After igniting speculation with a photo of himself holding Mjolnir, director James Gunn clarified today that Thor won't play a role in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2."

"[...] No, Thor isn't in Vol. 2," he wrote on Facebook. "The props guy just happened to have it around and I decided to take a pic with it. Not sure if I'm able to lift it because I'm worthy or because I'm soulless like an elevator."

Considering that "Thor: Ragnarok" is expected to take a more cosmic turn than its predecessors -- the latest rumor indicates it will even pull elements from the "Planet Hulk" storyline -- a cameo by Chris Hemsworth certainly didn't seem outside the realm of possibility. (Or is that Nine Realms of possibility?) However, it simply wasn't meant to be.

Of course, fans will only have to wait another six months after the release of the "Guardians" sequel to see Thor back in action.

Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" arrives in theaters May 5, 2017, followed by "Thor: Ragnarok" on Nov. 3, 2017.