Development of a sequel toThor began in April 2011 when producerKevin Feige announced plans for it to follow the MCU crossover filmThe Avengers (2012). In July,Thor directorKenneth Branagh withdrew from the sequel. Taylor was hired to replace him as director in January 2012. The supporting cast filled out that August with the hiring of Eccleston and Akinnuoye-Agbaje as the film's villains. Filming took place from September to December 2012, primarily inSurrey, England, as well as inIceland and London. Taylor wanted the film to be more grounded thanThor, inspired by his work onGame of Thrones (2011–2019). He hiredCarter Burwell to compose the score, but Marvel replaced Burwell withBrian Tyler.
Thor: The Dark World premiered at theOdeon Leicester Square in London on October 22, 2013, and was released in the United States on November 8, as part ofPhase Two of the MCU. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $644 million worldwide and becoming thetenth highest-grossing film of 2013. It received praise for the performances of Hemsworth and Hiddleston, visual effects, and action sequences, but was criticized for its generic villain and lack of depth. Retrospectively, Taylor expressed dissatisfaction with the film and said Marvel substantially altered it from his original vision duringpost-production. Two sequels have been released:Thor: Ragnarok (2017) andThor: Love and Thunder (2022).
Eons ago,Bor—the father ofOdin—wages war against theDark ElfMalekith, who seeks to unleash a weapon known as theAether on theNine Realms. After defeating Malekith's forces on their homeworld ofSvartalfheim, Bor sends the Aether to a hidden world that no one can reach. However, Malekith escapes with his lieutenant Algrim and a handful of Dark Elves before going intosuspended animation.
In present-dayAsgard, Odin imprisonsLoki for his various crimes on Earth.[a] Meanwhile,Thor and his companions repel marauders onVanaheim to pacify the Nine Realms following the reconstruction of theBifröst—the "Rainbow Bridge" between realms which was destroyed two years earlier.[b] The Asgardians learn that the Convergence, a rare alignment of the Nine Realms, is imminent; as the event approaches, portals linking the worlds appear at random.
InLondon, astrophysicist Dr.Jane Foster travels to an abandoned factory where such portals have appeared. Foster is teleported to the hidden world where the Aether is stored and it enters her body. Thor finds Foster and takes her to Asgard, where Odin warns that the Aether will not only kill her but herald a catastrophic prophecy. Malekith, awakened by the Aether's release, attacks Asgard searching for Foster. Thor's motherFrigga is killed trying to protect her. Thor recruits Loki, who knows of a secret portal to Svartalfheim where they plan to confront Malekith, to avenge Frigga. On Svartalfheim, Loki uses an illusion to trick Malekith into drawing the Aether out of Foster, but Thor's attempt to destroy it fails. Malekith merges with the Aether and leaves as Loki seemingly dies while killing Algrim.
Thor and Foster reunite in London with Foster's mentor, Dr.Erik Selvig. They learn that Malekith plans to plunge the entire universe into darkness by unleashing the Aether at the center of the Convergence inGreenwich. Thor battles Malekith across multiple worlds while Jane's group use their scientific equipment to transport Malekith to Svartalfheim, where he is crushed by his own ship. Thor returns to Asgard, where he declines Odin's offer to take the throne. After he leaves, Loki is revealed to be alive and impersonating Odin.
In a mid-credits scene,Volstagg andSif visit theCollector and entrust the Aether to his care; with theTesseract already in Asgard, they fear that having twoInfinity Stones so close together would be dangerous. As they leave, the Collector states his desire to acquire the other five Stones. In apost-credits scene, Foster and Thor reunite on Earth.
