Natalie Portman explains why her workouts for Thor: Love & Thunder are super tiring. The coronavirus pandemic has forced Marvel Studios to shift not only its release schedule but its production timetable as well. This is why the upcoming Taika Waititi-directed movie has been in limbo for a few months now. Now, however, it's finally gearing up to begin filming in Australia in January, with the movie's cast already down under.

Marvel Studios is breaking traditions with Love & Thunder, with Thor being the only hero in the MCU thus far to get a fourth solo film. That said, he won't be the only focal point of the movie as it will also mark the return of Jane Foster to the franchise. The God of Thunder's brilliant love interest was last seen in Thor: The Dark World, with Avengers: Endgame using unseen footage of her from the Alan Taylor-directed project. Jane's upcoming role as Mighty Thor demands her to work out and she's sharing how her experience with that has been thus far.

Related: Endgame: Thor Got His Soul World Moment (Without Needing To Die)

Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the actress provided an update for Thor: Love & Thunder and, as she talked about becoming Mighty Thor, Fallon asked what her workout routine is like. Portman candidly admitted that it's not exactly easy and that it's very tiring for her, especially since she's spent the last several months during the pandemic in a quasi-vacation. While she can't reveal any more narrative details, she also promised that the  film is "gonna be really silly, and funny, and great."

"I'm trying, I've had like, months of like, pandemic, you know, eating baked goods and, like lying in bed, and feeling sorry for myself. I'm like, super tired after working out, and during, and dreading before."

Natalie Portman in Thor The Dark World

For the uninitiated, Jane has wielded Mjölnir twice in the comics—the first time was in a What If storyline from 1978, and the second was in Jason Aaron's Mighty Thor series that ran from 2015 to 2018. Thor: Love & Thunder will mine narrative inspiration from the latter, wherein she acquired Thor's powers when lifting the mystical hammer after the God of Thunder became unworthy. At that point in time, Jane was also suffering from breast cancer, and becoming Mighty Thor exacerbated her condition as the hammer purged her body of the radiation from the treatment. As she got sicker, she eventually sought the help of Doctor Strange in the comics. There's no word of Benedict Cumberbatch appearing in the film, so it's unknown if this will be the case in the MCU.

As filming for Thor: Love & Thunder nears, fans can expect more information regarding its story. Granted that the movie isn't due until 2022 after it was delayed alongside the MCU's whole Phase 4 slate, it's best for them to kick off production while they can in the event that there's a surge in coronavirus cases, forcing shelter-in-place mandates again for the health and safety of everyone. In any case, the core cast and crew are already in Australia, so it will be fairly easy to start work when it's time to do so.

More: Every Nickname Iron Man Gave Other MCU Characters Explained

Source: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

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