Of all the amazing and fantastic superhero weapons we’ve seen brought to life on the big screen, few are quite as impressive as Mjolnir. Thor’s hammer isn’t just something big and heavy to smash people’s faces with, Mjolnir is a powerful weapon weapon that can only be used by those who are worthy. But where did Mjolnir come from exactly? A hammer is a tool people use, so it must have been made by somebody, right?
Of course, the question of what the hammer is made of is a little different depending on whether you’re talking about the actual physical prop used by Chris Hemsworth in the Marvel movies, or what the story in Marvel Comics actually is. And as it turns out, even when you’re talking about the prop, there are multiple answers to that question.
What Thor’s Hammer Is Made Of In The Marvel Movies
ScreenRant spoke with Marvel Studios prop master Russell Bobbitt who is responsible for creating many of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most iconic weapons and other items. After settling on the Mjolnir design it was his job to make it real. He explained that there are actually four different versions of Thor’s hammer on the set at any one time, and each one has a unique purpose on the set. Bobbitt explained…
I have a metal one which is about 60 pounds and then we do a fiberglass one. We do a hard rubber and a soft rubber. The soft rubber is for stunts, if he's throwing it or catching it or hitting somebody or it hits somebody, we use a very soft rubber. The softer the material, the harder it is for me to sell as metal because it's more porous and it's harder to paint. The metal one looks beautiful because it's metal. The next one down is fiberglass. I can put a really beautiful paint job on a fiberglass hammer.
The fiberglass hammer is apparently the one that is generally used when Thor is simply in the shot holding the hammer. It’s lightweight, so compared to the massive 60-pound hammer, it’s much easier to deal with, especially if the actor is going to be on set for a long day. Natalie Portman herself has talked about how heavy the Mjolnir actually is. She was likely lifting the full metal version.
Another interesting fact about how the hammer is handled on the set, in those scenes when people try, and fail, to lift Mjolnir, the hammer is actually bolted to the table or floor, in order to ensure that the actors can’t possibly lift it.
What Thor’s Hammer Is Made Of In The Comics
Of course, the design of Thor’s hammer on the big screen is designed to make it look like something out of Marvel Comics, and Marvel Comics can “make” the hammer out of whatever it wants. In this case, Mjolnir is officially made of a material called Uru. It’s described in the comics as a metal ore, but one that actually resembles stone. It’s only found on the world Nidavellir, one of the Nine Realms that Asgard rules.
As such, in the comics most of the weapons wielded by Asgardians are made of Uru, so Mjolnir isn’t unique in that regard. The particular enchantment that makes Mjolnir only respond to those that are worthy is specific to the hammer, but the fact that Uru accepts enchantments well is one of the reasons that it is favored by Asgardians.
Mjolnir is an iconic weapon, and following the events of the Thor: Love and Thunder ending it is back in the hands of Chris Hemsworth’s character, so it seems likely we’ll be seeing it again.
