Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a wild ride so far, with the franchise greatly expanding thanks to mind blowing projects on both the small and silver screens. The next installment is Thor: Love and Thunder, which marks the first time a hero was given a fourth solo movie. And director Taika Waititi recently revealed the fun way his Marvel sequel was influenced by romance novels.
The title for Thor: Love and Thunder hints that romance is going to be a major plot point, likely between Chris Hemsworth’s title character and Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster. And it turns out that the Oscar winning filmmaker actually took inspiration from classic romance novels for the upcoming Marvel movie. Waititi told Wired that there are visual nods to old Mills & Boon romance novel covers, which should make for a fascinating theatrical experience. Especially since both Hemsworth and Portman have the long, flowing locks to pull off these homages.
This tidbit of information from Taika Waititi should only help to buoy fan excitement for Thor: Love and Thunder. The Jojo Rabbit filmmaker is known for his unique point of view, and for putting his sense of humor and heart into each new project. And there’s no telling how campy romance novels will ultimately influence what we see when Thor 4 finally hits theaters this summer.
Whatever bold visual choices Taika Waititi makes in Thor: Love and Thunder, smart money says that most fans will be along for the ride. The accomplished multihyphenate breathed new life into Chris Hemsworth’s franchise with his work on 2017’s Ragnarok, helping it to recover from the disappointing reception of The Dark World. He did this by taking the God of Thunder through a colorful ride in outer space, and pairing him with wild new characters like Jeff Goldblum’s Grandmaster and Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie. And the filmmaker has teased that he wants to go even bigger and crazier with Love and Thunder.
Luckily for the rabid Marvel fans out there, the wait for Thor: Love and Thunder is nearly over. With Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in the rear view, the marketing for Taika Waititi’s sophomore MCU installment has started picking up. The full trailer recently arrived online, revealing Christian Bale’s villainous Gorr as well as Natalie Portman’s Mighty Thor (and inspiring a ton of fan questions). Check it out for yourself below,
Like most Marvel trailers, Thor: Love and Thunder’s first footage is careful not to actually reveal any major plot points from the upcoming blockbuster. But fans have been dissecting every frame of footage, especially the moment where Chris Hemsworth bares it all thanks to Russell Crowe’s Zeus. Although smart money says that Taika Waititi will have plenty of surprises up his sleeve.
All will be revealed when Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters on July 8th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
