Chris Hemsworth’s Failed Sci-Fi Sequel Soars Off Streaming Following Reboot Talks
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Chris Hemsworth's 2019 sci-fi reboot, in which he starred alongside his fellow "Thor" actor Tessa Thompson, is set to leave Peacock in the United States in August 2026. The film underperformed critically and commercially on release, and its departure from the streaming platform comes amid separate reports of reboot talks for the franchise, adding a fresh twist to its troubled history. The news arrives as Hemsworth prepares to return as Thor in this year's "Avengers: Doomsday", highlighting a career pattern in which his attempts to join established franchises outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" and "Ghostbusters: Answer the Call", have repeatedly struggled to find box-office success.
The film had a troubled production, with director F. Gary Gray reportedly nearly quitting owing to creative differences with the producer, which the studio had to step in to resolve. Hemsworth and Thompson are said to have hired personal writers to rework their dialogue after the script departed significantly from the version they had originally agreed to. Despite the film's poor reception, renewed reboot discussions suggest the franchise may get another chance, even as this instalment prepares to exit streaming.
- Hemsworth's 2019 sci-fi reboot is leaving Peacock in August 2026
- The film flopped critically and commercially despite a troubled production
- News coincides with reported talks of a franchise reboot
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Men in Black: International came out in 2019 as an attempt to relaunch the Men in Black franchise, which began in 1997 with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as secret agents policing extraterrestrial activity on Earth. The reboot swapped in Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, who had worked together on Marvel's Thor films, in the hope that their on-screen chemistry would carry a new series.
The film was poorly received by critics and underperformed at the box office relative to its budget, effectively ending plans for further instalments. It later found a home on the streaming service Peacock, where films often continue to reach audiences long after their cinema run ends.
Streaming services regularly rotate titles in and out of their catalogues as licensing agreements expire, which is why older or underperforming films can suddenly disappear. This case has drawn attention partly because of renewed talk about reviving the Men in Black franchise in some form, prompting fresh interest in how its most recent instalment fared.
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