Written by Katrina
Modified & Updated: 02 Dec 2024
Reviewed by Jessica Corbett
With a five-year gap between the upcoming Thor film, Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), and the previous Thor film, Thor: Ragnarok (2017), it’s certainly a good idea to re-watch all the Thor movies in order.
However, as one of the Avengers, Thor doesn’t just appear in his own films. He appears in other MCU films and even TV shows too. Watching all of them, let alone getting the order right, can be confusing. Luckily, this guide has all of the information you need on Marvel’s God of Thunder!
Here’s a list of all Thor movies in order, including other important films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
What is the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
The Marvel Cinematic Universe, or the MCU, is a franchise that features live-action superheroes adapted from the Marvel Comics. It began in 2008 with the release of the first MCU film, Iron Man (2008). Over the years, the MCU has continued to grow, expanding into stories of superheroes like Captain America, Thor, and Spider-Man.
Contrary to popular belief, however, this franchise comprises more than just films. It also has spin-offs, TV shows, video games, and merchandise.
Today, the MCU is one of the most successful media franchises in the world, with Thor as one of its most popular superheroes.
Who is Thor?
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor is a member of the famous superhero group, the Avengers. He stars in his own films, with several cameos in other Marvel movies and TV shows. Australian actor Chris Hemsworth has played the role of Thor in all appearances.
While most of the Avengers are from Earth, Thor is the only one from a different dimension. Born in Asgard, Thor Odinson is the son of King Odin and his wife Frigga. As the Asgardian Prince, later King, he has superhuman strength, speed, and stamina. He also has superior fighting skills and reflexes, which he often uses to defeat his enemies.
As the God of Thunder, Thor has the power to summon electricity using his magical war-hammer Mjølnir. He can also manipulate the weather as he can create storm clouds while summoning lightning. Thor can also fly by spinning Mjølnir like a helicopter’s rotor.
Did you know Thor is based on an actual god?
In Norse mythology, Thor is not just the god of thunder. He is also the god of the sky, storms, and agriculture. Like the MCU films, Thor is the son of Odin, the chief of gods in all of Norse mythology.
Both Thor movies and comics heavily draw from different aspects of Norse mythology. Asgard, for instance, appears in both the MCU and Norse mythology. It is the realm of the gods, while Midgard is the realm of humans.
Of course, Marvel’s Thor is still unique from the Norse god. The MCU brings a unique spin to the god of thunder, which is clear once you watch all the Thor movies in order.
What are the Thor Movies in order?
There are a total of three Thor films, with a fourth film premiering in 2022. Watching only these three Thor movies, however, won’t give you the complete picture. As an Avenger, Thor appears in the Avenger films, and the events of these films carry over to Thor’s own films.
To give you the complete picture, here is a list of all Marvel movies in order that will help you understand Thor’s story. You’ll find most of these films streaming on Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video.
Thor (2011)
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Writer/s: Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, and Don Payne
Runtime: 114 minutes
Thor (2011) is the first film that introduces the god of thunder. The story follows an arrogant and immature Thor, who disobeys his father by waging war against the Frost Giants. Finding him unfit to rule Asgard, Odin takes away Thor’s powers and exiles him to earth.
His exile, however, provides his stepbrother Loki with the opportunity to seize the throne. Thor must prove himself worthy of Mjølnir once more to reclaim his powers and save Asgard.
While Thor (2011) is the first of Thor movies in order, it is the fourth film in the MCU. After the success of Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011) was another box office hit. In fact, the film became the 15th highest-grossing film of the year.
In the 2012 Empire Awards, Thor (2011) won two awards, including Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Tom Hiddleston, who played Loki, also won the Best Male Newcomer Award.
The Avengers (2012)
Director: Joss Whedon
Writer/s: Joss Whedon
Runtime: 143 minutes
When watching the Thor movies in order, consider including The Avengers (2012) on your list. Marvel’s The Avengers (2012), or simply The Avengers, brings together Thor and the other Avengers for the first time.
After the events in Thor (2011), Loki once again threatens peace by invading earth with the help of an alien race. Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., recruits Captain America, Ironman, the Hulk, and Thor to stop him. Black Widow and Hawkeye, members of S.H.I.E.L.D., also join their ranks.
The Avengers (2012) set records by becoming the very first Marvel film to generate $1 billion in ticket sales. It is also the highest-grossing film of 2012, and it won several awards, including Movie of the Year at the MTV Movie Awards.
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Director: Alan Taylor
Writer/s: Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely
Runtime: 112 minutes
Thor: The Dark World (2013) is next on this list of Thor movies in order. It is the sequel to Thor (2011), and it follows the events of The Avengers (2012).
With Loki imprisoned after The Avengers (2012), the film features a new villain. Malekith is a Dark Elf who wants to destroy the Nine Realms using the Aether, one of the infinity stones. While researching mysterious portals in London, Dr. Jane Foster’s body absorbs the Aether. To save Jane and Asgard from Malekith, Thor must team up with Loki.
Unfortunately, Thor: The Dark World (2013) did not win any awards. It also received mixed reviews from critics as expectations were high after The Avengers (2012). Despite this, however, the film was a box office success. It surpassed Thor (2011) with $644.8 million in ticket sales.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2013)
Director: Joss Whedon
Writer/s: Joss Whedon
Runtime: 141 minutes
After Thor: The Dark World (2013) comes Avengers: Age of Ultron (2013). This film is a sequel to The Avengers (2012), and it is also the 11th film in the MCU.
In the film, Thor reunites with the Avengers to retrieve Loki’s scepter. However, the Avengers later discover the scepter’s gem houses “Ultron”, an evil A.I. Alongside the Avengers, Thor must now stop Ultron before he wipes out the entire human race.
