Newly announced Marvel film Thor: Love and Thunder just got a lot more exciting, with one fan offering his interpretation of what Natalie Portman's Thor might look like. Portman made her Marvel debut with the first Thor movie back in 2011. She played Jane Foster, an astrophysicist and love interest to Chris Hemsworth's Thor. Portman also appeared in the sequel, Thor: The Dark World, but wasn't seen again in a Marvel film until this year's Avengers: Endgame, where Jane can be seen in the background of a scene on Asgard. Though Portman didn't film anything new, she did provide some voiceover work, fueling speculation that she might be willing to return to the MCU in a greater capacity.
Portman also revealed last year that she'd consider returning as Jane Foster, saying, "I'm completely open to everything, but I have no news about that." This past weekend at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, Marvel confirmed that Portman will reprise her role in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder, the fourth in the franchise. Not only will Portman play Jane Foster, she'll also debut as Female Thor, though director Taika Waititi has since offered some clarification on her official title. He explained that she'll be called Mighty Thor in the film rather than Female Thor, taking gender out of the equation all together.
In the comics, Jane takes up the mantle after Thor loses his ability to wield Mjolnir. At first she keeps her identity a secret from Thor, but is eventually given his blessing to hang onto the hammer. However, she's been diagnosed with breast cancer and discovers that transforming into Thor is preventing her from getting better. To save Asgard, she transforms once again and nearly dies as a result. Thor is able to save her, but Jane returns the hammer to him to focus on her recovery. Illustrator Jake Bartok took to Twitter to share his idea of what Portman might look like as Thor. His image features Jane wielding Mjolnir and wearing armor similar to Chris Hemsworth's Thor. Check out the photo below:
Thor: Love and Thunder is already shaping up to be an exciting entry in the MCU. After the near-universal praise for Thor: Ragnarok, which took the title character in a new direction, Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie, Waititi, and of course, Hemsworth's Thor are all slated to return. Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige also confirmed that Thor: Love and Thunder will make Valkyrie the MCU's first LGBTQ superhero. Thompson also alluded to the announcement during Marvel's panel at Comic-Con, when she said "First of all, as a new king, she needs to find her queen." This was in reference to Thor offering Valkyrie his throne at the end of Avengers: Endgame.
The announcements about Thor: Love and Thunder point to an overdue push for inclusion by Marvel. Valkyrie was a big part of why fans loved Thor: Ragnarok, with many appreciating the inclusion of a female warrior. Making her the first LGBTQ hero only increases excitement for the film. With Portman now making her debut as Mighty Thor, fans will have even more to look forward to. Thor: Love and Thunder could have a similar vibe to Ant-Man and The Wasp, with Jane and Valkyrie as important to the story as Thor himself. Regardless, fans should be happy to see Portman's long-awaited return to the MCU.
Source: Jake Bartok