Marvel Studios has put out blockbuster after blockbuster. They have constantly expanded their cinematic universe with various movies and shows. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” brought together three Spider-Man franchises via the multiverse. That concept will be further explored in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.”
It seems that almost every Marvel project appears to be tying into each other more than ever, leading to more superhero team-ups. So when I saw the first trailer for “Thor: Love and Thunder,” I sighed a breath of relief.
The trailer for the Taika Waititi-directed film starts with a poetic run, showing Thor at different ages. It then cuts to Chris Hemsworth, Thor himself, with a voiceover that lays the foundation of what this movie will be.
Thor says, “It’s time I figure out who I really am.”
That was what got me excited about this movie. In an era of superhero cinema where everything appears to lead to crossovers and team-ups, “Thor: Love and Thunder” appears to provide a character study of the God of Thunder himself. Throughout the trailer, it becomes clear that the titular hero will do some soul-searching. This gives the movie the potential to still be fun and epic while slowing down for more emotional moments.
That’s not to say this film isn’t going to be full of old and new characters. The trailer reveals shots of Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie and Korg, played by Waititi himself. Both are returning after their debut in “Thor: Ragnarok.” We also see Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord and the other Guardians of the Galaxy. If you recall, Thor went off to space with the team at the end of “Avengers: Endgame.”
However, we also see new faces. Briefly, we get a shot of a man holding a golden lightning bolt in his hand. This is Zeus, Greek God of Thunder and Lightning. He will be played by none other than acting legend Russell Crowe.
The end of the trailer also provides our first look at The Mighty Thor. No, I don’t mean Hemsworth. Natalie Portman will be returning to her role of Jane Foster, a role she hasn’t played since “Thor: The Dark World.” The catch? She’ll get some powers of her own in this movie.
In the comics, Jane Foster becomes worthy of Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer, and gains his power. She becomes known as The Mighty Thor and later goes on to lead The Avengers. It looks like this movie will introduce the hero, as she’s seen in full battle armor wielding a reconstructed Mjolnir.
Absent from the trailer was Christian Bale’s villain, Gorr the God Butcher. As the name implies, Gorr is known for murdering godlike beings in the Marvel Universe. With the introduction of Zeus and the Greek Gods, perhaps some of them will meet their ends to Gorr? We can only speculate without Bale’s presence in the trailer. Smart move by Marvel, making us theorize.
What we do see in the trailer, however, is beautiful. From a visual standpoint, everything this movie has to offer looks incredible. The movie will definitely be another space-trekking adventure, with at least four different planets featured in the 90-second trailer alone.
My personal favorite shot appears about 55 seconds into the trailer. It shows the body of Falligar the Behemoth, another god introduced to the Marvel Universe. The body is laying on its side in an image that looks straight out of a comic book. I’m not even kidding, it’s the exact same pose as the original comic. See for yourself!
And to top it all off, the song playing throughout the trailer? “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses. Amazing pick.
I wasn’t exactly excited for another Thor movie. None of the other three really did anything that grabbed my attention. However, this trailer has made me optimistic for the release. It looks like a character-centered adventure about finding yourself while also being a wild ride of an action movie. What’s not to like?
“Thor: Love and Thunder” will hit theaters July 8, 2022.
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