To properly watch the Thor movies in order, this film is a must-see. The film introduces several new characters, including Vision, who was previously Stark’s A.I., J.A.R.V.I.S. After Thor uses his powers to summon electricity, he activates the A.I.’s synthetic body, and J.A.R.V.I.S. comes to life as Vision.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2013) is the second most expensive film ever. Thankfully, the film made much more money than it spent. It was a box office success and the fourth-highest grossing film of 2015.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Director: Taika Waititi
Writer/s: Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, and Christopher Yost
Runtime: 130 minutes
The third installment to watch the Thor movies in order is Thor: Ragnarok (2017). Thor: Ragnarok (2017) is the 17th film in the MCU franchise.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017) takes place two years after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron (2013). At the start of the film, Thor learns of the prophecy of Ragnarök, a great battle that will destroy Asgard and its citizens, including Thor. To stop Ragnarök and Hela, Odin’s evil firstborn, Thor once again teams up with Loki.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017) is the ninth-highest grossing film of 2017, and it is also the highest-grossing Thor film. This is no surprise as many fans claim it is also the best among the Thor movies. The film is also a turning point for the Thor movies as it ladened the franchise with more humor and gravitas.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Director: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
Writer/s: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Runtime: 149 minutes
The next film to watch the Thor movies in order is Avengers: Infinity War (2018). Avengers: Infinity War (2018) is the 19th MCU film, and it is the sequel to Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).
The film once again reunites Thor and the Avengers. This time, Doctor Strange and the Guardians of the Galaxy also join them. Thanos, an alien warlord, wants to get all six Infinity Stones, such as the Tesseract, Aether, etc. Loading them onto his Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos plans to erase half of the earth’s population to solve overpopulation.
The film received several nominations, including an Academy Award. Like most Marvel movies, it became a box office success. In fact, Avengers: Infinity War (2018) is the first superhero film ever to gross over $2 billion.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Director: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
Writer/s: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Runtime: 181 minutes
With the MCU fully focused on the story of the Avengers, Thor’s films come to a halt. The next film on this list of Thor movies in order is another Avenger film. Avengers: Endgame (2019) directly follows the events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018).
After Thanos successfully wipes out half of the earth’s population, the Avengers travel back in time to collect the Infinity Stones. They believe collecting the Infinity Stones will help them reverse Thanos’ snap. Thor goes back to Asgard in the year 2013.
Thor fans will notice something new about their favorite superhero. In Avengers: Endgame (2019), Thor becomes an alcoholic couch potato. His drinking causes him to gain a lot of weight, to the point that people dubbed him “Fat Thor”. For many, this was offensive as they felt the film treated weight gain as a joke, but some see it as a realistic physical effect of grief.
Despite some criticisms, the film was yet another box office success. It also received several awards, including Best Action Movie at the Critics’ Choice Awards.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Director: Taika Waititi
Writer/s: Taika Waititi and Jennifer Robinson
Runtime: 133 minutes
The latest installment in the Thor film series is Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). The film will premiere on July 8, 2022, and it will once again star Chris Hemsworth as Thor.
The story follows Thor who has retired after saving the world 500 times. However, a new villain by the name of Gorr the God Butcher forces Thor to return. He enlists the help of Valkyrie, Korg, and, to his surprise, the “new” Mighty Thor.
The film reintroduces Thor’s previous love interest, Jane Foster. This time, however, she is no longer an ordinary human. She now wields Mjølnir and has superpowers like Thor.
According to director Taika Waititi, the film draws from adventure films from the 1980s. It will also focus on the romance between Thor and Jane. It is one of the highly anticipated films of 2022 and many fans are re-watching the Thor movies to prepare.
What are some of Thor’s other appearances?
In case you finish binge-watching the Thor movies in order, consider watching these too! These aren’t necessary to understand Thor’s story, but he appears briefly in them too.
Doctor Strange (2016)
Director: Scott Derrickson
Writer/s: Jon Spaihts, Scott Derrickson, and C. Robert Cargill
Runtime: 115 minutes
Doctor Strange (2016) is the 14th film in the MCU. The story follows Stephen Strange, a doctor from New York City. His hands suffer grave injuries after a car crash, rendering him unable to perform operations as a neurosurgeon. However, not all hope is lost. Strange discovers the mystic arts, and he trains under the “Ancient One” to heal his hands.
Thor appears in a brief mid-credits scene of the film. In the scene, Thor brings Loki to New York City to look for their father. Worried by Loki’s presence in the city, Doctor Strange helps Thor to ensure nothing goes wrong.
This film isn’t necessary when watching the Thor movies in order. However, Doctor Strange does appear in Thor: Ragnarok (2017), so some fans might want to get to know him first. This film will also give further insight into the MCU films, especially Avengers: Infinity War (2018).
What If…?
Director: Bryan Andrews
Writer/s: A.C. Bradley and Matthew Chauncey
Runtime: 30 – 37 minutes per episode
If you’re looking for a show to watch as a break from pouring over the Thor movies in order, then What If…? is a great choice!
What If…? is an animated TV series that first streamed on Disney Plus on August 11, 2021. It presents the same beloved characters from the MCU but in alternate timelines. The show explores different “what if?” scenarios wherein the ending differs from what happened in the movies.
The series is ongoing, and it currently has nine episodes. Thor appears in three of them, and like the MCU films, Chris Hemsworth also voices Thor in the series. One episode where Thor appears is entitled, “What If…Were an Only Child?” It presents an alternate universe where Odin did not adopt Loki. Instead, Thor grows up as an only child. This leads to a series of different events, with familiar characters like Jane Foster and Ultron also appearing.
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