Crime 101 Director Admits Chris Hemsworth & Mark Ruffalo’s Marvel History Had a Major Impact on the New Thriller Movie (Exclusive)

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The director of the new heist movie, Crime 101, recently shared how the past work of Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe unexpectedly affected filming. While Crime 101 is a new story, based only on Don Winslow’s 2020 novella, the movie’s press events have focused on its Marvel connections because the film features four actors known for playing superheroes: Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Halle Berry (Storm), and Barry Keoghan (Druig).

In a recent interview with TopMob, Bart Layton, the writer and director of Crime 101, explained how Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo’s established working relationship from their time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe influenced his new crime thriller. Crime 101 features Hemsworth as the infamous thief Mike Davis and Ruffalo as the detective, Lou Lubesnick, tasked with catching him – putting the two actors on opposing sides of a major heist.

Layton said it was obvious from the start that the two Marvel actors had strong feelings for each other, but he wasn’t sure how that would help with their work.

As a fan, I’ve always loved seeing Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo together in Marvel movies! I was really curious about how their long history working together impacted their performances in this new project. It made me wonder, did all those years of on-screen chemistry translate when they were just hanging out, working through scenes and figuring things out? I’d love to know if you could feel that comfortable rapport between them behind the scenes.

It was interesting to see how well they knew each other at first. It quickly became clear they were very close friends who really cared about each other. I wasn’t sure if that would be helpful for me, but I figured they’d at least have a good connection and work well together.

It’s been nearly seven years since Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth last appeared together in a live-action Marvel movie – Avengers: Endgame. However, their characters, Hulk and Thor, recently faced off again in the animated series Marvel Zombies, showcasing new abilities and a definitive victor.

Even though Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo have both been part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for 15 years, starting with the making of The Avengers in 2011, director Paul Layton said they seemed surprisingly anxious while filming their scenes for Crime 101.

I actually wanted these characters to feel distant and uncomfortable with each other. Surprisingly, despite their shared history, they seemed quite nervous when we filmed their scenes together – it wasn’t the dynamic I’d anticipated.

The director of Crime 101 was hoping to shake things up and avoid the usual Marvel Cinematic Universe patterns. He actually found that Chris Hemsworth’s imposing presence was helpful during filming.

I actually benefited from that situation. When Chris arrived, Mark Ruffalo wasn’t facing ‘the Hulk,’ but a highly respected actor with a serious resume – he’s starred in films like ‘Zodiac’ and ‘Collateral,’ among many others. It seemed to make Chris a little nervous.

Layton thought it was wonderful to see Ruffalo and Hemsworth discover new aspects of each other’s talents. He especially appreciated that the two longtime friends were so challenged by the situation, particularly while filming a really intense scene.

When Mark saw Chris really in the role, fully prepared and embodying the character, it completely shifted things. I think both actors realized this wasn’t going to be the usual dynamic, and honestly, that was fantastic! I really pushed for them to bring that surprise and tension to the scene, and it seems like audiences are really connecting with it – they absolutely love it.

The new movie, Crime 101, opens in theaters on February 13th, featuring Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Nick Nolte, and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Crime 101’s Cast Could Reunite in Avengers: Secret Wars (Minus One Actor)

Promoting Crime 101 has mostly involved questions about Marvel, and Chris Hemsworth even jokingly asked Halle Berry to reprise her role as Storm in the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars. Berry is one of the few original X-Men actors not currently expected to appear in the film.

Berry isn’t the only star sitting out Avengers 5. Mark Ruffalo has confirmed that Hulk won’t be in the movie either, probably because he’s busy filming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which comes out in July.

Fans are widely anticipating Bruce Banner’s return to the Avengers movies in 2027 with Secret Wars, alongside Chris Hemsworth as Thor. If Hemsworth follows through on his commitment and gets Brie Larson a part in Avengers 6, the film could become a reunion for most of the original Crime 101 cast.

Look, I was disappointed with Eternals when it came out, and it seems like Marvel feels the same way. While rumors suggest the team will be back at some point in the MCU’s future, don’t expect to see any of them – not even Druig, played by the fantastic Barry Keoghan – in Secret Wars. After that initial box office stumble in 2021, it’s clear Marvel isn’t rushing to bring those characters back into the spotlight anytime soon.

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2026-02-11 14:36