Nowadays, it’s hardly uncommon for team-ups to happen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe outside of ensemble pieces like Avengers movies. In Thor’s case, he reunited with Bruce Banner, a.k.a. The Hulk, in Thor: Ragnarok, and earlier this year, Groot voice actor Vin Diesel said that the Guardians of the Galaxy would be involved with Thor: Love and Thunder. Now the first Guardian appearance for the God of Thunder’s fourth solo movie has ben revealed: Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chris Pratt is joining Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale and Taika Waititi for Thor: Love and Thunder. Once Pratt is done with additional photography on his upcoming movie The Tomorrow War, he’ll head to Australia in January to shoot his Love and Thunder scenes. It’s unclear whether Pratt’s Quill will have a significant role in the Phase 4 movie, or if this will just be a cameo appearance.
As MCU fans will remember, Thor met the Guardians of the Galaxy in Avengers: Infinity War, with the team rescuing him after he was left for dead by Thanos. However, Thor didn’t spend that much time with Star-Lord, as he quickly embarked to Nidavellir with Rocket Raccoon and Groot to obtain a weapon capable of killing the Mad Titan. Five years later in Avengers: Endgame, after Hulk resurrected those who’d been snapped out of existence by Thanos, Thor and Star-Lord reunited when the latter joined the Guardians when they left Earth, although there was some miscommunication regarding who the team’s actual leader was.
There was once a time when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was intended to come out in 2020. But because of a variety of circumstances, including James Gunn being fired and then rehired onto the threequel, Thor: Love and Thunder is now arriving first, and Guardians 3 has yet to receive a release date. So it remains unclear what Thor’s standing with the Guardians is when Love and Thunder begins. Is he still part of the team while he goes off on another solo adventure, or will the movie kick off with him officially relinquishing membership?
Whatever the answer, at least we now know Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord somehow fits into the Thor: Love and Thunder equation. We’ll have to wait and see what other Guardians join him in the movie, although the fact that Vin Diesel was aware of the Guardians’ presence suggests that Groot will also be around. The rest of the team’s current lineup includes Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Mantis and Nebula, and there’s also the time-displaced Gamora running around in parts unknown.
Specific plot details concerning Thor: Love and Thunder haven’t been revealed yet, although we have learned that it’ll involve Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster being brought back into play as The Mighty Thor, the same mantle her comic book counterpart held for several years (although Portman’s Jane will have a slightly different set of powers). Love and Thunder will also see Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie search for a queen to rule New Asgard alongside her, and Christian Bale has also been cast as the yet-to-be-identified lead villain. In addition to reprising his Korg duties, Taika Waititi is directing again and he co-wrote the script with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.
Thor: Love and Thunder will storm into theaters on February 11, 2022, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for updates on its progress. Learn what else the MCU plans to deliver to the big screen with our Marvel movies guide.
