Break-ups are exhausting. You know the way it goes – issues flip bitter, you go your separate methods, work via your feelings, and brace for the chance that you simply would possibly sooner or later stumble upon your former flame sooner or later. For Thor and Jane Foster, it’s much more difficult. As a result of whereas Natalie Portman’s former love curiosity is again in Taika Waititi’s Ragnarok sequel Thor: Love And Thunder, so much has modified since we final noticed her in 2013’s Thor: The Darkish World. (OK, technically the again of her head popped up in Endgame.) When she returns, she’ll accomplish that not simply as a famend astrophysicist, however as The Mighty Thor – a lady worthy sufficient to wield Mjolnir.
As you’d anticipate, it gained’t be a simple change for Chris Hemsworth’s Thor to get his head round. “It’s been about eight years,” Waititi tells Empire. “She’s had a complete different life, after which the love of your life comes again on the scene, and is now dressed such as you. It’s an actual mindfuck for Thor.”
Whereas the precise circumstances round Foster’s return within the MCU stay below wraps, the notion of her wielding Thor’s hammer was first explored in Jason Aaron’s acclaimed comics run The Mighty Thor again in 2015. “I didn’t know we have been going to make use of the storyline of the Mighty Thor character till we began understanding the precise story,” says Waititi of Love And Thunder. “I used to be writing and it was like, ‘Wouldn’t or not it’s sort of cool to convey Jane again into the storyline?’” In doing so, the director didn’t need to tread acquainted floor. “You don’t need Natalie coming again and taking part in that very same character who’s strolling round with science gear. You already know, whereas Thor’s flying round, she’s left on Earth, tapping her foot going, ‘When’s he going to be again?’ That’s boring. You need her to be a part of the journey.”
And since this can be a Waititi joint, you’ll be able to anticipate his trademark offbeat humour to course via Jane similar to her new-found lightning powers. It was a problem Portman was greater than prepared for. “Natalie’s actually humorous in actual life,” says Waititi. “She’s sort of goofy and has received an excellent sense of humour, and I don’t assume that was exploited sufficient within the first movies.” Carry the thunder.
Learn Empire’s full Taika Waititi interview – speaking Thor: Love And Thunder, the return of Jane Foster, and making an all-out MCU rom-com – within the Summer season Preview challenge, on sale Thursday 12 Might, and out there to pre-order on-line right here. Thor: Love And Thunder involves UK cinemas from 8 July.
