Audiences are about to see Chris Hemsworth like never before in his villainous turn as Dr. Dementus in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. The actor is currently set to make waves in several franchises in the next few months, especially as a young Optimus Prime in the upcoming animated film Transformers One.

Over his long career as one of Hollywood's most in-demand actors, Chris Hemsworth has starred in several highly profitable films. Many of his highest-earning films come directly from his star-making turn as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though some come from Hemsworth's earlier acting career.

10 Star Trek Was One Of Chris Hemsworth's Early Roles

Long before he was Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Chris Hemsworth traveled to distant worlds aboard a starship in J.J. Abrams's 2009 reboot of Star Trek. Hemsworth appears in the beginning of the film as Lieutenant George S. Kirk, the father of the franchise lead, Captain James T. Kirk.

Unlike most of his other high-grossing films, Hemsworth isn't a lead character in Star Trek but instead fills an important supporting role setting up Captain Kirk's origin. The 2009 Star Trek reboot did well, prompting two additional sequels to release in the following years and giving Hemsworth's career the boost it needed just before he joined the MCU.

9 Snow White And The Huntsman Earned Chris Hemsworth His Own Spinoff

Snow White and the Huntsman is a dark take on the classic fairy tale, featuring more gritty action and a Snow White who quickly becomes an action hero. Chris Hemsworth stars in the film as the Huntsman, a world-weary warrior whom Snow White meets along the way.

Snow White and the Huntsman wasn't the best take on Snow White by far but was saved by its villain, Charlize Theron's Queen Ravenna. Even so, the film did well enough to warrant a spinoff, centered around Hemsworth's character. However, The Huntsman: Winter's War didn't do nearly as well as its predecessor, ending the franchise after only two installments.

8 Thor Launched Chris Hemsworth's Career In The MCU

Chris Hemsworth made his entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2011 with the first Thor film. The movie follows the titular Norse god of thunder as he is banished to Earth by his father in an attempt to teach him how to be worthy of his excessive power. There, he comes across a scientist named Jane Foster, who helps him along his journey.

Thor may not be the best entry in the franchise but is certainly one of Phase 1's most underrated installments. Featuring a winning performance from Hemsworth, the movie did remarkably well, though it didn't make anywhere near the total of later MCU projects. Even so, Thor excellently lays the groundwork for Hemsworth's future career, which saw him join several other popular franchises, though none quite as lucrative as Marvel.

7 Thor: The Dark World Capitalized On The Success Of The Avengers

After the massive success of 2012's The Avengers, Marvel began cranking out all kinds of sequels, spinoffs, and other new projects, including Thor: The Dark World. A sequel to the 2011 film, The Dark World sees Thor reunite with Jane Foster as she is hunted down by the villainous Malekith, a Dark Elf who wants to harness the power of the Reality Stone.

The Dark World wasn't as well-received as its predecessor and stands out as one of the low points in Phase 2 of the MCU. Even so, the film was a massive financial success, earning about $200 million more than the first Thor movie. This made it easy for Marvel to greenlight additional Thor films, solidifying Hemsworth's place in the franchise.

6 Thor: Love And Thunder Was A Disappointing Sequel

The most recent entry in Chris Hemsworth's solo MCU franchise, Thor: Love and Thunder, follows the titular god of thunder after the events of Avengers: Endgame as he works to get back the groove that he lost years ago. Facing off against the villainous Gorr the God Butcher, Thor gets some help from an unlikely source: his ex-girlfriend Jane, who suddenly has similar powers to his own.

Although fan anticipation was high, Love and Thunder disappointed many Marvel fans with its overly comedic tone and half-baked dialogue. Although the sequel did well financially, it still fell short of its predecessor's total gross, causing Marvel to take a step back with the franchise and figure out a different path forward for the rumored Thor 5.

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5 Thor: Ragnarok Reinvigorated The Thor Franchise

Thor: Ragnarok follows Chris Hemsworth's Avenger as he travails the galaxy in search of the Infinity Stones. He is distracted, however, by the return of his elder sister Hela, the goddess of death. Thor is forced to team up with his untrustworthy brother Loki and a team of new friends to defeat Hela and save Asgard from certain destruction.

After the disappointing Thor: The Dark World, Ragnarok reinvents the franchise with all the zany color and energy of Jack Kirby's original comic books. With an all-new Thor and a world worth exploring, Ragnarok electrified fans to jump back into the adventures of the god of thunder with renewed vigor, becoming the highest-earning entry in the Thor franchise.