The cast ofThor: The Dark World at the world premiere in London. Top to bottom: Hemsworth, Portman, Hiddleston, Elba, Eccleston, Akinnuoye-Agbaje, and Dennings (scrollable image)
Chris Hemsworth asThor: AnAvenger and thecrown prince ofAsgard, based on theNorse mythological deityof the same name.[6] Hemsworth stated that the film addresses unresolved issues regarding Thor's relationships from previous films, "For Thor and Jane, there are some unanswered questions now, since obviously he didn't stop in and catch up with her inThe Avengers (2012). Thor might have some explaining to do in this one. And with Loki, we get down to the major bones of our conflict with everything that's come fromThor toAvengers to now."[7] Hemsworth added, "Thor's journey I think picks more so up from where we left the first one—About to take on the throne... and now coming to the realization of what responsibility comes with that. Also, Alan [Taylor] keeps talking about the dark side of that responsibility, and the secrets of being king or becoming sort of very political about what people need to know and what they want to know."[8] Hemsworth especially enjoyed the role of Thor in this film as he was able to, "... break him down and find his human qualities and his vulnerable side."[9]
Natalie Portman asJane Foster: Anastrophysicist and Thor's love interest[10] who is brought from Earth to Asgard by Thor after she is infected with a mysterious energy.[11] ProducerKevin Feige said, "[W]hile Thor was a fish out of water on Earth in the first two films (Thor andThe Avengers), this time Jane is very much a fish out of water in Asgard."[12] Portman added, "It was a whole different adventure this time. Because Jane is the fish out of water. I didn't want to make it likeBill & Ted, or like avalley girl dumped into Shakespeareland."[13] Portman also said the film finds Jane at a different place in her life, "Jane has moved, so she's now in London, not in Santa Fe anymore. Obviously she has gone through missing Thor and also being upset at him because he didn't come knock on her door when he was on her planet. She's definitely been getting over that and trying to move on."[14] Hemsworth's wifeElsa Pataky stood in for Portman during the post-credits kissing scene due to a scheduling conflict.[15]
Tom Hiddleston asLoki: Thor's adoptive brother and nemesis, based on the deity of thesame name, who forms an uneasy alliance with Thor against the Dark Elves.[16][17][18] On where he wished to take the character in the film, Hiddleston said, "I'd like to take [Loki] to his absolute rock bottom. I'd like to see him yield, essentially, to his darkest instincts. Then, having hit rock bottom, maybe come back up. I think the fascination for me about playing Loki is that, in the history of the mythology and the comic books and the Scandinavian myths, is he's constantly dancing on this fault line of the dark side and redemption."[19] Hiddleston recalled, "When I met Alan [Taylor], he asked me how I thought I could do Loki again without repeating myself and I remembered talking with Kevin Feige when we were on theAvengers promotional tour. I said, 'OK, you've seen Thor and Loki be antagonistic for two films now. It would be amazing to see them fight side by side. I've been the bad guy now twice, so I can't be again, or otherwise I shouldn't be in the film. So we have to find a new role for me to play."[20]
Stellan Skarsgård asErik Selvig: Foster's mentor and colleague.[21] Skarsgård said, the film finds Selvig in a "disrupted mode" explaining, "Having a god in your head for a while creates some psychological problems", referring to the character's ordeal followingThe Avengers.[22]
Idris Elba asHeimdall: The all-seeing, all-hearing Asgardian sentry of theBifröst Bridge, based on the mythological deity of thesame name.[23] Elba said he has a larger role in the sequel, "In the new film we're going to get to know Heimdall the Asgardian a bit better, and we're going to get to know Asgard a bit better. I can't say too much, but the expansion of Thor in his world is going to be huge. My part was very small and functional in the first film".[24]
Christopher Eccleston asMalekith: The ruler of theDark Elves ofSvartalfheim.[25] About Malekith's motivation, Eccleston said, "There is a kind of tragic quality to his quest. Because he's lost his wife, he's lost his children. He's lost everything. And he returns for revenge. And the agent for his revenge is the Aether. If he gets hold of that, he is omnipotent."[26] Eccleston continued, "What I thought about a great deal was revenge—there's huge amounts of revenge. One quote is: 'When you seek revenge, be sure to dig two graves.' I did a film calledRevengers Tragedy where I played a guy called Vindici—from the word 'vindictive'—and he is the distillation of revenge. So, in a way, that was what I had to think of: how revenge can make you absolutely monomaniacal—though you're still trying to make it recognizably motive-led. It's just the personification of movie evil."[20] However Taylor stated that many scenes involving Malekith's backstory had to be cut from the film to make it more efficient.[27] Eccleston revealed that he speaks an invented language for the film explaining, "The Elvish language is definitely based on European languages. I think there's probably someFinnish in there. It does have its logic and its rhythms. It also has many syllables and it's very difficult to do while remaining naturalistic. It's been a particular challenge for us but hopefully it gives the film some complexity and variety."[14] Eccleston also said the role required six hours of make-up and 45 minutes in wardrobe.[26]
