Chris Hemsworth's Thor has had among the most troubled histories in the MCU, both through on-screen trauma and behind-the-scenes troubles. Over his decade on the big screen, Thor has lost his parents, brother, and closest friends, as well as recently suffering the pain of his failure to defeat Thanos. Those years of losses and victories have led Thor to the journey of weight loss and self-discovery he will be on when Love and Thunder begins.
After concluding his cosmic adventures with the Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor will be swept back to his old life as he returns to New Asgard and reunites with old friends like Valkyrie, Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who now wields his old hammer Mjolnir, turning her into the Mighty Thor.
Just as he did with Thor: Ragnarok, director Taika Waititi is expected to take the God of Thunder on a chaotic journey as he goes toe-to-toe with Christian Bale's Gorr the God Butcher. But with Thor's future in the MCU still uncertain - even with rumblings of a fifth entry in the series - there's no telling where the 119-minute film will end off.
Now, Waititi looks to be hinting that the ending will be rather unexpected.
Thor 4 Director Teases Unexpected Ending
Empire Magazine recently published an interview with Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi in which he promised his latest MCU epic would deliver a cool, satisfying, and unexpected ending.
Waititi said that the ending is "so unexpected for this character" before sharing his desire only to return if they come up with an idea that is "surprising and new to an audience:"
“The end of this film is so cool, so satisfying and so unexpected for this character. I’d like to exit before an audience says, ‘We’re sick of you'... But if we come up with an idea that’s surprising and new to an audience, I’m always open to the conversation.”
The MCU director went on to reveal his hopes to "lean a little more with the drama" as he hopes to make the audience "laugh and cry:"
“I wanted to lean in a little more with the drama in this film, and with some of the more emotional aspects. In my films, I really love when people laugh and cry, and I don’t think people cried in Ragnarok.”
Valkyrie actress Tessa Thompson offered her own thoughts on Waititi's directing, teasing Love and Thunder has "maybe more [heart]" than any other MCU outing:
“As irreverent a filmmaker as Taika is, all of his films have a tremendous amount of heart. This film has maybe more than we’ve seen elsewhere in the MCU.”
Jane Foster's Natalie Portman teased the rekindled romance between Thor and her scientific genius, promising "sparks are going to fly" as his ex-girlfriend throws a spanner in the works of his journey of self-discovery:
“Sparks are going to fly. In this space of self-discovery and figuring out who he is. All of a sudden Thor sees someone dressed like him that happens to be his ex-girlfriend. That throws a spanner in the works far as his reconstruction of self goes”
As the title suggests, love looks to be a powerful theme in Thor 4 as Waititi explores it in "all of the different ways that can exist:"
“I'm trying to make something which touches on this idea of love in all of the different ways that can exist."
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige even teased a surprising sub-plot in which a love triangle emerges between Thor, Mjolnir, and Stormbreaker after Jane resurfaces with his original hammer:
“There’s an undercurrent of jealousy. When The Mighty Thor and Mjolnir show up, Thor’s eyes start to be diverted away from Stormbreaker, and Stormbreaker’s not that pleased about it.”
Love and the emotion that comes with it look to be at the center of Thor: Love and Thunder as Chris Hemsworth's hero struggles with his feelings for not only his ex-girlfriend but his ex-hammer too. All the drama of the sequel will clearly throw Thor off from his journey of healing and self-discovery, something which will only be further hindered by Gorr the God Butcher's arrival.
Where Will Thor Go After Love and Thunder?
Will Chris Hemsworth's Thor die or retire to be succeeded by Jane Foster's Mighty Thor? Could the God of Thunder finally be reunited with Mjolnir? Is Christian Bale's Gorr going to live to fight another day? There are so many directions Waititi could take with the ending of Thor: Love and Thunder, especially with the future of the Asgardian up in the air.
Thor: Love and Thunder brings to an end Chris Hemsworth's contractual commitments as the God of Thunder. However, Hemsworth already shared his excitement for his future as Thor, while Waititi has generally proven open to directing the fifth film in the franchise.
Marvel Studios doesn't appear to be pursuing the angle of Portman's Mighty Thor replacing Hemsworth's Thor, but instead, looks to be more eager to see the two co-exist. Who knows whether that will involve the duo rekindling a romantic connection or where exactly that story could continue next.
There was a time in the comics in which the God of Thunder became unworthy of Mjolnir and began to go by the name of Odinson. Even if it doesn't involve becoming unworthy of his original weapon, perhaps Thor's journey of self-discovery will lead him to give up his legendary name, moving forward in the MCU as Odinson.
Looking past Phase 4 and into Phase 5, who knows where Thor and the Mighty Thor will go next? Thor 5 still appears to be on the table, or maybe Jane Foster's Mighty Thor and Tessa Thompson's Valkyre will go to Disney+ in their own original series. The possibilities are endless.
Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters on Friday, July 8.
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