What would Hollywood be without Guillermo del Toro? A recipient of three Oscars, two Golden Globes, and one Emmy, the filmmaker is known for making movies that have a strong connection to Gothic fiction, fairy tales, and horror. He is widely appreciated for being one of the pioneers of dark fantasy and reliance on insect-like and underworld motifs. Del Toro has also had a fascination with monsters, and that’s the reason he was very willing to make the 1000th adaptation of Frankenstein.
On top of that, the Mexican director has had a career-long fascination with monsters. At some point, he was attached to direct a Thor movie. This happened during the infancy stages of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and there’s no doubt he would have done an excellent job. Unfortunately, the deal couldn’t happen, so he moved on to other things. And even though he might not regret a thing, given his recent success, Marvel fans can’t help but imagine what his version of Asgard would have looked like.
Guillermo Wanted To Go Back to the Roots
In the mid to late 2000s, the top brass at Marvel Studios was looking to make the best out of all characters that hadn’t been licensed to other studios. Thor was seen as one of the most ideal superheroes to help lay the foundation, so the hunt for great directors began. Unsurprisingly, Guillermo del Toro was among the names that came up.
The director told MTV’s Splash Page:
“They approached me for Thor. And for a long time we talked about that, because the mythology and the images were very attractive to me. This was before Hellboy II. I’m a fan of Jack Kirby and the power he has, and I’m a fan of the original mythology. So I thought we could go back to the original mythology a lot. I also love Loki, I think he’s a great figure.”
Unfortunately, del Toro had his eyes on two potential lovers at the same time. He was also coveting the upcoming Hobbit project because of his adoration for J.R.R. Tolkien’s work. Faced with a tough choice, he chose to ignore Marvel. That was a bad move for him because production delays followed, forcing him to abandon the fantasy adventure film, too. Elsewhere, after a long and meandering gestation period, Kenneth Branagh was finally brought in to direct Thor. Released in 2011, the film left fans divided, with many considering it less interesting compared to Iron Man.
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Whilst it cannot be denied that the film is a painterly tour de force — Branagh does an excellent job creating a superb backdrop for the Asgardian native’s adventures, a chaotic Midgard metropolis powered by capitalism — it is somewhat lacking, marred by a feeble screenplay and dull dialogue. Still, it was a huge success financially, grossing close to $500 million at the box office.
Del Toro later offered an assessment, telling MTV that he liked Branagh’s version, but he’d have done things differently. “The way I imagined it was like really, really dingy Valhalla, Vikings and mud!” The actor also rubbished rumors that he was attached to direct a Doctor Strange movie, stating that the idea was only brought up during a coffee chat with Neil Gaiman. However, he confirmed that he was attached to a Hulk TV series that ended up not happening.
Del Toro Would Have Been Perfect for ‘Thor’
One simply has to look at Hellboy and Hellboy II: The Golden Army to see why Guillermo del Toro would have been perfect for Thor. These films are a wholesome blend of practical effects, makeup, and CGI, something that can only be compared to high-priced art. In them, the Oscar-winner also created some of his most memorable and unsettling narratives, tales that reminded us how superhero movies are really no more than political thrillers. It’s worth noting that these films made a combined $260 million, an impressive figure considering none had a budget that exceeded $100 million. Additionally, the casts were made up of B-listers rather than A-listers. Imagine what he would do with $150 million (the budget for the first Thor installment)?
The world of Thor also presents the perfect opportunity for a horror-lite tone, something del Toro is particularly fond of. Even better, he has some Marvel experience. Using out-of-the-box characterization and thought-provoking dialogue, he turned what would have been a simple story in Blade II into something artistic. The movies ended up grossing $155 million on a $55 million budget at a time when the superhero genre wasn’t popular.
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Admittedly, Thor wasn’t a popular Marvel character in the early part of the 21st century. Casual audiences only cared about Spider-Man, the X-Men, and The Fantastic Four. But dealing with a fictional world that only a few people are familiar with is never a problem for del Toro. Picture Pacific Rim, which made $411 million, despite being a fairly new concept.
It’s hard not to imagine Asgard, and a mischievous character like Loki under the creative eye of del Toro. It would be a hell of an experience. Everything would have been a lot cooler if the Oscar-winning director had been involved. There would have been better origin stories, resulting in more likable characters, overall. Movies like The Shape of Water and Pan’s Labyrinth are an extra reminder of how great del Toro is with dark fantasy and creature design. No one would have done the job better than him.
It Isn’t Too Late for Guillermo del Toro To Join the MCU
Has Guillermo del Toro totally missed out on the chance to make a Thor movie? It seems so. Chris Hemsworth recently shared what looked like a farewell video, suggesting that Avengers: Doomsday might mark his character’s final appearance. This wouldn’t be surprising since there’ll need to be a major character death to get fans all emotional. Earlier in 2022, Hemsworth told Vanity Fair that he believes it’s time for the superhero to die.
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Thor might indeed die, but even if he does, Loki would likely survive, keeping Asgard relevant. The opportunity for a talented director to step up and save this fictional world would, therefore, still be present. And who better to do it than del Toro? He could easily say yes to an offer if granted creative control.
Besides that, del Toro is a great fit for a few other Marvel projects. Doctor Stranger 3 would suit him well, given its mystic elements. Now would also be a perfect time for him to sneak into that world since the previous movie, directed by Sam Raimi, wasn’t received so well. How about another Blade movie with Wesley Snipes returning? Excellent! Better yet, give Ghost Rider and Moon Knight their solo films.
Most importantly, the MCU needs directors like Guillermo del Toro. The franchise has been ailing in the 2020s, and there are no signs of a full return to strength. No amount of high-octane action sequences and title changes is going to make up for the obvious lacunae in the plots and characterization, and as the franchise drags itself towards the next phase, fears are growing that there is not enough genius to carry the bloated monolith back to prosperity like the good old times. Hiring experienced filmmakers could just be what’s needed to change fortunes. Leave it all in the hands of people who rarely make bad movies, and the results will be there for everyone to see.