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje asAlgrim / Kurse: A Dark Elf and Malekith's trusted and loyal lieutenant who is transformed into a monstrous creature in order to destroy Thor.[28][29] Akinnuoye-Agbaje described Kurse as "an amalgamation of a bull and a lava-like creature. He has very animalistic tendencies but with this insatiable and unstoppable power. As an actor, that's one of the hardest things to embody. You have to realize you are probably the most powerful thing you could imagine. And you have to be that. You can't pretend, so that when you face Thor, it's real."[30] Akinnuoye-Agbaje stated the role required three hours of make-up a day and had to put on heavy duty prosthetics explaining, "The outfit weighed about 40 pounds. I'm sure there will be a certain amount of CGI but a good 80% was me in that suit."[30] About the character Akinnuoye-Agbaje said, "I suppose Algrim and Kurse would be the quintessential baddies, but in reality they are what I perceive as the scorn and the victims of the story. They are the elves who have basically lost their planet and their race to another race, the Asgardians. Here is a man/alien who places a noble objective beyond his own life and I think there is something extremely inspiring about that because he looks at the bigger picture and sees himself as a means to that end." Akinnuoye-Agbaje added, "I worked with director Alan Taylor in trying to maintain Algrim's humanity all the way throughout Kurse's transformation, so that even when you see Kurse the beast, you can still relate to him as being Algrim inside. And symbolically we did that by keeping the same piercing blue eyes throughout."[14]
Kat Dennings asDarcy Lewis: Apolitical science major who isinterning for Foster.[29][31] Her role in the film was expanded from thecomic relief sidekick role she played in the firstThor film.[32] Dennings said her character is "really bad at real science in this first movie. In the second movie, she's more interested, but she still doesn't know anything about it. She loves Jane, she really wants Jane and Thor to be together. It's almost like her own little soap opera that she watches."[31]
Ray Stevenson asVolstagg: A member of theWarriors Three, a group of three Asgardian adventurers who are among Thor's closest comrades, known for both his hearty appetite and wide girth.[33] About the character Stevenson said, "He's got a heart the size of a planet that he wears on his sleeve, so he's like a big kid."[14] Regarding Volstagg's role in this film, Stevenson said, "Volstagg is struggling, he has a brood, [the Warriors Three] are fighting for hearth and home as much as for the idea of Asgard itself. That's where he has trouble." Explaining, "He's all too aware of how potentially threatening this new enemy is on both the home front and the battlefield."[34]
Zachary Levi asFandral: A member of the Warriors Three, characterized as an irrepressibleswashbuckler and romantic.[35] Levi replacedJoshua Dallas in the role due to Dallas's commitment onOnce Upon a Time. Levi had been up for the role in the first film, but bowed out due to his commitment onChuck.[36] Levi compared the character to Flynn Rider, the character he played in the animated feature,Tangled, "Fandral is a little similar to Rider in some ways... He's like thisLothario. He's likeErrol Flynn. He loves ladies, as do I".[37] Regarding the dynamic of the Warriors Three, Levi said, "The Warriors Three are here to support Thor. We are his confidants, his best friends. We've all grown up together in a lot of ways and fought many a battle together, escaped death. To me it's the way best friends ought to be—they're there when you need to talk and they're there if you don't want to talk, and they're there if you need to escape from your father's place in a flying skiff!"[14]
Jaimie Alexander asSif: An Asgardian warrior, Thor's childhood friend and Foster's romantic rival, based on the deity of thesame name.[12][39] Alexander said there is more character development for Sif and the film explores the Sif-Thor relationship.[40] Alexander elaborated, "I really tried to bring a little bit more vulnerability in this film. Sif is very much in love with Thor and very much cares about his well-being. So she kicks a lot of butt in this movie but she also opens her heart a lot."[14]
Rene Russo asFrigga: The wife of Odin, queen of Asgard, mother of Thor, and adoptive mother of Loki, based on the mythological deity of thesame name.[41] Russo said that her role was expanded and explores Frigga's relationship with Loki, "You know, they cut me [down] in the first film.Kenneth Branagh sent me a nice note, because he understood, he's an actor. You move on, what are you going to do? But I think they're going to need a good mom in the next film. Loki needs his mom. I have a lot of compassion for [Loki]. But we might have to have a conversation about what he just did".[42]
Anthony Hopkins asOdin: The king of Asgard, father of Thor, and adoptive father of Loki, based on the deity of thesame name,[43] who disapproves of Jane Foster being in Asgard.[11][12] Regarding Thor's relationship with his father, Hemsworth said, "[T]he conflict between Thor and Odin was so great in the first one... so, certainly they disagree as I think they always will at times but there's a far greater respect from each other. So it becomes, I guess, a more mature conversation, but there's more at stake this time, too. It's not sort of just their individual egos, the whole universe is at stake."[8] As to his approach Hopkins said, "I just play Odin like a human being, with maybe a little more dimension. I grow a beard, look hopefully impressive and keep it as real as possible."[14]
"In both cases, it's using the conceit of a fantastical, alien world to make fresh what is really a domestic drama. InGame of Thrones, seeingTyrion battle with his sisterCersei, seeing the relationships between children and their fathers... It's all the stuff we're interested in at a psychological level because we're living it all the time. But it takes place in this otherwise fantastical, foreign realm. I think the same thing is true inThor. The brilliant thingKen Branagh did in launching it was making it very much a story about two brothers, a story about brothers competing for the love of their father. So it's small, confined and human at the same time it's this blown-out, intergalactic world."
