Thor: Love and Thunder is an upcoming American superhero film directed by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, based on the Marvel Comics character Thor. It will be the direct sequel to Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 29th feature (MCU).
Chris Hemsworth stars alongside Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Chris Pratt, Jaimie Alexander, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, Jeff Goldblum, and Vin Diesel in the film directed by Taika Waititi, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.
Preview
Hemsworth and Waititi had explored plans for a sequel to Ragnarok by January 2018. Hemsworth, Waititi, and Thompson, as well as Portman, who did not appear in Ragnarok, were all attached to return to the franchise when Love and Thunder was formally confirmed in July 2019.
Waititi revealed that the picture would incorporate elements from Jason Aaron’s Mighty Thor comic book series, in which Portman’s character Jane Foster takes on the mantle and powers of Thor while battling cancer.
Waititi later described the film as a romance film once Robinson joined it in February 2020. Filming in Sydney, Australia, began in January 2021 and ended in early June 2021.
Cast
The trio announced the project during the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con.
An Avenger and former king of Asgard, Chris Hemsworth plays Thor.
Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie: The fabled Brynhildr’s successor.
Thompson and producer Kevin Feige stated that the character’s bisexuality would be addressed.
Natalie Portman as Jane Foster / Mighty Thor: An astrophysicist and Thor’s ex-girlfriend who undergoes cancer treatment while gaining Thor’s powers.
Portman opted to rejoin after meeting with filmmaker Taika Waititi.
Gorr the God Butcher
Star-Lord, half-human, half-Celestial, was kidnapped from Earth as a youngster and raised by an alien gang known as the Ravagers.
Thor’s rivalry with Quill was formed in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2018), according to Pratt (2019).
Jaimie Alexander as Sif: An Asgardian warrior and Thor’s childhood buddy.
Pom Klementieff as Mantis: An empathic Guardian.
Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer: A Guardian whose family was destroyed by Ronan on Thanos’ orders.
Karen Gillan as Nebula: A Guardian and former Avenger who was taught by Thanos to be his personal assassin.
Gillan claimed Waititi “bring out the bonkers side” of Nebula in the film.
In the Ravagers, Kraglin Obfonteri was Yondu Udonta’s second in command.
He utilises a cybernetic headpiece to operate his Yaka arrow.
Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum): An Elder of the Universe who controlled Sakaar.
Vin Diesel as Groot: A tree-like humanoid Guardian and Rocket’s sidekick.
Production
Development
Despite the fact that his contract with Marvel Studios was slated to expire with his involvement in Avengers: Endgame, Chris Hemsworth stated in January 2018 that he was interested in continuing to play Thor (2019). By then, Hemsworth and Thor: Ragnarok (2017) director Taika Waititi had discussed what they wanted in a hypothetical fourth picture, and Hemsworth remarked the following month that he would consider reprising the role if “another amazing script” came up.
Tessa Thompson, who plays Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films, claimed in April 2019 that she felt a pitch for a sequel to Ragnarok with Waititi returning had been made. Hemsworth said at the time that he wanted to keep playing Thor for as long as he could, thanking Waititi with reigniting his enthusiasm in the role after he had grown tired of it previous to making Ragnarok.
Waititi formally signed on to write and direct a fourth Thor picture in July 2019, with Hemsworth expected to return.
At San Diego Comic-Con later that month, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige officially confirmed the film as Thor: Love and Thunder, with a November 5, 2021 release date. Hemsworth and Thompson, as well as Natalie Portman, who played Jane Foster in Thor (2011) and Thor: The Dark World, have been confirmed to return (2013).
Valkyrie’s orientation would be acknowledged in the sequel, making her Marvel Studios’ first LGBTQ superhero retrospectively, according to Thompson and Feige.
According to Waititi, the film will incorporate elements from Jason Aaron’s Mighty Thor comic books, with Foster taking on the role of the Mighty Thor.
Marvel deemed the Mighty Thor series to be one of the best recent comic books, according to Feige, who added that Waititi had been reading it while working on Ragnarok. Waititi wanted Foster to play the Mighty Thor when he decided to make another Thor picture.
When a single conversation with the filmmaker, Portman agreed to return to the franchise after he piqued her curiosity by offering to revisit the character in a new, exciting way.
Writing
Taika Waititi, writer and director, at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con
When the film was announced in July 2019, Feige indicated it would incorporate a lot of elements from the Mighty Thor comic book, with Foster’s transformation into the Mighty Thor being a big part of that.
Waititi was rumoured to have finished a script for the film a month later, however he disputed this in August. Waititi revealed in October while marketing his picture Jojo Rabbit that he had finished the first draught of the screenplay, but that the tale might evolve during filming and editing.
He wasn’t sure if the film will feature a storyline in which Foster suffers from breast cancer, as she does in the Mighty Thor comic books, but he noted that it was an important aspect of the stories.
Foster’s cancer treatment will be discussed in the film, according to Portman. Waititi also revealed that Marvel is still debating how much time would pass between Endgame and Love and Thunder, which might effect whether Thor retains his considerable weight from Endgame, earning him the nicknames “Fat Thor” and “Bro Thor.” Waititi did say that he intended to “keep switching things up with Thor.” He’s so fascinating when he’s constantly changing.
Pre-production
By October 2020, pre-production on the film will have begun in Australia. Chris Pratt’s role as Guardians of the Galaxy leader Peter Quill / Star-Lord will be reprised in the film a month later.
Industry insiders compared the picture to “Avengers 5” because of the ensemble nature of the cast.
In December, Feige confirmed that the film’s release date had been pushed back to May 6, 2022, and that Bale will play Gorr the God Butcher.
Jaimie Alexander was also revealed to be reprising her role as Sif from the first two Thor films, along with other Guardians of the Galaxy members and allies Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Karen Gillan as Nebula, and Sean Gunn as Kraglin Obfonteri; Gunn had previously provided on-set reference for Guardians member Rocket.
After making a cameo appearance in Ragnarok as an Asgardian actor impersonating Loki, Matt Damon was also supposed to appear. Despite the country’s severe travel restrictions during the pandemic, he was granted special permission to enter Australia because Love and Thunder was providing jobs for Australians.
Music
According to Wendy Dio, widow of band member Ronnie James Dio, the film will incorporate Dio’s song “Rainbow in the Dark.”
Michael Giacchino, who previously scored Doctor Strange (2016) and the MCU Spider-Man trilogy, as well as Waititi’s previous film Jojo Rabbit, announced he would be scoring the film in December 2021. (2019).
Marketing
In February 2022, Lego sets and Hasbro figures based on the film were released. By mid-March 2022, no trailer for the film had been released, owing to reshoots that were taking place at the time.
Release
Thor: Love and Thunder is set to hit theatres on July 8, 2022 in the United States. It was originally slated to be released on November 5, 2021, but was moved forward a week to February 11 after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was rescheduled from November 2021 to March 2022 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In December 2020, it was again postponed until May 6, 2022, before being moved to July 20, 2022 in October 2021. It will be part of the MCU’s fourth phase.
