Chris Hemsworth Says Thor 3 Is “A Ways Away”

Back in January, Thor: The Dark World co-writer Christopher Yost and Marvel Studios senior vice president of production and development Craig Kyle were tapped to pen the screenplay for Thor 3, but not much has been heard of the project since. At the time, we expected it to get a 2016 release date, but with Captain America 3 slated for May 6th and Doctor Strange all but confirmed for July 8th of that year, it looks like the earliest we’ll see Thor 3 is in 2017.

Marvel has three release dates claimed for 2017: May 5th, July 28th (which now belongs to James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy 2), and November 3rd. Could Thor 3 hit theaters that May or November, four years after the previous installment?

When speaking with press after the Marvel Studios panel at San Diego Comic-Con this past weekend, star Chris Hemsworth gave a small update on Thor 3‘s status. According to Collider, he said:

“Yeah I got a lot of time. I don’t think it’s just yet, Thor 3. I think it’s a ways away.”

The big question here is, what’s the big holdup on a third solo outing for the God of Thunder? It’s not like Marvel is opposed to sequels, and they enthusiastically green-lit Cap 3 and Guardians 2 before the predecessors even hit theaters.

My guess is that the lukewarm reception for Thor: The Dark World made the studio cool their jets a bit and step back from Asgard to examine where to go next. The threequel is in no trouble, by any means, judging by The Dark World‘s $645 million box office haul, but its critical reception just wasn’t as passionate as that of Captain America: The Winter Solider or Guardians of the Galaxy. Plus, The Dark World didn’t have the same impact on the larger MCU that, say, The Winter Soldier‘s game-changing plot did, making a follow-up less of a priority.

Let’s not forget that Hemsworth is a busy guy, with plenty of films on his slate already. Apart from picking up the hammer again for next year’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, he’s starring in Michael Mann’s Blackhat and Ron Howard’s Heart of the Sea, he’s rumored for Shane Black’s Doc Savage, and he’s taking over the Snow White and the Huntsman franchise with his own Huntsman-centric spin-off in 2016. So, even if Marvel was itching for another Thor film, Hemworth probably wouldn’t have time to start production until 2016 anyway.

Tell us, would you like to see Thor 3? Or would you rather see other Marvel characters get their own films (or sequels) first? Sound off in the comments below.