Chris Hemsworth’s busy February: Super Bowl ad, health reflections, and new film

Chris Hemsworth is hitting February 2026 on multiple fronts at once: a high-profile Super Bowl commercial built around the anxieties of always-on AI, a renewed round of personal comments about his elevated Alzheimer’s risk, and a theatrical release on deck with a major crime thriller. The convergence has put him back in the center of the entertainment conversation—not for a single project, but for the way his public persona is evolving from invincible action hero to something more candid and self-aware.

A Super Bowl spot that turns AI into a punchline

Hemsworth and his wife, Elsa Pataky, are the faces of a new Super Bowl LX commercial slated to air Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026 (ET). The premise plays him as a heightened version of himself: unbothered by physical danger, but increasingly unnerved by a next-generation home assistant that seems a little too competent.

The comedy is deliberate. It leans into a current cultural tension—people enjoy convenience, but distrust the idea of devices anticipating needs with uncanny accuracy. By positioning Hemsworth as the anxious one while Pataky stays grounded, the ad flips the usual action-star dynamic and makes him the vulnerable character without undermining his charisma.

“Vulnerability” and the Alzheimer’s risk he didn’t want to share

In new interviews circulating this week, Hemsworth revisits why he hesitated before publicly discussing his genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s disease. He has said he worried it could change how audiences and decision-makers view him—especially in a career built around physical roles and the image of durability.

He has emphasized two points that often get lost in the online shorthand:

• A heightened genetic risk is not a diagnosis.

• The information changed his priorities more than his career plans.

He has also described practical lifestyle adjustments that he believes help him feel better day-to-day—more cardio, more attention to sleep, and other routine changes that fit his long-standing training habits. The tone is less “announcement” and more “context”: he’s pushing back on the idea that he is stepping away from acting, while acknowledging that learning about risk altered how he thinks about time.

“Crime 101” arrives Feb. 13 in theaters

Hemsworth’s next big on-screen moment is “Crime 101,” a crime thriller scheduled for U.S. theatrical release on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026 (ET). The film pairs him with a marquee cast and positions him in a darker, more grounded lane than the mythic spectacle that defined much of his last decade.

This is an important pivot in perception. When an actor known for franchise scale headlines a contemporary thriller, the industry reads it as both a creative choice and a risk-management move—proof of range, plus a way to diversify beyond any single character. For Hemsworth, February’s timing makes it feel like a coordinated reset: the Super Bowl visibility drives attention, while the film offers a “here’s what I’m doing next” answer.

Thor is still in the picture for 2026

Even with the emphasis on grounded work, Hemsworth remains firmly linked to Marvel’s next major chapter. “Avengers: Doomsday” is scheduled for release on Friday, Dec. 18, 2026 (ET), and he is part of the announced lineup.

That matters for how his current comments land. He can talk about fragility and long-term health without it being framed as an exit strategy, because his near-term slate still includes one of the biggest tentpoles on the calendar. The more accurate read is moderation, not retreat: fewer projects at once, more intentional choices, and a public narrative that makes room for honesty without turning it into a farewell tour.

What this week signals about his brand

Hemsworth’s February storyline is less about a single headline than a pattern: comedy that humanizes him, interviews that complicate the “unbreakable” image, and roles that widen the kind of films he can anchor. It’s also a reminder that modern stardom is no longer just about what’s on screen—it’s about how an actor calibrates disclosure, privacy, and the expectations attached to long-running franchises.

Key takeaways

• A Super Bowl LX commercial on Feb. 8 (ET) leans into AI anxiety with Hemsworth as the uneasy action hero.

• He is again discussing why he initially kept his Alzheimer’s genetic risk private, stressing it is not a diagnosis.

• “Crime 101” opens Feb. 13 (ET), while “Avengers: Doomsday” remains set for Dec. 18, 2026 (ET).

Sources consulted: Variety, The Independent, Marvel.com, Adweek