Thor: Love and Thunder Concept Art, First Details Shared by Director Taika Waititi
Taika Waititi has given us the first details — concept art and supporting characters — for Thor: Love and Thunder, the fourth standalone Thor movie and the sixth entry in Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Calling it “so over the top now in the very best way”, Waititi showed designs of New Asgard, the Earth-based home for Asgardians that was glimpsed in Avengers: Endgame, and the Sakaaran insectoid warrior Miek, first seen in Thor: Ragnarok, which Waititi also directed. Lastly, Waititi said that Thor: Love and Thunder will have an expanded role for Korg, the character voiced by Waititi himself, seen in both Ragnarok and Endgame.
In a live-stream watch party of Ragnarok hosted by Waititi last week, which was attended by Ragnarok stars Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner / Hulk) and Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie), the 44-year-old writer-director shared Thor: Love and Thunder concept art for New Asgard, which is located on the former site of Tønsberg, the city where Asgardians and Frost Giants once fought (shown in Thor: The Dark World), and where Red Skull found the Tesseract (shown in Captain America: The First Avenger).
Thor: Love and Thunder concept art for New Asgard
Photo Credit: Disney/Marvel Studios (via The Direct)
As for Miek, Waititi said that the character is female. Miek was among those, alongside Thor, Hulk, Valkyrie, and Korg, who escaped the planet of Sakaar in Ragnarok. Waititi also revealed that Thor: Love and Thunder will feature “space sharks”, which are known as “Starsharks” in the comics. But we didn't get any info on the roles of Natalie Portman (who will become Mighty Thor) or Christian Bale (who plays the villain). Waititi wouldn't also be drawn on a potential return of Tom Hiddleston as Loki. Though he's dead in the Endgame timeline, a version of him exists in the multiverse.
The only thing Waititi said about Thor: Love and Thunder during the Ragnarok live-stream was: “It's so over the top now in the very best way. It makes Ragnarok seem like a really run of the mill, very safe film. This new film feels like we asked a bunch of 10-year-olds what should be in a movie and just said yes to everything.” Waititi pretty much said the exact thing about Ragnarok as well.
Thor: Love and Thunder is slated to release February 18, 2022 in cinemas worldwide. Filming was expected to begin August 2020 in Australia, though that might be affected due to the pandemic.
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