"Avengers: Endgame" co-screenwriter Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely have said there was no intention to promote fat shaming by showing Thor as an overweight superhero.

In the film, which released worldwide on April 26, Thor, portrayed by Chris Hemsworth, is shown battling depression and alcoholism in the aftermath of supervillain Thanos' finger snap that took place at the end of last year's "Infinity War".

In the later parts, Thor is shown with a pot belly, a stark contrast from his generally ripped and muscular figure.

The character's physical appearance has received mixed response from viewers, with some finding jokes on his body quite offensive, while others have appreciated that the film does not end up showing a once-again lean and fit Thor.

Markus told Vulture during an interview that he and McFreely wanted to show the toll the events of the last film took on Thor and his weight gain was "just part and parcel of that state of mind".

"We didn't go, like, 'Let's chunk him up, it'll be hilarious'. And we leave him in that state at the end of the movie. Even though he's emotionally resolved... We fix his problem, and it's not his weight. I know some people are sensitive about some of the humour that comes from it, which I understand," Markus said.

"But our issue that we wanted him to deal with was his emotional state that his mom addresses. And I think he is the ideal Thor at the end of the movie, and he's carrying some weight," he added.

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