Uncomfortable reshoots. Accusations of dishonesty. Disagreements about directors. These are just
some of the reasons these actors were miserable while shooting a "Thor" movie. Keep watching
to learn everything you need to know about the "who" and "why."
The most recent "Thor" movies are known for being lighter and more fun than many other
MCU films. The latest entry, "Thor: Love and Thunder," is no exception, from its Guardians
of the Galaxy hijinks to the hilarious giant screaming goats.
"And giant goats!"
"Look at those! They are wonderful!"
Reviewers have praised this lighthearted take. Collider's Perri Nemiroff posted about the
film,
"LOADS of laughs (my face legit hurts), menace of Christian Bale's Gorr is chilling, but
most of all loved that it's a film brimming with good vibes & heart."
But that doesn't mean the "Thor" movies have always been fun to make for all the actors
involved. While these films look like they must have been a blast to create, the intense
level of pressure involved — along with issues behind the scenes — means that it
wasn't all fun for everyone on set.
Take, for example, Christopher Eccleston. You may know him best for playing the Ninth
Doctor with the catchphrase,
"Fantastic!"
He famously did not think his experience on "Doctor Who" was fantastic, though. He also
didn't like being Malekith the Accursed, the ruler of the Dark Elves in "Thor: The Dark
World."
For his Thor woes, the actor blames a bit of dishonesty during negotiations. He told
Metro that he was led to believe there would only be a little makeup. He said,
"What they didn't say was that it'd be seven hours of it, which was very dishonest of them.
That was a miserable experience and a dreadful performance."
Metro isn't the only media outlet he complained to. He explained to "The Guardian" how horrible
his experiences were on both "G. I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," in which he played Destro,
and "Thor: The Dark World," saying both roles were regrettable.
However, Eccleston has also made clear that he has no beef with the cast and crew of "The
Dark World," singling out director Alan Taylor and star Chris Hemsworth for praise. He told
Metro,
"I loved working with Alan — he's a great director. And Hemsworth was fantastic. A generous
actor who really had his feet on the ground."
Considering he's appeared in multiple MCU films, you might think Idris Elba, who plays
the Asgardian Heimdall, the former guardian of the Bifrost Bridge, had a great time. Yet,
like Eccleston, he said some harsh things about "Thor: The Dark World," specifically.
Elba told The Telegraph in 2014 that right after he finished playing activist Nelson
Mandela in "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom," he was contractually obligated to return to
the 2013 "Thor" sequel for reshoots. This included an uncomfortable scene in which he
was falling from a spaceship. Elba explained,
"I was like, 'This is torture, man. I don't want to do this. Twenty-four hours ago, I
was Mandela. [...] Then there I was, in this stupid harness, with this wig and this sword
and these contact lenses. It ripped my heart out."
Even so, Elba has also praised Taylor and his vision for "The Dark World" in a Flicks
and the City interview. And given his continued presence in the MCU after that, it seems like
his issues with the "Thor" reshoots might've been more situational rather than a deeper
resentment.
In fact, it's clear the actor wants more work in the Marvel universe, not less. In 2017,
he told Entertainment Weekly,
"I like what I have, but I also wish that I had a bigger character in the Marvel universe."
"There is always hope."
One more actor who wasn't thrilled with "The Dark World" was Natalie Portman, who became
disenchanted with the "Thor" franchise and reportedly declined to show up for reshoots
for the sequel. She didn't appear in any more Marvel films — setting aside a cameo that
reused "Dark World" footage in "Avengers: Endgame" — until "Love and Thunder."
She also made her beef public. In 2011, the Hollywood Reporter reported that Portman was
"deeply unhappy" that her choice for the sequel's director, Patty Jenkins, who would go on to
direct "Wonder Woman," was ousted by Marvel following creative differences.
The publication said that Portman had already been on the fence about returning to the franchise
because she wanted to spend time with her family, while Vulture noted that she gained
a renewed excitement about the role when Jenkins was hired. Once Jenkins was gone, this presumably
changed. Us reports that when she said filming conflicts prevented her from returning for
reshoots, Hemsworth's real-life wife Elsa Pataky filled in for her. In an interview
with the Wall Street Journal in 2016, Portman said,
"I don't know if one day they'll ask for an 'Avengers 7' or whatever, I have no idea,
but as far as I know, I'm done. It was a great thing to be a part of."
But she obviously had enough fond memories to finally come back to the role in "Love
and Thunder," once Jane was finally given a bigger role. According to CNN, it reportedly
only took one meeting for Taika Waititi to convince her to sign up again.
"Quite a reunion, huh?"
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