Big things are brewing in Thor: Love and Thunder, the latest chapter in the fan-favorite Marvel hero’s film saga. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, the character will go on a journey of self-discovery that brings him into conflict with Gor the God Butcher (who was finally revealed in the latest trailer). And on top of that, the veteran Avenger will reunite with his ex-girlfriend, Jane Foster, who is now worthy of wielding Mjolnir herself. Details on the specifics of Jane’s arc are mostly being kept under wraps, but director Taika Waititi has shed some light on how he handled it. He also discussed whether the heroine will become the new primary God of Thunder.
Jane Foster’s superhero alter ego has gained more than a few fans since she debuted back in 2014, and many might be wondering how closely Taika Waititi stuck to her storyline from the comics. The always-funny Waititi spoke on that matter during an interview with our sister site, Total Film. And Marvel Comics fans will more than likely be pleased to hear what the New Zealand-born filmmaker had to say:
We stick pretty closely to Jane’s storyline, and what happened to Jane... because that was such an influence on the film. We’re trying to take the best parts of that.
The storyline that the director is drawing from is on the one established in Jason Aaron’s run on Thor. The veteran comics scribe established that Jane Foster became the God of Thunder after the Odinson became unworthy of wielding Mjolnir. What’s even more interesting is that at the time, Foster was also battling breast cancer, and her new abilities were actually hampering the effectiveness of her chemotherapy. Though the Love and Thunder helmer didn’t specify whether the cancer arc would come into play, one would assume that there’s a strong chance that it will, given that he apparently stuck “pretty closely” to what’s been established.
The biggest question, however, has to be whether or not the astrophysicist-turned-superhero will become the MCU’s main God of Thunder moving forward. It’s a fair question, especially considering that many of the veteran heroes are being succeeded by newcomers. But if you’re someone who believes that the OG Thor is passing the torch here, you might want to slow down, because Taika Waititi doesn’t see it that way:
And also, it’s really fun, the idea that Thor [has] got Stormbreaker, that big axe, and now his hammer’s back and it’s in the hands of someone else. It’s no longer his hammer. It’s the idea that someone’s taking his place. I think a lot of fans are gonna potentially assume, ‘Oh, OK, this is the passing on of the torch’... I’m not privy to any plans Marvel has for the future, but I don’t think that’s the case.
Can the cinematic universe handle two Thors? Probably. Yet I’d wager that it’s going to take some time for the two to truly coexist in harmonious fashion. The filmmaker previously teased that Jane’s return is going to mess with the veteran Avenger. Based on the new trailer, he’ll have to come to terms with her new position and sort out his romantic feelings for her. All of this will, hopefully, result in a thrilling tale that provides fans with plenty of, well… love and thunder.
Jane Foster’s MCU story likely won’t follow Jason Aaron’s to the tee, but I’d never bet against Taika Waititi’s abilities as a storyteller. And though the future may be uncertain for the new hero at this point, I’m willing to bet that, regardless of whether she succeeds her ex boyfriend permanently, this movie won’t mark the last time that we see her.
Thor: Love and Thunder, one of 2022’s biggest upcoming movies, opens in theaters on July 8th. To prepare, you can stream the Chris Hemsworth-led franchise with a Disney+ subscription.
