Summer is almost here and one of the bigger films on the horizon is Marvel’s “Thor: Love & Thunder.” The blockbuster looks to explore the fallout after the events of the massive blockbuster “Avengers: Endgame” along with introducing Natalie Portman‘s Mighty Thor, as Jane Foster takes more of heroic role in the MCU in the new adventure.
Director Taika Waititi recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly, where discussed the sequel’s villain and gave some insight into what they’re doing differently between installments.
While we still haven’t seen an official look at Oscar-winner Christian Bale (“Ford v Ferarri“) as the film’s nefarious and deadly villain, Gorr The God Butcher, Waititi is already hyping Bale’s performance. “I think personally, he’s probably one of the best villains that’s Marvel’s had in their films,” Waititi said. “He’s very layered.”
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Waititi also explained the main differences between “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Thor: Love & Thunder.” Its trailer, featuring Guns & Roses‘ iconic tune “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” seemed to indicate that the Asgardian prince is grappling with the uncertainty of where he fits in the universe after the destruction of Asgard/its people. With the Avengers seemingly disbanded, it all seems to play into the narrative of the franchise’s fourth installment which Waititi calls a “mid-life crisis film.”
“It’s sort of like a midlife crisis film, really,” Waititi adds. “That’s the question we ask everyone: Are we doing the right thing, and are we doing all we can in the world? I think right now, while the world is still healing from this pandemic, it’s a good question to ask. It’s like, well, are we doing enough to look after each other and to look after ourselves?”
Not exactly something you would automatically consider when thinking about a solo “Thor” movie.
“‘Ragnarok’ felt a bit like a party,” Waititi explains. “It was quite festive. This one is still fun, and it’s got moments of being over the top, but thematically, it’s about something a bit deeper than the last film. It’s not a serious film, and it’s not a drama, but we do deal with ideas that I think a lot of humans deal with — universal themes about love and loss and our place in the world. Everyone sort of asks this question in the film: What is your purpose? What is the reason that you’re a hero, and what do you do when you have these powers?”
“Love & Thunder” isn’t just about Thor finding himself as Tessa Thompson‘s Valkryie, the king of New Asgard located in Norway, is only just discovering what it’s like to rule after spending countless years avoiding contact with fellow Asgardians as a drunkard on the gladiatorial planet, Saakar.
“She’s got to do all the things that they never tell you about when you’re supposed to rule the people, which is deal with all of the infrastructures and figure out the economy and have delegates visit from other countries,” the director explained. “So, she’s spending a lot of her time not fighting, and all of her new battles have to do with ruling her people.”
The filmmaker also mentioned the film is inspired by the poster artwork of ’80s fantasy adventure films like “Conan The Barbarian” and the more obscure/wacky “Beastmaster.” We’ll have to wait and see how far the influence actually goes.
Meanwhile, Waititi teased the Jane Foster elephant in the room of it all. “It’s been about eight years,” Waititi told Empire. recently. “She’s had a whole other life, and then the love of your life comes back on the scene, and is now dressed like you. It’s a real mindfuck for Thor.” We’ll just have to wait and see how that all pans out.
“Thor: Love & Thunder” will swing into theaters on July 8.
