Before the Australian actor became a household name for his role as the god of thunder, Chris Hemsworth starred in The Cabin in the Woods, a comedy-horror film that challenges all the boring tropes of the genre.
The film was written and directed by Drew Goddard, who is well-known for his success as the writer of the cult classic Cloverfield. Goddard teamed up and co-wrote the film with acclaimed writer Joss Whedon, who has famously gone on to write huge blockbusters such as The Avengers and is also one of the few people to bridge the gap between Marvel and DC to write the Justice League screenplay.
The Cabin in the Woods is set up as your stereotypical horror film. Five friends go on a holiday together and travel out to, you guessed it, a cabin in the woods. However, this generic setup is smashed apart when viewers find out that the group is being influenced by what appears to be a surveillance team. The events that follow will leave you guessing at every turn and the ending will blow up every expectation you have for the film.
Even though the movie was filmed before Hemsworth landed his breakout role as Thor, due to distribution problems and the ever-mounting debt at MGM, the film’s release was put on hold for over two years until distribution rights were eventually sold to Lionsgate. The film was then subsequently released, but only after Thor had already premiered.
Hemsworth has since gone on to have one of the most successful careers in the entire entertainment industry, starring in huge franchises like the Netflix original Extraction. The film’s sequel recently began filming, with director Sam Hargrave posting on Instagram when they wrapped their first day.
You can stream The Cabin in the Woods now on Peacock, and trust us, you’ll want to.