Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe came a close with Spider-Man: Far From Home, revealing how Earth has moved on following Endgame's time jump and the resurrection of half of all life. Despite the death (and retirement) of characters like Iron Man, Black Widow, and Captain America, Marvel Studios is showing no signs of slowing down. Phase Four's original schedule was recently revealed, including Taika Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder.
Love and Thunder marks the first time a Marvel hero has been given a fourth solo movie, and fans are excited to see Taika Waititi's sophomore addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The upcoming movie will also mark the return of Natalie Portman's Jane Foster, who has been absent from the MCU since Thor: The Dark World. What's more, she'll be able to become a God of Thunder herself, transforming into Mighty Thor. The Oscar-winning actress is currently doing her due diligence by reading Jane's adventures on the page, showing off her stash of comics via social media. Check it out.
The above image comes from a brief clip that Natalie Portman posted to her personal Instagram story. The actress showed off an array of comics that she'll be utilizing to inform her return to the MCU as Jane Foster. Her caption is simple: Werk, Marvel.
Natalie Portman played Jane Foster in the first two Thor movies, but the character was never all that involved in the cosmic action of the franchise. She's from Earth and an astrophysicist, who unknowingly gets involved in Asgardian conflicts. While this puts her contact with Loki and even the Reality Stone, she hasn't actually gotten her hands dirty in battle.
But that should change in Thor: Love and Thunder, as she'll be given the powers of Mighty Thor. The circumstances of Jane's ascension into a superhero are unclear, but it's got some precedent in the comics. Those are the exact issues that Natalie Portman seems to be studying in preparation for her role in the fourth movie. We'll just see if Jane gets powers for the same reasons.
On the page, Jane's relationship with Mjolnir and the powers of Thor are complicated. In the most notable plot line, she's given the powers of Thor while simultaneously dealing with a cancer battle. But becoming a superhero takes its toll, rendering her chemo useless and further weakening her body. It's a fascinating dynamic that makes her relationship with superheroics unique.
Related: Taika Waititi Personally Convinced Natalie Portman To Return For Thor: Love And Thunder
Jane was noticeably absent throughout Phase Three, with the character being written off in a few lines. It seems Natalie Portman's character broke up with the God of Thunder, something that continues to bother him through Avengers: Endgame. We'll likely get a more comprehensive reason for their split in Love and Thunder, with longtime Marvel fans excited to see one of the very first characters pop back up after the years-long hiatus.
Thor: Love and Thunder is currently set to arrive in theaters on November 5th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
