The MCU brought the hammer down tonight during the NBA Playoffs, literally. The new trailer for the MCU’s upcoming blockbuster Thor: Love & Thunder dropped tonight to the acclaim that was expected. The trailer featured the full debut of Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster as the Mighty Thor and Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher, complete with an image of the Necro Sword he uses to achieve his wrath. We also see the Guardians of the Galaxy in action along with Thor and Mighty Thor, so fans can be assured we will see the Asgardians of the Galaxy in action at some point during the film.
Thor: Love & Thunder is the first MCU franchise to be given a fourth film and that includes the venerable Avengers team. The MCU has complete faith that director Taika Waititi has given the character fresh life and turned him into one of the most entertaining and interesting characters. It’s a far cry from the Shakespearean drama that Kenneth Branagh had created in the original Thor and Thor: The Dark World. It was clear fans weren’t buying into that version of Thor and so Feige decided the project needed a complete overhaul and handed the reins to a comedian and all around zany fellow in Waititi. Hemsworth and Waititi were a match made in heaven and the pair’s first offering, Thor: Ragnarok, went nuclear and turned the character from an also-ran into a household name and favorite.
What works for these two is a healthy mix of the ludicrous and the serious nature of the characters. Loki and Thor aren’t your average beings. Both have been around for thousands of years and understand things that humans could never hope to understand due to their short lifespans. Waititi taps into the already out-there nature of mythology and creates something memorable, funny, and impactful. Films like Thor: The Dark World had memorable moments. Things like Frigga’s death and Thor sacrificing himself to the Destroyer were great moments, but they were surrounded by boring theater from an era that typically doesn’t play well outside of Broadway or a specific recreation. In other words, you’re not winning most modern fans over with stuff from the 15-1600’s, but intergalactic buddy comedies are a different story.
Thor: Love & Thunder will focus on Valkyrie rebuilding Asgard and Thor finding out who he is meant to be, if not a king. Along the way, Thor discovers that Mjolnir is somehow back, but it answers to a new boss in Jane’s Mighty Thor. How Thor handles this was noticeably different in the comics than what I expect Waititi to do. Since Anthony Hopkins’ Odin is dead, we also probably won’t see his assholian quest to have her killed because she’s a false god. If we’re being honest, I’m glad these stories aren’t likely to be featured because they’re not important and really could have been solved by Odin going to therapy.
While Thor and Mighty Thor are trying to figure out their new normal, Christian Bale’s new villain is off trying to end the very nature of gods. In the comics, Gorr the God Butcher is the last of his kind. He had prayed and prayed and prayed to the gods for help saving his family, but no such aid was forthcoming. His family was killed and Gorr decides that since the gods can’t be bothered to serve their purpose, they don’t really need to exist. Using an extremely powerful sword forged by Knull from the being of a slain celestial. Since Knull is the Symbiote God, we may not see him featured in Gorr’s story but we could see him teased in a flashback.
I won’t spoil the story of Gorr but I will say that it’s widely regarded as one of the best Thor runs ever written. The author and creator of this story is Jason Aaron, who is without a doubt one of the best comic authors of his era. He had significant input on this film and it’s likely only to benefit from his inclusion. Anything Aaron touches turns to gold, so the prospects for Thor: Love & Thunder are enormously good.
Watch the Thor: Love & Thunder trailer below:
Thor: Love & Thunder drops on July 8th, 2022. BSO will have more to come on this film and anything else in the MCU. Kane Webb covers video games, comics, and film/tv for BSO. He also covers USC football for Athlon Sports and has written for Rivals, Scout, Wisconsin State-Journal, Bakersfield Californian, and many more. You can find him on Twitter: @FightOnTwist
