What are the best Chris Hemsworth movies? The Australian actor’s big screen career could hardly have kicked off in a more stylish fashion, taking on the small but crucial role of George Kirk in the rebooted Star Trek franchise. Since then, Chris Hemsworth has risen to the very top of Hollywood’s ranks, most notably thanks to his role as Thor in the MCU.
Taking on the role of the God of Thunder in the Marvel movies would ultimately turn Hemsworth into one of the industry’s most bankable stars, with a slew of leading roles coming off the back of his portrayal of the popular MCU character. But, Hemsworth is far more than just an Avenger, as his rather impressive filmography proves. He’s joined other franchises, started new ones, and played leading roles in some truly underrated gems from recent years.
Here, we take a look at the actor’s career and break down the best Chris Hemsworth movies, from his string of appearances in the MCU, to lesser-known hits in the horror and thriller genre.
What are the best Chris Hemsworth movies?
- The Cabin in the Woods
- Rush
- Avengers Assemble
- Ghostbusters
- Thor: Ragnarok
- Bad Times at the El Royale
- Extraction
- Avengers: Infinity War
The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
In the same year Hemsworth became the God of Thunder, he actually starred in a brilliant little horror movie that perfectly plays on the classic genre tropes with a comedic twist.
The Cabin in the Woods doesn’t get enough love for the way it cleverly subverts all our expectations, as it riffs on various monster movies and iconic ’80s slashers. It also has one of the best plot twists in movie history; devilishly satisfying and superbly violent, it’s a fitting end to a very fun movie.
Rush (2013)
Thor may have missed the action in Captain America: Civil War, but to be fair, he had already faced off against Baron Zemo way before his Avengers buddies. Well, sort of. Hemsworth starred alongside Zemo actor Daniel Brühl in this movie based on a true story from the world of Formula One.
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As the James Hunt to Brühl’s Nikki Lauda, Hemsworth delivers an incredibly convincing and captivating performance, in an exhilarating and surprisingly emotional movie.
Avengers Assemble (2012)
Back when the MCU was refreshingly simple and we only had six heroes to cheer on, Avengers Assemble was a truly monumental shift in the cinematic landscape for superhero movies. Chris Hemsworth and his fellow Avengers took on Loki and the Chitauri in the Battle of New York, and the world of Marvel would never be the same again.
Even a decade later, there’s not many MCU movies that have topped what Avengers Assemble achieved. An all-time great in the comic book movie universe.
Ghostbusters (2016)
The decision to make an all-female version of Ghostbusters was not a popular one, with the comedy movie falling foul of poor box-office returns and a critical backlash. The animosity towards this movie is completely unfounded, though, with this fresh take on a classic offering lots of fun, some cool ghosts, and Chris Hemsworth proving he is very good at comedy.
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We will probably never see Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones as the Ghostbusters ever again, and that’s a real shame.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
When Taika Waititi took over the reins of our favourite Asgardian hero, we finally got a good Thor movie. The first two solo efforts in Thor’s journey are pretty drab and dull, but with Thor: Ragnarok, Waititi imbued the character with humour, vibrant visuals, and made him an absolute badass.
Ragnarok is right up there as one of the funniest movies in the MCU, as we see our titular hero traverse the dystopian world of Sakaar, where he reunites with a “friend from work” before heading back home to save his people from his evil sister.
Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)
Chris Hemsworth was clearly tired of playing the good guy all the time, because his turn as Billy Lee in this underrated thriller movie is the performance of a man-possessed. Hemsworth cranks the crazy up to 11 and shows a side to him we’ve never seen before, and it’s great fun to witness.
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An all-star cast including Dakota Johnson, Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, and Jon Hamm bring this brooding mystery to life, as Hemsworth reunites with Drew Goddard, the director of The Cabin in the Woods.
Extraction (2020)
Why settle for being a star in an existing franchise, when you can start your own? Hemsworth teamed up with streaming service Netflix in 2020 to front the action movie Extraction as the kick-ass hero Tyler Rake.
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Extraction was a real lockdown treat for audiences who were craving big screen action in the comfort of their own home, and Hemsworth duly delivered. We can’t wait to see what Tyler gets up to next, with the Extraction 2 release date on the horizon.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Bring me Thanos! Who can forget Thor’s epic entrance onto the battlefield in Infinity War? The unbelievable scale and ambition in bringing this huge story to life could easily have proved problematic for Marvel and the Russo Brothers, but they well and truly pulled it off.
With our heroes divided, Infinity War allows some brilliant bonds to be formed, and perhaps the best of these new alliances is when the Guardians of the Galaxy team up with Thor.
There we go. Those are the best Chris Hemsworth movies. If you want to explore some other actors, why not check out our list of the best Oscar Isaac movies, or how about a rival Chris with the list of the best Chris Evans movies.
For more upcoming releases, check out our guides to Marvel Phase 5, the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 release date, and all the new movies heading our way in 2023.