall forever into the eternal night through the power of Aether, an ancient force in fluid form.
Asgard’s army, under the command of King Bor, Odin’s father, faced the Dark Elves in their world: Svartalfheim (more often referred to as the Dark World). As the Convergence aligned the Nine Realms in the heavens, Malekith was finally able to unleash the powers of the Aether.
But Asgard snatched the weapon from his grip. Which caused the downfall of the Dark Elves. Seeing that the battle was lost, Malekith, accompanied by his lieutenant Algrim and the last Dark Elves, fled aboard his ship.
The Aether being indestructible, Bor ordered it to be buried deep in an unknown location. On Asgard, after the battle against the Chitauris on Earth 1, Thor brought Loki back to the realm. He is led in chains in front of Odin. The latter condemns him to be imprisoned for life in the dungeons.
While Loki is imprisoned, Thor, Sif and the Three Warriors (Fandral, Volstagg and Hogun) travel through the Nine Realms in an attempt to restore peace, after several revolts following the destruction of Bifröst. A year later, the last battle takes place in Vanaheim, home of Hogun. Back in Asgard, Thor celebrates his victory with his friends, but still thinks of Jane Foster.
On Earth, Jane and her friend Darcy Lewis work in London. Darcy takes Jane to a disused factory where the laws of physics are locally disrupted, due to the portals that open between worlds. Darcy recruited Ian, an assistant, to help her. Jane accidentally finds a portal that leads her where the Aether is hidden and finds herself possessed by the substance.
Simultaneously, in a dark corner of the universe, Malekith and the Dark Elves, who were slumbering in their ship, are awakened by the Aether. On the Bifröst, Heimdall talks with Thor about the Convergence which will soon recur. Heimdall explains that Jane is studying Convergence without knowing it.
It was then that Heimdall warns Thor that he can no longer see Jane. He immediately goes to Earth and finds Jane. He finds that she has something in her that generates a powerful force field and seems to protect her.
Thor, therefore, decides to bring her back to Asgard. Odin then identifies the power of the Aether and explains that the power of the substance will not only end up killing Jane, but that her reappearance heralds the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. Meanwhile, Malekith gives Algrim a stone that turns him into Kurse.
The latter managed to infiltrate Asgard and destroy its defenses, allowing Malekith and his troops to invade the palace. Attracted by the Aether, Malekith and Algrim search for Jane. While defending her, Frigga, Thor’s mother, and Odin’s wife, is killed, but Malekith and Algrim, following Thor’s intervention, must flee without Jane.
Odin forbids Thor to follow them and leave Asgard, but Thor decides to call for help from his friends and free Loki, who is devastated by Frigga’s death and knows all the secret portals leading to the Nine Realms. Volstagg and Sif distract the Einherjar while Fandral ensures the escape of Thor, Loki and Jane to the Dark World, where they plan to trap and kill Malekith.
Loki manages to manipulate Malekith into freeing Jane from the Aether, but Thor fails to destroy the substance. Malekith then takes possession of the Aether before fleeing, and, while confronting Algrim, Loki is killed.
Thor swears to honor his brother’s sacrifice. Then Thor and Jane return to Earth through a portal that leads them to the London factory. They find Darcy and Dr. Erik Selvig, barely recovered from a stay in a mental hospital after being possessed by Loki.
Jane realizes that Malekith plans to unleash the Aether at a place on Earth where the Nine Realms will connect during Convergence. Malekith will be able to spread darkness over the Nine Realms and throughout the universe. Selvig locates the center of the phenomenon in Greenwich. Thor then confronts Malekith, passing through the portals during their fight.
Eventually, Thor manages to send Malekith to the Dark World just before the portals close, and the Dark Elf dies crushed by his own ship. On Asgard, Odin congratulates Thor on what he has done and offers him to succeed him on the throne.
Thor refuses and wants his father to know that Loki sacrificed himself for the good of all. As soon as Thor leaves the room, the illusion projected by Loki fades, he has a beaming smile after this conversation with his brother. He has taken Odin’s place and has a free hand to rule Asgard.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Director: Taika Waititi
Screenwriter: Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, Christopher L. Yost
Release Date: October 10, 2017
Starring: Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Anthony Hopkins (Odin), Cate Blanchett (Hela), Idris Elba (Heimdall), Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie), Karl Urban (Skurge), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner / Hulk), Jeff Goldblum (Grandmaster)
In the two years following the Battle of Sokovia, Thor has wandered the cosmos in search of the Infinity Stones and is now a prisoner of the demon Surtur. The latter reveals to Thor that his father Odin is no longer in Asgard and that the kingdom of the gods will soon be destroyed by Ragnarök, once Surtur joins his crown with the Eternal Flame.
