Thor (2011)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
After being banished from Asgard for his arrogance, the mighty Thor must journey to Earth to prove his worthiness and reclaim his power.
The story
After reigniting a dormant war, Thor is banished from Asgard to Earth, stripped of his powers and his hammer Mjölnir. As his brother Loki plots to take the Asgardian throne, Thor must prove himself worthy. The story begins in 965 AD, where Odin, king of Asgard, wages war against the Frost Giants of Jotunheim. In the present, Odin's son Thor prepares to ascend to the throne but is interrupted when Frost Giants, secretly allowed in by his brother Loki, attempt to retrieve the Casket of Ancient Winters. Following a battle, Odin deems his son unworthy and exiles him to Earth as a mortal, where he is discovered by a group of scientists.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 965 AD, Odin, king of Asgard, defeats the Frost Giants of Jotunheim and seizes the Casket of Ancient Winters. In the present, Thor's attempt to take the throne is interrupted by an invasion of Frost Giants aided by his brother Loki. Odin punishes Thor's arrogance by stripping his powers and exiling him to Earth as a mortal. Thor lands in New Mexico and is found by astrophysicist Jane Foster and others. While Thor seeks to reclaim his hammer, Mjölnir, from a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, he is captured but eventually freed by Selvig. Meanwhile, Loki takes the throne and offers Laufey a chance to kill Odin. Sif and the Warriors Three travel to Earth to rescue Thor, but they are attacked by the Destroyer. Thor proves himself worthy by facing the beast, reclaiming his powers and defeating it. He then returns to Asgard to confront Loki, who plans to destroy Jotunheim using the Bifröst Bridge. Thor stops Loki's plan by destroying the bridge. Odin awakens and rejects Loki's pleas, leading Loki to fall into the abyss. Thor reconciles with Odin, while on Earth, Jane Foster and her team search for a way to reach Asgard.
- First release year
- 2011
- Runtime (minutes)
- 114
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Kenneth Branagh
- Writers
- Ashley Edward Miller · screenplay; Zack Stentz · screenplay; Don Payne · screenplay; J. Michael Straczynski · story; Mark Protosevich · story
- Cast and characters
- Chris Hemsworth · Thor; Natalie Portman · Jane Foster; Tom Hiddleston · Loki; Stellan Skarsgård · Erik Selvig; Kat Dennings · Darcy Lewis; Clark Gregg · Phil Coulson; Colm Feore · Laufey; Ray Stevenson · Volstagg; Idris Elba · Heimdall; Jaimie Alexander · Sif; Rene Russo · Frigga; Anthony Hopkins · Odin
- Genres
- superhero; fantasy; action
- Themes
- worthiness; brotherhood; responsibility; redemption
- Tone and mood
- epic; mythological; heroic
- Setting
- Asgard and Earth (specifically New Mexico) during the modern day and 965 AD.
- Premise and plot tags
- superhero; mythology; fantasy; space
- Source material / true-story basis
- Marvel Comics
- Franchise connections
- Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics and was a financial success, earning $449.3 million worldwide.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 57 · scale: 100 · review count: 40
- Production trivia
- The film was converted to 3D in post-production.; The film's score was inspired by a real Celtic folk song for Thor's leitmotif.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…
