Marvel Studios and Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder see Chris Hemsworth as the God of Thunder on the unknown ground, on a personal voyage of self-discovery, in the next MCU film. With a few screaming goats thrown in for good measure, the video explores the extent we’ll go to in order to preserve what we hold dear and avenge what we’ve lost. It’s a celebration of life, love, and family. Thor stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, and Christian Bale, as well as director Taika Waititi and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, discussed the film’s success, the film’s music choices, improvisation on set, the atmosphere Waititi creates, and how Gorr the God Butcher stacks up against other villains in the MCU during a press conference to promote the fourth Thor film, which hits theatres on November 3, 2017. Is Thor the only fictional figure to have had four films made on him? What do you believe it is about that character that elicits such an emotional response from viewers?
I believe that they are drawn to Chris Hemsworth because of what he is capable of. Taika, on the other hand, added a new depth to Chris. EPK interviews on the New Mexico set had their moments. Last week, I saw amusing footage of Ultron’s attempt at making Ruffalo feel better about his actions, and I couldn’t stop laughing. The timing is impeccable. In Taika’s mind, “What are you people doing with him, simply holding up a hammer with lightning??” That sounds like a good idea, so let’s do it. That, I believe, gets a positive reaction from the viewers. “Well, he’s a Norse deity,” we said for so long. “How can we make him more human?” For this third and final section, we had to spend so much time making sure that the viewer had a connection with him.
Chris, What aspects of Thor’s character most resonate with you and have served as a source of guidance for you throughout the years?
In particular, Taika [Waititi] has brought out the immature, juvenile, adolescent element that I embody so now Thor does. And it was interesting and fresh because it was not in the original pictures. The North Star will always guide you. It’s about embracing this place as a child would and having fun with it, savouring the wonder and intrigue of it all, and not getting mired down in the seriousness that we may while creating films. It’s important to have fun when making these types of movies, and that’s exactly what we’ve done. That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking. And it has been a lot of fun because of that.
What first drew you to this character, Taika?
TAIKA WAITITI: It’s difficult to make Chris relatable when you first meet him. I have to overcome the obstacle. My friendship with Chris has made me want to go on an adventure with him because of his personality, his energy, and who he is. You can even rely on him to be there for you like a real-life superhero. I merely wanted to use those attributes to make Thor more like Chris. He’s not faking it.
HEMSWORTH: Actually, it’s a film.
Natalie, In her role as Mighty Thor, Doctor Jane Foster is returning for another outing. The moment you put on the costume and felt like Thor is something you’ll never forget. Of course, it was quite the experience. For the first time, after witnessing Chris wear the costume for so many years, I tried on the outfit and was fitted for the arm cuffs and boots and everything.
In order to gain muscle for the film, did you lift weights?
A little weightlifting? HEMSWORTH: That’s a good idea. Natalie took the lead in the gym. Every morning, she was the first one in line at the gym, even though we all went. The only thing we could do was try to keep up with her. The fact that I was able to cast a five-foot-three actress in a six-foot-plus part is a testament to the creativity of the entire cast and crew. In my view, that’s a huge leap of imagination, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to pull it off with any other group. It was a huge task. I learned a lot from Tessa [Thompson] and Chris, who both have a lot of expertise in the field.
When you saw the art and the vision they had for Gorr, how did you feel about taking on your part in physically and emotionally transforming him? In light of everything you’ve said about Chris, I believe that everyone was seeking the exact opposite in Gorr. He’s aloof, strange, and no one wants to be near him, and no one wants to see his ass. He’s not relatable. In my opinion, they said, “Yeah, Bale.” Playing a villain is a lot of fun. Playing a villain is much simpler than playing a hero. Chris, on the other hand, is in a far more difficult position. Everyone is quickly enthralled by the villains in their midst. Taika’s ability to make it both hysterical and heartfelt makes it all the more enjoyable. As far as I know, there’s no pity for this person, but at least you can understand why he’s making such bad judgments. Despite his monstrous appearance, there may be some insight into how he came to be this way.
What’s it been like travelling with Valkyrie, Tessa?
TESSA THOMPSON: I’ve had a great time. Whether a villain or a hero, the thing that connects them to their power, whether they utilise it for good or bad, is oftentimes their trauma, and this is something that Stan Lee talked a lot about. At the time we first met Valkyrie, she was dealing with a lot of it by drinking excessively. During our time together, Taika and I talked a lot about reimagining female superheroes. At first, you think she’s going to do something horrible, but then she just falls down right away. It was a lot of fun to attempt to embody the spirit and physically required to be a hero, which is a unique ability. Despite the fact that it’s not a simple task, Chris is an expert at it. As a result, she’s free to have a good time and be silly. It’s been a wonderful experience. We also discussed the possibility of someone who loves their career but is dissatisfied with it. A thousand years ago, she was a professional soldier. Now, bureaucracy has taken over her life. She misses being on the front lines and her sisters, who she hasn’t seen in a long time. Being able to work with Natalie once more as The Mighty Thor has been a lot of pleasure.
How did you come up with some of the more creative musical selections, Taika?
Just to spend as much money as possible on a few tunes was our goal. That’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid. Our goal was to have the film’s visual style mirror that of spray-painted panel vans from the 1980s and the covers of rock albums. Even the film’s title treatment like something I would’ve scrawled on my school notebook if I wasn’t paying attention in class. When I was in high school, I spent a lot of time working on the Metallica logo. It was a band that I adored for a very long time. Using that material to convey the wild trip we’re portraying aesthetically was another of my lifelong ambitions, and it came to fruition.
Kevin, what does the future hold for Thor? What can we expect Thor to be doing after the events of Love & Thunder?
FEIGE: Many stories may be found in the so-called “comic books” that are published. Everything we know comes from there. “Have you told every great Thor story from the comics and movies?” is a fair test. No, it is the solution. They’re everywhere. I’ve always maintained that one of the primary motivations for creating new stories was to carry on the story of a certain character. When it comes to a Marvel movie, it’s almost completely about extending the experience with the actors rather than with their particular characters. Using the comic books as a reference, there are plenty of other Thors we have yet to witness.