Chris Hemsworth's Muscles Nearly Delayed Thor

Though an iconic part of the actor's performance now, Chris Hemsworth's muscles initially almost delayed the production of MCU's first Thor film. Every member of the main MCU Avengers are known for specific traits; Black Widow for her cunning, Steve for his morals, and Iron Man for his intelligence. While Thor is perhaps in many ways the comedic heart of the initial team - especially in the fact he's the only member who doesn't really get pop culture references, given he's a Norse god initially new to Earth's media - it's undeniable that the comic character is commonly shown with enough muscles to make a professional bodybuilding champion proud.

Though Chris Hemsworth has never been a small individual, after his initial casting, some crew naturally focused on how to make sure the actor looked identical to his comic counterpart - a scenario that many envisioned would require external support from the likes of a muscle suit. This wasn't reflective of a lack of trust in the actor, but rather a reflection of just how much mass comic book heroes often possess - and how outside the realms of normal life gaining the comic book hero look is. These concerns would be entirely put to rest, however, as Hemsworth managed to bulk out an extraordinary amount from his conditioning between getting the role and first appearing on set. Interestingly, his immense commitment to workouts would in fact create its own problem, which narrowly avoided delaying shooting for the film.

As The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe reveals, Chris Hemsworth had built up so much muscle that the initial measurements taken for costume now simply were too small for him, meaning all his outfits needed alterations before the film could begin. Though this no doubt required herculean efforts from costume designer Alexandra Byrne and her team, the outfits were adjusted to Hemsworth's new build narrowly before filming needed to start - preventing a potential filming nightmare had the crew had to begin their work already behind schedule.

This provides not only a clear sign of how committed Hemsworth was, but also of how committed the crew who were also integral in making Thor truly were. MCU's Thor would have still been an entertaining character even if the actor hadn't gone to such measures to make himself reflect the comic character's level of muscles - but there are no doubt those who found an extra dose of magic in the idea that Chris Hemsworth's Thor was so genuinely physically similar to his comic counterpart. Similarly, these efforts would have been wasted without the skill and speed with which the costume team worked to make sure some serious last-minute alterations still came out looking good.

With three Thor films and countless MCU film features, it seems almost inevitable that Chris Hemsworth's Thor would have helped the MCU become the colossal franchise that it is today. But stories like these make it clear that this wasn't a case of fate, but rather a reflection of the tireless work of countless individuals - both on and off camera - that made the legacy of the Marvel Cinema Universe. With luck, Chris Hemsworth will continue to play the role of Thor for many years to come - though even if he choses to leave his role as a Marvel superhero, he will always have the claim to fame that his muscles almost delayed the entire MCU timeline.

Next: Chris Hemsworth's Massive Arms Are Perfect (But Not For Thor 4)