Chris Hemsworth made his big screen debut as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2011. Since then, Thor Odinson has joined Earth’s mightiest heroes to become a founding member of the Avengers and has four standalone movies to his name. Throughout his run as the longest-serving Avengers in the MCU, Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal of the Asgardian god has helped the franchise become one of the most popular movie franchises of all time.
There are four standalone Thor movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In addition to Hemsworth, the cast of the franchise includes Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Idris Elda as Heimdall, Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis and Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig. If you’d like to watch all of the Thor movies in order, this JustWatch guide shows you where to watch them on streaming services in the United States. Here's how you can watch them in chronological and release order.
Thor (2011)
Directed by Kenneth Branagh, Thor marked the first movie to tell the story of Marvel's God of Thunder, and the fourth ever movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (after Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2). It follows Thor's first adventure on planet Earth after being banished from Asgard by his father, Odin, for accidentally reigniting a war with the Frost Giants. To make matters worse, Thor's hammer – Mjölnir – is enchanted by Odin to only allow the worthy to wield it. Despite hitting rock bottom, an encounter with Dr. Jane Foster, an astrophysicist in New Mexico, leads him on his way to becoming worthy of his hammer... and his title as the heir to Asgard.
The events of the movie directly impacted The Avengers, in which Thor and Loki play key roles. Loki's signature mischief throughout Thor and The Avengers elevated his status as a Marvel fan favorite.
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Thor: The Dark World follows on from the Thor (2011) but takes place chronologically within the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the events of The Avengers. So Thor is already a well-established hero on Earth, having fought in the Battle of Manhattan against Loki and the Chitauri onslaught. The movie begins with the revelation of an ancient Asgardian won against the Dark Elves. At the end of the war, a powerful weapon known as 'the Aether' was secretly buried. In the present day, Jane Foster uncovers the Aether and becomes its host.
The second movie in the Thor franchise builds upon the 'will-they, won't-they' relationship between Thor and Jane, while also marking the return of his Argardian allies and his brother, Loki.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Taking place two years after the Battle of Sovokia, the movie picks up when the fire demon, Surtur, tells Thor that the prophesied Ragnarök will destory his planet. To make matters worse, Thor discovers that that a familiar foe has been secretly in charge of Asgard during his absence. He embarks on a mission to find his father, who is now missing, and prevent the Ragnarök from tearing his home world apart.
Thor fans would have to wait four years until the third installment of the franchise (although Hemsworth did reprise his role in Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015), but it was worth the wait. Thor: Ragnarok has a noticeably different tone to The Dark World, fully embracing the eccentricities of Marvel's cosmic universe (thanks to inspiration from Guardians of the Galaxy's success) and allowing director Taika Waititi to indulge in his unique comedic flair. One of the many highlights of Thor: Ragnarok is the inclusion of Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Hulk. In one of the most memorable moments throughout the entire MCU, Hulk goes head-to-head against Thor in a gladiatorial showdown that's enough to make Loki feel faint.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
The fourth installment in the Thor movie franchise marked the return of director Taika Waititi, who received praise for his handling of Ragnarok by critics and fans. Thor: Love and Thunder focuses on Thor's enduring heartache due to his troubled relationship with Jane Foster.
Taking place after the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Thor finds himself searching for inner-peace after during perhaps the most traumatizing and tragic experience of any character throughout the MCU. The story begins with Thor traveling across the cosmos with the Guardians of the Galaxy, until he's faced with a new threat – a wounded killer known as Gorr the God Butcher, who has devoted his life to the complete extinction of the gods.
You can use this guide to find the latest offers to buy, rent or stream all of the Thor movies in order online on streaming services – including Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, and many more. We'll also let you know if it's possible to watch them legally for free.
