Know Your Marvels — Thor: Love and Thunder
On July 8th, Thor: Love and Thunder will debut in theaters after an extended wait.
When that happens, we’ll follow two fascinating story arcs. A woman will gain the power of Valhalla while Thor will continue his relationship with the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Photo: Marvel Studios
We have a lot to look forward to watching in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Here’s an updated look at what you need to know about Marvel’s summer blockbuster.
The Story So Far
Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
We’re approaching five years since the last Thor sequel. No, it doesn’t seem that way since we saw the character in other films.
Still, the reality is that Disney and Marvel have sat on this property rather than rushing out another sequel.
That’s frustrating to Thor fans, as the last film, Thor: Ragnarok was impeccable. Frankly, it’s everything I want a Marvel movie to be.
Photo: Marvel
In that story, Thor lost his father, got betrayed by his brother (multiple times), and fought a sister he didn’t even know he had. Oh, and he lost an eye, too. It’s a hard knock life.
Along the way, Thor rediscovered his power and created the most incredible lightning storm of all time.
Then, Marvel…pretty much ran the same story in Avengers: Infinity War. We don’t talk enough about how lazy that was.
Source: Marvel Studios
Anyway, in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame, Thor thought he’d lost everyone, including his mercurial brother, Loki.
MCU fans who own Disney+ know that Loki is causing problems with the entire timeline now, but Thor believes he’s all alone.
Technically, we still have the other residents of Asgard. Thor left their governing to Valkyrie, though.
Source: Marvel Studios
He has since dropped his videogame controller, lost 40 pounds, and headed off with Peter Quill and his team.
In a way, the upcoming Thor movie will also play out like a mini-sequel for the Guardians of the Galaxy. However, I’m expecting a swerve there.
Disney
Still, at this moment, Thor is in the presence of some of the least competent superheroes in the universe…and all of them but Peter Quill adore the Norse deity.
What Does the Title Reference?
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Do you remember Thor, the 2011 movie that functioned as an origin story of sorts?
Odin banished Thor from Asgard in that film, and Odinson crash-landed on Earth. There, he encountered three humans.
One of them, Jane Foster, had tracked some unique interstellar activity and suspected something was up.
Photo: Marvel Studios
For whatever reason, people tend to forget that Foster was an astrophysicist and the person in charge of that research.
The explanation may stem from the fact that Foster’s character basically swallowed an Infinity Stone in Thor: The Dark World.
Nobody remembers that because people try to forget Thor: The Dark World. In Avengers: Endgame, the producers felt the need to remind people of this story.
Source: Marvel Studios
They wouldn’t have done that unless even Marvel had accepted that the film wasn’t memorable.
That’s important because Odin himself stated that the Aether would kill Foster. This long-forgotten piece of information sets up the sequel.
In the comics, Thor loses his powers and, thereby, control of Mjolnir. The hammer chooses a replacement…and it’s Thor’s ex!
Source: Marvel
Alas, along the way, Jane Foster develops cancer. So, she’s Lady Thor and a cancer patient. Even worse, whenever the physicist uses her powers, she grows sicker.
Unintentionally, Marvel set up this story in a 2013 movie, even though the comic book run for Lady Thor wouldn’t happen until later.
The premise here could feasibly follow that same premise that Foster gets cancer. It could also indicate that the Aether caused the disease…or not. That’s up to Marvel.
Unused ‘Thor: The Dark World’ footage used in ‘Avengers: Endgame.’ Photo: Business Insider
The story could take many different approaches, but one thing will remain the same. Thor’s ex-girlfriend will take on the mantle of Thor.
Jane Foster is both the love AND the thunder in the film’s title.
Why You’ll Want to Watch
Photo: Chris Hemsworth Instagram
I championed for this title to debut on Valentine’s Day. At one point, Marvel agreed with me, as it showed on the schedule for that timeframe.
Then, another COVID-19 outbreak caused delays across the Marvel schedule. Still, the underlying philosophy applies.
Thor: Love and Thunder is a date movie, making it something of a first for the MCU.
Photo: Marvel
Even Ant-Man and the Wasp wasn’t heavy on the romance. Sure, Pepper Potts and Tony Stark have had their moments, as have Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter.
Still, we haven’t had enough female-driven action films in the MCU. Thus far, the list is Captain Marvel and Black Widow. That’s…not enough.
I mean, 51 percent of the population is female. So why do less than 10 percent of Marvel’s films feature female leads?
Source: Marvel
Marvel has recognized this problem with representation and tacitly acknowledged it at one point during the climactic events of Avengers: Endgame.
With Thor: Love and Thunder, an Academy-Award-winning actress can elevate her role from astrophysicist girlfriend to superheroine.
Along the way, Marvel can mine plenty of comedy from Thor’s insecurity. That’s Chris Hemsworth’s one special skill as an actor, other than looking like Chris Hemsworth.
Source: Marvel Studios
The actor portrays the Norse god of thunder as unsure of himself and far too worried about how others perceive him.
Imagine how much his male ego will hurt if Foster proves the superior Thor!
Final Thoughts
Photo: Marvel Studios
The MCU has done exceptionally well with the buddy cop dynamic wherein two misfit heroes squabble over who’s better.
What nobody has tried yet is a pair of exes doing the same thing. Of course, we already know that Portman and Hemsworth share terrific chemistry.
The shift in power dynamics should be ripe for comic hijinks…and a seemingly inevitable romantic reunion.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
After all, Thor’s mother gave her life for Jane Foster. That’s the best possible parental approval, and the films have shown that he’s a mama’s boy.
Meanwhile, Foster will face her own struggles as she deals with a potentially fatal disease and learns how to harness the power of lightning.
She probably won’t even feel like she has time for relationship drama! It still seems unavoidable, though. I mean, you’ve seen Chris Hemsworth.
Getting help, Thor’s still heroic despite his trauma. Photo: Marvel Studios
At this point, we still have a surprising number of unknowns for a film that’s only a few months away.
At the time of publication, Marvel hasn’t released a trailer yet. So, we’re still speculating on the amount of involvement from the Guardians of the Galaxy.
We do know that Tessa Thompson will return as Valkyrie, and Christian Bale will portray the ominously named Gorr the God Butcher, So, the acting in this film should be top-notch!
Are you excited to see Thor: Love and Thunder hit theaters this summer? Let us know below!