—Alan Taylor, director ofThor: The Dark World and several episodes ofGame of Thrones[57]
In April 2011, before the release ofThor (2011),Marvel Studios presidentKevin Feige stated that followingThe Avengers (2012), "Thor will go off into a new adventure."[58]Kenneth Branagh, director ofThor, responded to his comments, saying, "It is kind of news to me. Here's what I would say to that: It's that I'm thrilled they're that confident. I shall wait for the audience to tell us whether there should be a second one, and then if that's a nice conversation to be had [among] all of us, that'd be thrilling. But I've got too much Irish superstitious blood in me to assume thatThor 2 will happen. But if Marvel says so, then I guess it must be true".[59] Feige later explained that Marvel Studios would gauge how wellThor did at the box office before announcing sequels, but stated, "Don Payne is working on story ideas for a part two. We've got various options with Ken [Branagh] to discuss coming back, but right now the focus is on the first one. Don is, slowly but surely, thinking about where to take the character next should we be so lucky".[60]
In June 2011,Walt Disney Studios set a July 26, 2013, release date for theThor sequel withChris Hemsworth reprising his role as the title hero. It was also reported that Branagh would not be returning as director but would likely be involved in a producing capacity.[6] TheLos Angeles Times cited the long commitment necessary for a special effects-heavy epic and the pressure to start the script process right away as reasons for Branagh's departure, although he was initially enthused by the chance to direct the sequel.[61] Branagh noted, "It was a long time [making the first film] and they were way too quick for me to get straight back into another, [but] it was a pleasurable experience and a film I'm very proud of."[62] The following day, Marvel formally hired Payne, one of the credited writers of the first film, to script the sequel.[63] An early version of the film planned to featureHela as the film's antagonist. However, Marvel Studios producerCraig Kyle explained that the Creative Committee fromMarvel Entertainment was driving most of the decisions for the film and did not want a female villain because they did not believe they could sell toys based on her to young boys.[64] In August,Brian Kirk entered early negotiations to direct theThor sequel. The film would have marked Kirk's first time directing a big-budget motion picture, after having directed television series forHBO,Showtime and theBBC, includingGame of Thrones (2011–2019).[65]
In September 2011,Tom Hiddleston confirmed he would return in the sequel, speculating that in the film, "[Loki will] have to take responsibility for what he's done".[16]Patty Jenkins, the director ofMonster (2003) and the pilot episode ofAMC'sThe Killing (2011–2014), entered early negotiations with Marvel Studios and Disney to direct the film, after Kirk had passed due to contractual sticking points that arose during negotiations.[66] Later in the month, Feige stated the sequel would "take Thor literally to other worlds" and would "primarily be the journey of that character, of he andJane Foster and how the new dynamic with his father is working out, as well as what are the broader stakes for The Nine Worlds".[67] On October 13, 2011, Marvel confirmed that Jenkins would direct the sequel andNatalie Portman would return to star.[10] Disney also moved the release date for the film to November 15, 2013.[68]
"The main difference I have [from Branagh's approach] is really to do with look and tone. Things look really dirty. The first Thor was quite shiny and it was a very conscious, smart choice. When I came in, I wanted to get more of a sense of the Norse mythology: the Viking quality, the texture and weight of the history. He's a superhero, but he's been around for thousands of years. His dad is god!"
In December 2011, Jenkins exited the project, citing "creative differences".[69] She stated, "I have had a great time working at Marvel. We parted on very good terms, and I look forward to working with them again".[70] Jenkins felt she could not have made a good film "out ofThor 2 because I wasn't the right director... I could have made a greatThor if I could have done the story that I was wanting to do. But I don't think I was the right person to make a greatThor out of the story they wanted to do." Jenkins had intended to create a film based on the premise ofRomeo and Juliet, where Jane was stuck on Earth with Thor forbidden to come save her. After Thor eventually does travel to Earth, he and Jane would have discovered thatMalekith was "hiding the dark energy inside of Earth because he knows thatOdin doesn't care about Earth, and so he's using Odin's disinterest in Earth to trick him".[71]
