- Crime 101 leading man Chris Hemsworth performed all his own stunts in his new heist thriller
- Writer-director Bart Layton confirmed this in an exclusive conversation with TechRadar.
- A behind-the-scenes featurette also showcases Hemsworth’s stunt prowess.
It turns out that Chris Hemsworth is as deserving of being an expert stuntman as he is an Asgardian superhero, a documentarian, and an A-list actor.
Indeed, in his latest film, a thriller entitled Crime 101the established Marvel actor was determined to perform all of his own car stunts. And, in an exclusive conversation with TechRadar, writer-director Bart Layton confirmed that Hemsworth was actually behind the wheel of the film’s thrilling action set pieces.
In one of the new February 2026 films, Hemsworth plays Mike Davis, a jewel thief with a mysterious past. Like any criminal worth his weight in gold, Davis always has a way out – and, the vast majority of the time, that means escaping in a souped-up vehicle.
Look on it
As the featurette above – which validates Layton’s comments about Hemsworth’s commitment to the role – reveals, Davis also has a number of powerful and fast cars to get out of a tough situation. From a Chrysler 300 and a Dodge Challenger, to a gorgeous dark green 1968 Camaro and a Cadillac CT5-V, he is nothing if not prepared for every job he takes on.
Still, stunt work is perilous at the best of times. That’s why studios always worry that actors could be seriously injured — or worse — if they perform their own stunts.
So it’s surprising to learn that Hemsworth was allowed to participate in Crime 101The adrenaline-fueled chase sequences. But, as Layton told me, the Thor superstar wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“When you see Chris, or what looks like Chris in a car going 80 mph in downtown Los Angeles, that’s actually him,” Layton said. “He’s really driving.
“And that’s mind-blowing to me,” Layton continued. “If you look at what [director] Billy Friedkin did it with the chase sequences in The French connectionthen in Living and dying in Los Angelesthere is danger, unpredictability and rawness in these sequences. Back then, they could get away with life-threatening stunts, but no one would let you do that now.
“But I still wanted to get a feel for it [chaos and threat] in our film,” he added. “Davis doesn’t act at an infallible level, like James Bond. He’s more like you and me, so he’ll be a disorderly driver if the adrenaline is pumping and he fears for his life. And, really, the only way to show it is to film things in the most practical way possible. You can do incredible things with visual effects, but not with something like this.”
Produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures, Crime 101 will bring metal and thunder into cinemas worldwide on Friday, February 13. Before then, find out what Layton considered the “biggest creative challenge” he faced during Crime 101. Aside from its hot action sequences, anyway.
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