Marvel Studios has rolled out an impressive slate of upcoming films that are primed to carry the superhero genre into the next decade. However, each movie is held up by more than just the headliner of each picture. It's hard to imagine the Captain America series without the flair of his wingman, Sam Wilson the Falcon. Similarly, Ant-Man wouldn't be nearly as memorable without the storytelling prowess of Michael Pena's Luis. Next year, Thor will once again lead a solo movie with Thor: Ragnarok - but this time, he has much some extra company.
With all the excitement over such headline-stealing additions to Ragnarok as Mark Ruffalo's Hulk, Cate Blanchett as Hela, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Karl Urban as Skurge, and Jeff Goldblum as The Grandmaster, it's forgivable that not as much attention has been paid to the absence of the Warriors Three. Thor's loyal soldiers on the battlefield made appearances in the first two solo movies, yet haven't been mentioned in the early publicity for the movie.
There is little reason to fear, as the evidence that the Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral, will be back for more action (and comedic relief) in Thor: Ragnarok. The first piece of evidence came courtesy of Instagram user and tattoo artist PunkturedTattoo, who gave actor Ray Stevenson, Volstagg the Voluminous, a forearm tattoo and posted the following picture.
Look who just stopped by our Gold Coast studio, to get some ink in between filming THOR! It's Ray Stevenson! Awesome work on the tatt Dai! #punkturedtattoo #tattoo #thor #raystevenson #punktured A photo posted by @punkturedtattoo on
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Meanwhile, actor Tadanobu Asano snapped a picture of himself enjoying the sunshine on the beach of the Gold Coast of Australia. The actor portrays Hogun the Grim in the Thor franchise and he certainly seems excited to be in the mix (see below). The final actor of the trio Zachary Levi, who plays Fandral the Dashing, was also reported to have confirmed his involvement in an upcoming Marvel movie at last month's San Diego Comic-Con as well, according to CBM.
Hello Australia A photo posted by 浅野忠信 (@tadanobu_asano) on
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There are many reasons why the presence of the Warriors Three makes sense in Thor: Ragnarok. However, none is bigger than director Taika Waititi's (Hunt for the Wilderpeople) ability to craft quirky and memorable performances, particularly with off-beat characters. In fact, it's hard to imagine any supporting characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe more suited for the director's sensibilities. However, their addition surely won't soothe the anxieties of anyone that fears that the movie was already overcrowded with characters and comic book storylines. For now, there is still over a year to find out how it all comes together.
NEXT: Avengers' Quinjet Spotted on Thor: Ragnarok Set?
Doctor Strange opens November 4, 2016; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – May 5, 2017; Spider-Man: Homecoming – July 7, 2017; Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017; Black Panther – February 16, 2018; Avengers: Infinity War – May 4, 2018; Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6, 2018; Captain Marvel – March 8, 2019; Avengers 4 – May 3, 2019; and as-yet untitled Marvel movies on July 12, 2019, and on May 1, July 10, and November 6 in 2020.
Source: Instagram [via CBM]