Three days later, it was reported that Marvel was looking atAlan Taylor andDaniel Minahan as prospective directors to replace Jenkins, and were also in the midst of hiring a writer to rewrite Don Payne's script, with the shortlist of possible writers consisting ofJohn Collee,Robert Rodat andRoger Avary.[72] At the end of the month, Alan Taylor, best known for directing episodes of the HBO fantasy seriesGame of Thrones, was chosen to direct the sequel.[73] Feige mentioned Taylor's work on the seriesMad Men (2007–2015),Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014) andGame of Thrones as reasons for his hiring, saying "With Alan's direction we got a few more layers of patina, of texture, of reality into our golden realm."[14] As Feige looked at what worked for the firstThor film and thought what he could retool from that, Taylor decided to "bring someGame of Thrones to it" in order to make a darker and more grounded sequel in comparison to Branagh's work in the previous film.[74] By January 10, Marvel Studios had commissioned screenwriter Rodat to rewrite the sequel and Hiddleston stated that filming was expected to begin inLondon in the summer of 2012.[75][76] Hemsworth later confirmed that filming was scheduled to begin in August.[77][78] Hemsworth also revealed that the film would have a moreViking-influenced feel, elaborating "I think the science fiction element toThor ... the danger is it falls a little bit into the world of it's 'tough to throw a light to.' I think of big waterfalls and mountains and a Viking influence, where theNorse mythology kind of grew from. Having that in Asgard is going to make it all the more special and that's what Alan [Taylor] wants to bring to it."[77] Feige said "while the relationship between Loki and Thor certainly has changed [after the events of the movieThe Avengers] and has progressed, a lot ofThor 2 is picking up where it left off in terms of Jane, who you just saw for a moment on a computer monitor, and also what's been going on in theNine Realms without the Asgardians being able to use the Bifrost." Feige also said that while Loki has a part, "there will be a different villain, another big villain".[78]
In May 2012,Mads Mikkelsen began talks to play one of the villains in the film andAnthony Hopkins, who played Odin in the first film, committed to returning in the sequel.[43][79]Benedict Cumberbatch, who eventually joined the film series asStephen Strange / Doctor Strange, was also in the running to play Malekith the Accursed.[80] At the end of the month, Disney moved up the release date for the film a week ahead of the previous date to November 8, 2013.[81] By June 2012, much of the first film's supporting cast was confirmed to return, includingIdris Elba,[23]Jaimie Alexander,[39]Ray Stevenson[33] andStellan Skarsgård.[21] Also in June,Joshua Dallas announced that he would not be reprising the role ofFandral.[82] Dallas had initially intended to return,[83] but had to bow out due to his commitment on the television show,Once Upon a Time (2011–2018),[82] andZachary Levi was cast in his place.[35] Levi was originally up for the role in the first film but scheduling conflicts withChuck (2007–2012) forced him to drop out.[36]
In July 2012, Mikkelsen stated he would not be appearing in the sequel due to prior commitments, "That's not happening unfortunately. I had a meeting with [the filmmakers], but it was a bit too late and thenHannibal came in...It's just not happening".[84] At the 2012San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that the film would be titledThor: The Dark World.[85] At the end of the month, residents nearBourne Wood inSurrey, England were notified that a film going by theworking title,Thursday Mourning would be filming in the area.[86][87] In August of that year,Christopher Eccleston entered final negotiations to play Malekith,[25] and the film was scheduled to shoot inIceland, where Taylor shot parts ofGame of Thrones.[88] By August 22,Kat Dennings was hired to reprise her role as Darcy Lewis andAdewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje was cast asAlgrim.[28][32] At the end of the month, film crews forThursday Mourning began set construction atStonehenge nearAmesbury, England.[89]
Principal photography began on September 10, 2012, in Bourne Wood, Surrey, England,[90] under the working titleThursday Mourning.[86][87] A few weeks later,Clive Russell was cast asTyr, andRichard Brake was cast as anEinherjar captain.[54] At the end of the month, Jaimie Alexander was injured on the London film set, after she slipped while walking in the rain.[91] On October 12, 2012, production moved to Iceland with filming taking place in Dómadalur,Skógafoss,Fjaðrárgljúfur andSkeiðarársandur.Iceland Review described the shoot as being among the most extensive film projects to have ever taken place in Iceland.[92] The film's official synopsis was released, which revealed thatChristopher Yost andChristopher Markus and Stephen McFeely had also contributed to the screenplay.[93] Markus and McFeely said Feige had approached them in between writing drafts forCaptain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) to work on theDark World script.[94] Three days later, Disney announced that the film would be released in3D.[95] In late October, filming commenced at theOld Royal Naval College inGreenwich, London.[96] Filming also took place atShepperton Studios andLongcross Studios in Surrey between October and December 2012.[14][97] Other filming locations includedWembley,Borough Market,Hayes and Stonehenge.[14] Alexandertweeted that principal photography wrapped on December 14, 2012.[98] In a 2013 report on film production costs for films from FilmL.A. Inc., indicated a gross budget of $170 million, with a UK tax offset of $17.3 million forThor: The Dark World.[2] In 2016 Disney company accounts stated the budget spend was $237.6 million onThor: The Dark World but $37 million of this was offset by payments from the UK tax authority.[99]