Thor breaks free and defeats him, taking his crown. Thor returns to Asgard and discovers that Loki is alive and pretends to be Odin. Thor forces him to accompany him to his father; thanks to the help of Stephen Strange, Thor and Loki track down Odin in Norway.
Odin reveals to them that he is close to death and that with her departure Hela, her eldest daughter, will be freed from the prison in which she had been locked up millennia earlier. Hela was Odin’s right hand and together with him conquered the Nine Kingdoms, but when her lust for power grew out of proportion to her Odin was forced to imprison her.
Odin dies and soon after Hela appears and destroys Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir; Thor and Loki try to escape to Asgard through the Bifrost, but Hela chases them and throws them into space. Hela arrives in Asgard and proclaims herself the new queen, slaughtering the city’s army and the Three Warriors, resurrecting her army of the dead and her faithful wolf Fenris.
Meanwhile, Thor crashes on the planet Sakaar, a landfill planet surrounded by numerous wormholes. Thor is captured by a bounty hunter named SR-142, who hands him over to the planet’s ruler, the Grandmaster.
Thor also meets Loki, who has managed to get in the graces of the Grand Master, and discovers that SR-142 is actually the last survivor of the Valkyries. Thor is forced by the Grandmaster to fight against his old friend the Hulk; Thor almost manages to defeat him, but the Grandmaster manipulates the race to make the Hulk win.
After the fight, Thor tries to convince the Hulk and SR-142 to escape with him to save Asgard. The Grandmaster orders SR-142 and Loki to find Thor and Hulk, but SR-142 decides to help Thor and delivers Loki who, having lost the Grandmaster’s trust, decides to follow them.
SR-142 frees the other gladiators who, led by Korg and Miek, start a revolt. Loki helps the group find a spaceship to escape but tries to betray Thor. Thor, Banner, and SR-142 pass through a wormhole and arrive in Asgard, where Hela is attacking Heimdall and the unarmed citizens.
Banner transforms into the Hulk again to fight Fenris, while Thor and SR-142 face off against Hela. Loki and the gladiators come to the rescue and help the citizens of Asgard escape aboard a spaceship stolen from the Grandmaster. Skurge, repentant of his actions, sacrifices himself to allow the spaceship to escape.
During the fight against Hela, Thor loses an eye; at that moment she has a vision of Odin and realizes that the only way to defeat Hela is to unleash Ragnarök and destroy Asgard, as Hela draws her power from it.
Surtur is reborn and destroys Asgard, thus killing Hela. Thor and the others flee aboard the spaceship along with the citizens of Asgard. Thor becomes the new king of Asgard and decides to bring his subjects to Earth.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Director: Taika Waititi
Screenwriter: Taika Waititi, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Release Date: July 8, 2022
Starring: Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie), Natalie Portman (Jane Foster / Mighty Thor), Christian Bale (Gorr the God Butcher), Chris Pratt (Peter Quill / Star-Lord), Jaimie Alexander (Sif), Pom Klementieff (Mantis), Dave Bautista (Drax), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Bradley Cooper (Rocket), Vin Diesel (Groot), Jeff Goldblum (Grandmaster)
Thor’s surprising retirement is interrupted by a mysterious evil killer known as Gorr the God Butcher, who seeks the extinction of all the gods in the universe due to revenge. To combat this new enemy, Thor enlists the help of his former allies Valkyrie, Korg, as well as his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who – to Thor’s ultimate surprise – inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor, thus proving that she is worthy.
Together, the gang, aided by the Guardians of the Galaxy (or the Asgardians of the Galaxy), embarks upon an epic cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vendetta and to stop him before it’s too late.
Do You Need to Watch the Thor Movies in Order?
If you want to follow the story of Thor Odinson within the MCU, it is essential for you to watch the movies in chronological order; this is good because they have been released in the proper chronological order. This is the only way to watch the movies if you want to grasp the character’s whole MCU story.
Will There Be More Thor Movies?
As of 2022, four Thor movies have been released, with Thor: Love and Thunder being the most recent solo outing for the character; it was released in 2022. The future of the series is currently unknown; the character of Thor is probably going to appear again (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a likely candidate), but we don’t know whether we’re going to see a fifth solo movie.
