The marketing maniacs at Marvel have taken their sweet time delivering the new Thor trailer to us, but the wait has been well and truly worth it. Watch below, and let Axl Rose’s howling vocals in “Sweet Child O Mine” ragnarock you.
Thor: Love and Thunder will storm into UK cinemas on July 8, making Chris Hemsworth’s beardy Asgardian the first Marvel hero to rack up four franchise entries. It’s certainly one of the year’s most anticipated blockbusters, especially with impish Ragnarok director Taika Waititi back in the director’s chair.
Despite going through some body image and self-esteem issues in the mighty Endgame arc, Thor is apparently still in the throes of a mid-career crisis, saying “I need to figure out exactly who I am” in the trailer below.
Apparently that figuring out involves some Crossfit exercises with mighty metal chains, making out with a pirate wench on a hovering boat, and meeting up with friends old and new.
Liiiiike the Guardians of the Galaxy, who look to be going their separate ways from Thor (after an action sequence or two, one would hope) and Valkryrie, who looks bored as hell at a New Asgard town council meeting.
The most exciting familiar face, of course, is the return of Natalie Portman’s drab love interest Jane Foster—but now she’s wielding a cracked Mjolnir in mighty, muscled arms and sporting a shiny winged helmet. It’s all inspired by Jason Aarons’ run of the Mighty Thor Marvel comic series, where Jane takes on Thor’s powers whilst going through cancer treatment.
Whether their love is strong enough to make a thunderous comeback and defeat the awesomely named Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale, sadly hidden in the teaser) remains to be seen. We at least get a quick, lightning-bolt-wielding snippet of Russel Crowe as Greek patriarch Zeus, one of a few mythical Gods who might just get Butchered if they’re not as lucky as Thor and friends.
