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Phase Three of The Marvel Cinematic Universe came to a close with Spider-Man: Far From Home, and now all eyes are looking to the future of the massive franchise. Marvel Studios laid out plans for Phases Four and Five through 2022, including small screen adventures courtesy of Disney+. One of the most highly anticipated blockbusters coming down the pipeline is Thor: Love and Thunder, which will bring back Natalie Portman as Jane Foster/Mighty Thor. Fans have been curious how closely Taika Waititi will be adapting the same comic plot line, which saw Jane wield Thor's powers while also battling breast cancer. Now Portman has spoken to that possibility.
Thor: Love and Thunder won't hit theaters for another two years, so it's obviously early in Taika Waititi's development process. What's more, he's currently busy promoting Jojo Rabbit. The movie still needs to be written, but Natalie Portman seems excited about the possibility of adapting Jane's cancer journey in the upcoming sequel. As she put it,
It’s just very rare that these kinds of big entertainment films look at more serious, real-life issues. I really don’t know anything about it. I haven’t seen anything, but I've heard the same rumors as you have, and it’s exciting to think about.
While nothing has been decided on, Natalie Portman does seem excited to potentially bring something new to the superhero genre with Thor: Love and Thunder. On top of wilding Thor's hammer and powers, the idea of showing a very real story is appealing to the Oscar winning actress.
Natalie Portman's comments to Variety are sure to excite the hardcore comic book fans out there, who are eager to see how Mighty Thor is brought into the MCU. Because while moviegoers are eager to see Jane get her hands dirty in battle, her new abilities were a double edged sword in the comics. So if Taika Waititi decided to directly adapt that story, the MCU will address the very real-world problem of breast cancer. You can get your hands on the comic version of this story here.
In the Mighty Thor comics, Jane is given Thor's power after the Avenger is deemed no longer worthy to wield Mjolnir. The astrophysicist is given great power, but it also costs her every time she transforms into Mighty Thor. Jane is fighting breast cancer at the same time at home, and the transformation process flushes out all of her toxins-- including her chemotherapy treatments. It adds a complex to her relationship with being a hero, and the cost of doing the right thing.
Related: Taika Waititi Confirms He'll Reprise Korg In Thor: Love And Thunder
Taika Waititi recently said that he hasn't decided whether or not Jane's battle with cancer will make it into Thor: Love and Thunder. But he's not ruling it out, and has clearly been influenced by those very comics. But we'll just have to wait for the movie to get written before we can expect any official word. And even then, Marvel Studios is known for its secrets and security.
Thor: Love and Thunder is expected 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.
