Since 2024, Chris Hemsworth’s latest challenge, unlike many Hollywood’s most bankable stars, has been a string of box office misfires. The Furiosa star has recently faced a rare 0% success rate in terms of box office profitability this year, something unusual for the Australian actor known for their blockbuster appeal.
Hemsworth began the year with the Netflix action-thriller Extraction 3. It received positive reviews for its intense choreography and Hemsworth’s compelling performance. However, because it was a streaming release, it could not be measured in terms of box office revenues; hence, it is difficult to estimate the financial performance. Critics admitted that it is one of the best performances in his career, but in failing to get its theatrical distribution, he could not reap anything from box office collections.
The summer release of Shadowrunner, a sci-fi epic, further compounded his struggles. Despite a $200 million budget and a star-studded cast, the film underperformed, earning just $85 million globally. Analysts blamed the film’s marketing, which failed to convey its premise effectively, and the crowded summer release schedule that included juggernauts like Oppenheimer 2 and The Marvels: Rebirth.
Adding insult to injury was Furiosa, the eagerly awaited Mad Max prequel. Although Hemsworth did deliver a compelling turn as the villain, the film’s dark tone and niche appeal didn’t have the broadest appeal it was initially expected to draw. While it received fantastic critical acclaim and even caught some Oscar buzz, its underwhelming box office gross of $150 million against a $175 million budget left it missing the bottom line that matters most.
Hemsworth’s 2024 track record offers, once again, a reminder of how unpredictable the film industry is. Where critical acclaim has kept reinforcing his status as a versatile actor, the year underlines the growing gap between audience expectations and the state of box office trends, particularly in a post-pandemic era dominated by streaming and franchise fatigue.
Despite the failures, Hemsworth is optimistic. While in an interview recently, he expressed artistic fulfillment through these films where he contemplated the idea of people misjudging one’s performance by solely judging his bottom line – box office numbers. With Thor: Legend Reborn and other upcoming projects, Hemsworth might bounce back in full swing.
As Hollywood itself evolves, even its biggest stars aren’t immune to the slightest changes. Hemsworth’s 2024 reminds us that an ever-changing industry needs resilience and versatility more than ever in contemporary times.