Kramer Morgenthau, who worked with Taylor onGame of Thrones, was brought in as thedirector of photography. Morgenthau said, "We wanted a grittier, boots-on-the-ground feeling, inspired by what Alan and I had done onGame of Thrones. We wanted the realms to feel grounded, like a real place, while at the same time respecting the magical 'planet of the Gods' feeling and theme."Thor: The Dark World was Morgenthau's first time shooting a feature film digitally. For the film, Morgenthau chose theArri Alexa Plus, although he tested with theSony F65 but found the Alexa to be more pleasing. In addition to the Alexa,Red Epic andCanon EOS 5D Mark II cameras were used forsecond unit filming. With the Alexa, Morgenthau usedPanavisionanamorphic lenses. Morgenthau said, "The lenses brought some of the magic and mystery of photochemical back to digital, that big-movie look." Morgenthau also stated thatThor: The Dark World was easily the most technically complex project that he has worked on but said, "It's all the same concept and the same principles as in a smaller film. You just scale it up. You do a lot more prep. We had three months of prep and loads of time to pre-rig stages. Part of it is having a really good crew—it's definitely not a one-man show."[100]
In April 2013, McFeely said that "a lot" of writers had contributed to the film's script, and he and Markus were uncertain if they would receive final screenwriting credit on the film;[94] Markus and McFeely along with Yost received final screenwriting credit, with Payne and Rodat receiving story credit.[101] In July 2013, Dennings told reporters that the film was about to head into reshoots.[102] In August, Taylor said he shot extra scenes with Hiddleston and was about to shoot more with Hopkins. Taylor explained that it was all a part of the "Marvel process" saying, "We're doing full scenes, scenes that were not in the movie before. We're adding scenes, creating scenes, writing scenes for the first time. The one [involving Loki] was a fun connective scene... We realised how well Loki was working in the movie, and we wanted to do more with him. So it was that kind of thing, it was like, 'Oh, we could do this, we could jam this in here' because he's such a wonderful guy to watch do his stuff."[103] Also in August,IMAX Corporation and Marvel Entertainment announced that the film would be digitally re-mastered into theIMAX 3D format and released into IMAX 3D theaters internationally beginning October 30, 2013.[104]
Taylor saidThe Avengers writer/directorJoss Whedon rewrote several scenes in the film explaining, "Joss came in to save our lives a couple of times. We had a major scene that was not working on the page at all in London, and he basically got airlifted in, like a SWAT team or something. He came down, rewrote the scene, and before he got back to his plane I sort of grabbed him and said, 'And this scene and this scene?' And he rewrote two other scenes that I thought had problems."[105] In October 2013,Tony Curran tweeted that he would be portraying Odin's father,Bor, in a flashback sequence.[52][53] In November 2013, Feige stated that the film was intended to be the conclusion of the "Loki trilogy", which examined the relationship of Thor and Loki throughoutThor,The Avengers and this film.[106] Loki was originally intended to die in the film, however, after test audiences did not believe he was actually dead, Marvel Studios decided to alter the character's ending.[107] The film'smid-credits scene was directed byJames Gunn, the director of Marvel Studios'Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).[48][108] The film underwent multiple changes during the reshoots and editing process, with Taylor believing his initial version "had more childlike wonder", including starting the film with children, and an overall "more magical quality". He noted the reshoots "inverted" the original plot in certain ways, such as Loki no longer dying.[74]
Photo of theLofoten islands off the coast of Norway, taken in July 2008
The same islands used in the film with CG Asgardian structures added byDouble Negative
The film's visual effects were completed by seven visual effects studios, includingDouble Negative andLuma Pictures.[109] Blur Studio was the main visual effects studio behind the film's prologue sequence taking place 5,000 years before the start of the film, on the Dark Elves homeworld ofSvartalfheim. The sequence consisted mostly of computer graphics with live-action shots interwoven throughout. The use of CGI allowed for greater freedom of movement by the characters as the live-action costumes were too constrictive.[110]
Taylor wanted Asgard in this film to have a more natural look than its predecessor. To achieve this, crews filmed the coast of Norway with an Arri Alexa camera for three days in a helicopter, capturing six hours of footage. Double Negative then embedded their CG rendering of Asgard on shots of the natural landscape. Double Negative visual effects supervisor Alex Wuttke said, "The benefit of that is that you have some real-world terrain to work with – so you have buildings that have to convey natural features. Then from there we went in there populating the terrain with different buildings."[110] For scenes taking place on Svartalfheim, production filmed in Iceland with Double Negative adding ruins, mountains, Dark Elf ships, and skies.[110]
For the shot of the levitating truck, which was used in the film to demonstrate the strange phenomena brought on by the coming of the alignment of the worlds, filmmakers attached a cement truck to a large hydraulic rig, which could be programmed to change speed and movement.[110] In order to create Algrim's transformation into Kurse, Double Negative morphed live-action performances of Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as both Algrim and Kurse. Double Negative then added in smoke and lava-like effects.[110][infringing link?]
