Release Date, Cast, Plot, and Everything We Know About Love and Thunder

Thor is doing something not even Iron Man and Steve Rogers have accomplished – getting a fourth movie. We last saw Thor save the universe from destruction in Avengers: Endgame and later blasting off into space with the Guardians of the Galaxy. His next film, Thor: Love and Thunder, is the latest installment in the Thor franchise and will feature a host of Marvel characters, old and new. But how much do we know about Thor 4? Well, let’s find out!

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When Will We See a Thor 4 Trailer?

The movie finished filming in May 2021 and is currently in post-production. We might see a teaser trailer with the release of Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in September 2021, but with five other Marvel films set to hit theaters before Thor: Love and Thunder, we could be waiting a while.

When Is Thor: Love and Thunder’s Release Date?

During the project’s announcement at San-Diego Comic-Con in 2019, the film was slated for release on November 5th, 2021. Of course, the pandemic caused Marvel to shift its entire schedule, so the current Thor 4 release date is now May 5, 2022.

Marvel Studios usually places their biggest films in that early May slot. We’ve had all of the Avengers films and the Iron Man and Captain America sequels released in late April or early May. Will Thor 4 be Marvel’s next event film? That has not been officially confirmed, but history would tell us yes.

Who Is (and Is Not) in Thor: Love and Thunder?

chris-hemsworth-thor-4-social — Image via Chris Hemsworth/Instagram

Russell Crowe is set to make his MCU debut as the god Zeus! Crowe’s character would mark the first appearance of Greek mythology in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We also know that Christian Bale is playing the film’s villain, Gorr The God Butcher. A character who, like his name implies, is on a mission to fight the gods. Will Thor, Zeus, and other gods have to team up to stop Gorr? We’ll just have to wait and see.

We also learned that Tom Hiddleston would not be returning as Loki. The character was killed off in Avengers: Infinity War by the Mad Titan Thanos. So while Hiddleston is playing a different version of Loki in his own Disney+ series, he’ll likely never cross paths with this version of Thor again, which is a little disappointing. But if Hiddleston isn’t returning, who is?

Who Is Returning for Thor 4?

natalie-portman-thor-4-comic-con — Image via Marvel Studios

The Thor 4 cast is stacked with tons of talented actors. We, of course, have Chris Hemsworth returning as Thor Odinson and Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie) and Taika Waititi (Korg) reprising their roles from Thor: Ragnarok. Jaime Alexander (Lady Sif) and Chris Pratt (Star-Lord) are also returning to the film. There are rumors of the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy making appearances. It makes sense, considering Thor is with them at the end of Avengers: Endgame, but it has not been confirmed.

Matt Damon will be making an appearance in this film as well. He had a brief cameo in Thor: Ragnarok where he played an Asgardian actor portraying Loki in a stageplay. As of now, we don’t know if he is reprising the same role or playing a different character entirely.

Lastly, we have Natalie Portman making her return to the MCU. She hasn’t been featured in the MCU since Thor: The Dark World, and this time she is wielding Mjolnir. Director Taika Waititi confirmed that Portman would become the Mighty Thor in the upcoming film. How is this possible, and what does it mean for the film’s story?

What Is the Plot of Thor: Love and Thunder?

thor-guardians-of-the-galaxy-chris-hemsworth-chris-pratt-avengers-endgame — Image via Marvel Studios

Thor 4 will pick up where we last saw our favorite Asgardian. He’s traveling the cosmos with the Guardians of the Galaxy and left Valkyrie as the King of Asgard. We don’t know much about the actual story of Thor: Love and Thunder, but we know that Natalie Portman is returning to the franchise as the Mighty Thor. In the comics, Jane Foster is battling cancer while also being a superhero with the help of Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir.

Portman has confirmed that the film will tackle this storyline in the movie and that she will indeed receive the power of the gods. Like most Marvel films, this likely won’t be a direct adaptation but will definitely draw inspiration from Jason Aaron’s comic book run on Thor.

Waititi said during Comic-Con: “When we were shooting Ragnarok, I was reading one storyline by Jason Aaron, The Mighty Thor… And for those of you who know that storyline, it’s incredible, it’s full of emotion, love, and thunder, and it introduces, for the first time, female Thor. So, for us, there’s only one person who could play that role. Only one.”

Aaron’s run on Thor lasted seven years and featured iconic storylines like The God Butcher and the Mighty Thor. Both are characters that will be significant players in Love and Thunder.

Waititi confirmed that this film will be: “The craziest thing I’ve ever done.” He went on to add: “I definitely feel like we put everything – every idea and every single ridiculous concept or gag or stunt or character – into this film. I couldn’t be happier with it.”

KEEP READING: Upcoming Marvel Movies: Here’s What’s Next in Phase Four and Beyond