Natalie Portman Reveals Jane Foster “Thor: Love and Thunder” Storyline
One of the most intriguing bits of news to come out of San Diego Comic-Con way (way) back in July 2019, was that Natalie Portman would be playing Mighty Thor in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok follow-up Thor: Love and Thunder. The specifics of Portman’s role have been—and will continue to be—closely guarded secrets, yet Portman did confirm one piece of her character’s storyline that is really intriguing.
Waititi teased only the broadest outline of his Love and Thunder script this past April during an Instagram Live viewing party of Ragnarok. “It’s so over-the-top now in the very best way,” Waititi said. “It makes Ragnarok seem like a really run of the mill, very safe film…this new film feels like we asked a bunch of 10-year-olds what should be in a movie and just said yes to everything.” Despite this promise of this being a script 10-year-olds would approve of, Waititi had previously said he was thinking of adapting “The Mighty Thor” comic run, which involved some pretty serious stuff for Jane Foster (the character Portman is playing).
Portman has now revealed that to be the case. Speaking with Yahoo!, Portman said that Waititi has lifted a storyline from “The Mighty Thor” comics run in which Jane Foster is battling cancer.
“I can’t tell you that much. I’m really excited. I’m starting to train, to get muscles. If there can be all these female superheroes, the more of them there are, the better it is. I’m trying to think — it’s based on the graphic novel of The Mighty Thor. She’s going through cancer treatment and is a superhero on the side,” Portman told Yahoo!
Waititi is an excellent screenwriter, as evidenced by not only Ragnarok but his Oscar-winning script for Jojo Rabbit. He’s more than capable of interweaving this kind of serious storyline into what will no doubt be a bonkers film.
Thor: Love and Thunder is expected to start filming sometime in 2021, and is due in theaters on February 11, 2022. Joining Portman are Chris Hemsworth (obviously), Tessa Thompson (also obviously), and newcomer Christian Bale.
Featured image: SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 20: (L-R) President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige, Director Taika Waititi, Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth of Marvel Studios’ ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ at the San Diego Comic-Con International 2019 Marvel Studios Panel in Hall H on July 20, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