The film's climactic battle sequence takes place through the nine worlds by the use of portals. Visual effects supervisor Jake Morrison said, "We ended up calling this 'time toffee', so as you punch through from one realm to another it's almost like cling film or a slightly gelatinous membrane you have to pass through. It bends a little bit then rips and spits the person out. The other thing we wanted to do was to make sure it was quite fast from an editorial point of view. In the fight scenes there are times when Thor and Malekith are portaling all over the place, quite frankly. We made sure we always kept up the momentum and never stopped the fight. It was a way of making sure the audience weren't conscious there was an effect going on."[110]
In August 2012,Patrick Doyle said that he had discussions with the director about potentially returning toscore the film.[111] By April 2013,Carter Burwell had been hired to compose the score,[112] but by the following month he left the film over creative differences.[113] In June 2013, Marvel hiredBrian Tyler, who scoredIron Man 3 (2013), to replace Burwell.[114] Tyler said the previous film had an "attitude and [was] grounded in limitations" whereas the Thor film allowed for "all-out regal themes that could be as epic as I could make them." The composer describedThe Dark World as "science fiction meeting classic medieval war", leading to a score that drew from works of both genres such asStar Wars andThe Lord of the Rings.[115]Azam Ali is a featured vocalist on the score.[116] The soundtrack was released digitally on October 28, 2013.[117]
Hiddleston as Loki at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con to promote the film
In March 2013, Marvel announced the release of a two-issue comic book prelude by writersCraig Kyle andChristopher Yost and artistScot Eaton in June 2013.[118] In April 2013, Marvel released the first trailer forThor: The Dark World.Forbes said, "This trailer fits nicely into that larger marketing push for Marvel's brand. It puts all of the recognizable characters from the first film front and center, presents the action as a team event reminiscent of the Avengers, and once again Loki—who was quite popular with audiences—makes an appearance."[119] TheLos Angeles Times said, "Evident throughout the trailer is director Alan Taylor's influence; theGame of Thrones director's hand can be seen in the battle sequences, and Asgard—a bright and shiny kingdom underThor director Kenneth Branagh—seems grittier in the sequel."[120] In July at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con, Hiddleston introduced footage from the film to audiences in character as Loki.[121] Also in July,Gameloft announced that a mobile video game titled,Thor the Dark World: The Official Game, would be released in conjunction with the release of the film in November.[122]
The theatrical poster for the film was released in early August 2013. Kirsten Acuna ofBusiness Insider criticized the poster for its lack of originality, noting its similarities to one of the posters ofIron Man 3, both of which included the female lead clinging to the male lead, with both looking in opposite directions, antagonists prominently displayed in the background and supporting characters featured "on the side".[123] Additionally, Marvel released a second trailer for the film as part ofYouTube's Geek Week.[124]Forbes said, "this 150-second trailer is basically just an extended version of last April's 106-second teaser" and that "this trailer fails to showcase what's new this time around... making audiences question if they really don't have much else to offer."[125] TheLos Angeles Times said, that the trailer suggests "an ominous, epic scale for the sequel" and that "the collaboration between Thor and Loki promises to be especially interesting."[18] Later in the month, producer Kevin Feige and cast members Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins presented additional footage at Disney'sD23 Expo.[126]
Also in August 2013, Disney announced plans to promote the film with an attraction atDisneyland.[127] The attraction calledThor: Treasures of Asgard, located next to the Stark Industries exhibit insideInnoventions inTomorrowland, opened on November 1, 2013, and features displays of Asgardian relics and transports guests to Odin's throne room, where they are greeted by Thor.[128] The eighth episode ofMarvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., titled "The Well", takes place in the aftermath of the events ofThor: The Dark World. It first aired on November 19, 2013.[129] Jaimie Alexander reprised her role as Sif in theAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode "Yes Men", which aired on March 11, 2014.[130]
Thor: The Dark World earned $206.4 million in North America and $438.4 million in other markets for a worldwide total of $644.8 million.[4] It surpassed the gross of its predecessor after just 19 days of its release.[139]Deadline Hollywood calculated the film's net profit as $139.4 million, when factoring together all expenses and revenues for the film.[140]
Thor: The Dark World made an estimated $7.1 million in Thursday night showings, more than double the midnight gross of its predecessor.[141] On Friday, November 8, 2013, the film topped the box office with $31.9 million (including Thursday night earnings), which is 25% higher than the original film's opening-day gross.[142] Through Sunday, the film remained at the No. 1 spot with $85.7 million, which is a 30% increase over its predecessor's opening weekend.[143] This was the largest November opening for a film distributed by Disney, surpassingThe Incredibles.[144]Thor: The Dark World topped the box office in North America during its first two weekends,[145] before being overtaken byThe Hunger Games: Catching Fire in its third weekend.[146]
