One of the most surprising aspects of Avengers: Endgame is the debut of Fat Thor. Here’s how Chris Hemsworth’s transformation was pulled off.

Here’s how Marvel Studios created Fat Thor (Chris Hemsworth) for Avengers: Endgame – and why Thor bounces back to full health in Thor: Love and Thunder. There are several character design updates in the 2019 Avengers movie: Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) got a new hair and tattoo sleeve; the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) got a more polished look to become the Smart Hulk, and Captain America (Chris Evans) became an old man at the end of the film. Among all of this, however, Fat Thor’s Endgame look was the most impactful.

Racked with guilt and regret after failing to stop Thanos (Josh Brolin) from snapping away half of life in the universe in Avengers: Infinity War, things only got worse at the beginning of Endgame for Thor when it becomes clear that there was no other way to reverse the Mad Titan’s decimation. With no way to rectify the situation, the God of Thunder understandably got so depressed that he punished himself and started to let himself go. Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) took the responsibility of ruling New Asgard as he resorted to drinking — so much so that in the five years between the last time he’s on active duty and the Avengers’ re-assembly for the time heist he’s a lot of gained weight.

The change in the God of Thunder’s physique has been a conversation point since Endgame, with varying opinions about the bold creative choice. Some justified it considering the perceived PTSD that brought on his weight gain, while others accused Marvel Studios of using it to get cheap laughs. Regardless, Fat Thor’s appearance is arguably one of the most surprising aspects of Endgame, and while Hemsworth was more than happy to take on this new form as the Marvel hero, the transformation wasn’t easy for the actor. Here’s how Thor got fat for Endgame and what that means going into Thor: Love and Thunder.

Chris Hemsworth Didn’t Put On Any Weight To Play Fat Thor

As revealed in the behind-the-scenes looks for Endgame, Hemsworth did not have to gain weight for the role of Fat Thor, although the effects to achieve the look were all practical. As recalled by the actor himself, he wore a fat suit that weighed around 60 to 70 pounds — that’s before he wore the layers of clothing his hero sported particularly during the final battle where he donned his battle armor.

Hemsworth also had to stuff the sides of his mouth to make his cheeks looks plumper — this, apparently, resulted in a slight change in his voice, but he didn’t mind and in hindsight, was barely noticeable. To complete the look, Hemsworth got a new beard and hairstyle. Wearing the fat suit limited his mobility during production, not to mention increased the uncomfortable factor of carrying all that extra weight from the suit, but the Australian star didn’t mind — he was even excited about the prospect of transforming his character to something new as revealed by his Endgame co-stars Paul Rudd and Tessa Thompson.

Thor’s Journey Back From Fat Thor Is Explored In Thor 4

Thor’s next big-screen appearance in his fourth solo film, Thor: Love and Thunder, dives into Thor’s journey back from Fat Thor to fitness, calm, and contentment. While Fat Thor’s Avengers: Endgame appearance and bleak outlook were criticized for how they were largely played off for comedic purposes, Thor: Love and Thunder reveals that there’s more to Fat Thor than meets the eye. Indeed, the trailer for the fourth Thor movie shows that the MCU didn’t just create Fat Thor for cheap gags, but to establish a character arc that’s worthy of an Asgardian god who has suffered the loss of his home and witnessed the tribulations of his people. In the most recent footage for Thor: Love and Thunder, it’s clear that the film will portray Chris Hemsworth’s transformation from Fat Thor back to his godly physique.

As Thor’s Kronan friend Korg says in the trailer, “After saving planet Earth for the 500th time, Thor set off on a new journey. He got in shape. He went from dad bod to god bod, and after all that, he reclaimed his title as the one and only Thor.” Considering everything revealed in the trailer, it’s clear that Fat Thor isn’t just going to be played off for laughs (and that he isn’t the one and only Thor). Rather, Thor’s efforts to lose weight in Thor: Love and Thunder are ultimately part of his journey to reclaim himself and his search for inner peace.