THOR Director Kenneth Branagh Would Love to Make a LOGAN-Style Finale for the Marvel Hero
Thor helped shape the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe 15 years ago. At the time, the franchise was still finding its footing, and bringing in Kenneth Branagh, a filmmaker known for Shakespearean drama, felt like an unexpected move.
Bringing Branagh in paid off in a big way, launching Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki, characters who would go on to become cornerstones of the MCU.
Now, with nearly 40 films under Marvel Studios’ belt, Branagh is looking back on the time he spent with the God of Thunder and thinking about how it could all come to an end.
In a recent interview with Business Insider, Branagh reflected on the whirlwind experience of making Thor. While the film was a success, he chose not to return for the sequel, explaining that the process was both thrilling and exhausting. Marvel was ready to jump straight into a follow-up, but Branagh needed to step away.
That sequel eventually became Thor: The Dark World, directed by Alan Taylor, and the franchise later evolved under Taika Waititi with Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, which leaned heavily into humor and a more colorful tone. Branagh appreciated that shift, even calling those later entries “amazing films.”
Even so, his connection to the character hasn’t faded. If anything, it sounds like he’s still thinking about what a proper ending for Thor could look like.
“Part of me would love to finish my relationship with that character,” he said. “I’d always wanted to do more and indeed had a couple of ideas, more in the territory of James Mangold’s brilliant Logan.
“I would love to see Chris Hemsworth and the others have their own individual final story that takes Thor into a glorious twilight.”
That comparison to Logan is interesting. It suggests something more grounded and character-driven, a story that gives Thor a meaningful sendoff. Considering how long audiences have followed these characters, that kind of ending could hit hard.
Branagh expanded on that idea, emphasizing the bond between these heroes and the audience that has grown alongside them.
“And there’s also this unique relationship with a large cinema audience that those characters now have that, for people who have grown up with them and their arc, I think it would be something very beautiful to take those characters into their own particular sunset. It could be a beautiful thing. I would love to see it, for sure.”
It’s a compelling thought. The MCU has spent over a decade building these arcs, and while some heroes have already had their conclusions, Thor is still out there, evolving with each appearance. Giving him a carefully crafted finale could feel like closing a major chapter in cinematic history.
Of course, whether Branagh actually gets the chance to return is another matter entirely. Marvel Studios has its roadmap mapped out well into the future.
“That’s a whole other question,” he said when asked if he’d be up for returning. “They are so far deep into the future of the Marvel Universe that I’m sure whatever plans they have for it are already kind of set.
“All I know is there’s something beautiful to be had out of arriving at a conclusion for that arc of those stories with those characters and those actors.”
Even if Branagh never steps back into the MCU, his perspective carries weight. He helped lay the foundation for Thor’s cinematic journey, and his idea of a more reflective, emotional ending feels like something fans could really connect with.
Now the question is whether Marvel will eventually take Thor in that direction or keep the thunder rolling a little longer.