On its midweek opening day of Wednesday, October 30, 2013,Thor: The Dark World earned $8.2 million from 33 territories,[147] including the United Kingdom and France, where it opened higher than its predecessor.[148] During its first three days, the film earned $45.2 million,[149] and by the end of the weekend, after expanding into three more territories, it totaled $109.4 million over five days, finishing in first place in all 36 countries.[149] Its largest openings were recorded in China ($21.0 million),[150] the United Kingdom ($13.8 million), and France ($9.94 million).[4] It topped the box office outside North America on its first three weekends of release.[145] In total earnings, its largest markets are China ($55.3 million), Russia and the CIS ($35.7 million), Brazil ($27.7 million), and the United Kingdom ($26.2 million).[4]
Taylor at the world premiere ofThor: The Dark World in London
Thereview aggregatorRotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 67%, with an average score of 6.2/10, based on 290 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "It may not be the finest film to come from the Marvel Universe, butThor: The Dark World still offers plenty of the humor and high-stakes action that fans have come to expect."[151] It was the lowest-rated MCU film on Rotten Tomatoes until the release ofEternals in 2021.[152][153]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 54 out of 100 based on 44 reviews, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[154] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an "A−" average, based on a grading scale ranging from A+ to F.[155]
Ben Child ofThe Guardian said, "Thanks to Hiddleston and Hemsworth's impressive collective charisma,Thor: The Dark World is far from a franchise killer."[156] Justin Chang ofVariety wrote, "This robust, impersonal visual-effects showpiece proves buoyant and unpretentious enough to offset its stew of otherwise derivative fantasy/action elements."[157] Alonso Duralde ofTheWrap said, "Thor: The Dark World delivers the goods—action, otherworldly grandiosity, romance, humor—above and beyond its predecessor".[158] Simon Abrams, writing forRogerEbert.com said, "There's just enough tension and humor inThor: The Dark World to make the film's otherwise listless proceedings worth watching, but only just."[159]
Conversely, Tim Robey ofThe Daily Telegraph said, "It feels entirely made by committee—the definition of house style, without a personal stamp in sight."[160] Leslie Felperin ofThe Hollywood Reporter said, "Although director Alan Taylor manages to get things going properly for the final battle in London, the long stretches before that on Asgard and the other branches ofYggdrasil are a drag, like filler episodes ofGame of Thrones but without the narrative complexity, mythical heft or all-pervading sexiness."[161] Michael Phillips of theLos Angeles Times describedThor: The Dark World as having the "same old threats of galaxy annihilation spiced with fairly entertaining fish-out-of-water jokes".[162] Jeannette Catsoulis ofThe New York Times said, "the battle scenes are as lacking in heat and coherence as the central love story".[163]
Taylor expressed dissatisfaction with the finished film and blamed its mixed reception on changes Marvel Studios made during post-production, which he felt conflicted with his creative vision.[164] In 2015, he called working onThe Dark World a "particularly wrenching" experience,[165] and said in 2021 that the experience made him hesitant to continue directing.[166] Taylor expressed interest in creating adirector's cut similar toZack Snyder's Justice League (2021), though he observed that Marvel was likely not interested in it.[164]
^"Exclusive Video: Jaimie Alexander Talks 'Thor: The Dark World'".I Am Rogue. January 5, 2013. Archived fromthe original on November 1, 2019. RetrievedNovember 1, 2019.There is more [character development] with Sif. We sort of explore the Thor-Sif relationship a little bit; kind of [in a romantic way]. It's more like getting a feel of who these people are, how the way they are with each other.
^Robinson, Johanna; Gonzales, Dave;Edwards, Gavin (October 10, 2023).MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios. New York City:Liveright. p. 266.ISBN978-1-63149-751-3.Kyle, who producedThe Dark World, said, "In our original film, yes, it was a Hela story, and she was our big bad. But at that point in the process, so many of our decisions were being driven by the New York office. They forbid us from going that direction. And the short version was, 'Boys don't buy female action figures.' That is truly the reason why that version of the film was not allowed to be developed..."
^Þórarinsson, Þórarinn (August 3, 2012)."Thor 2 verður tekin upp á Íslandi" [Thor 2 will be shot in Iceland] (in Icelandic). Svarthofdi. Archived fromthe original on October 9, 2012. RetrievedAugust 3, 2012....en samkvæmt traustum heimildum Svarthöfða stendur til að taka ofurhetjumyndina Thor: The Dark World upp á Íslandi. / ... according to reliable sources ... the superhero movieThor: The Dark World [will shoot] in Iceland.
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