A Darker Ending for Thor? Kenneth Branagh Shares ‘Logan’-Style Vision

Fifteen years after Thor first hit theaters, director Kenneth Branagh is looking back at the film and sharing new thoughts about where the character could go next. In an interview with Business Insider, Branagh spoke about his time working on the Marvel movie and revealed that he once had a very different idea for a follow-up story.

The original film, which introduced Thor to the big screen, became a major success and helped expand the Marvel Cinematic Universe beyond Earth. It starred Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki, with Kevin Feige overseeing the growing franchise. Branagh played a key role in shaping the tone of that first movie, mixing mythology with serious character drama.

Now, years later, Branagh says he would have taken Thor’s story in a much darker direction if he had returned. Instead of the more humorous tone seen in later films, he imagined a final chapter that feels closer to Logan.

“Part of me would love to finish my relationship with that character. 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.”

According to Branagh, this version would focus more on emotion and closure. He described it as a story that would give the character a proper ending after years of adventures. He also made it clear that he still admires what the franchise became, even though it went in a different direction.

“It could be a beautiful thing. I would love to see it, for sure.”

Branagh also explained why he didn’t return after the first movie. He said the process of making a Marvel film is very demanding and that he needed a break at the time. Even though the studio wanted him back, he felt he didn’t have the energy to continue right away.

Today, the Thor films are known for their mix of action and comedy, especially in later entries. But Branagh’s comments show that there was once a different path being considered — one that would have leaned more into serious storytelling and a strong ending for the character.

A darker and more emotional final Thor movie could actually work really well. The character has been around for a long time, and giving him a strong ending like Logan did for Wolverine would feel fresh. At the same time, Marvel has built its success on lighter tones in recent years, so it would be a big shift. What do you think? Would you like to see a serious, final Thor story like this? Share your thoughts in the comments.