Thor is back in July's Thor: Love and Thunder. When audiences last left the Asgardian thunder god in Avengers: Endgame, he was jetting off into the cosmos with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Just based on previously released footage from the film, it seems as though the Guardians themselves have a fairly sizable role to play in the movie.
Also along for the ride are beloved MCU characters like Korg and Tessa Thompson's Vakyrie. Having been appointed the King of New Asgard in the closing minutes of Endgame, Valkyrie seems to be growing weary of the bureaucracy that comes with being the sovereign ruler of a large group of people. She can be glimpsed looking quite bored during an important meeting during Love and Thunder's first trailer.
Naturally, Valkyrie will want to get in on the action during the film, but Thompson has let it slip that she doesn't share scenes with every character.
Valkyrie Reportedly Won't Share Scenes With The Guardians
Speaking to Fandango, Valkyrie actress and Thor: Love and Thunder star Tessa Thompson revealed that "she wasn't in any of the Guardian stuff."
“Well I didn’t… I just came to set to watch, because I wasn’t in any of the Guardian stuff and I don’t remember which of them said it to me, but someone asked me, ‘Is it always like this?’ I was like, ‘Yes, it is…'"
Thompson went on to describe the highly improvisational, albeit somewhat chaotic atmosphere on set under director Taika Waititi:
"I think what you were saying Taika. I think it’s like… we’re used to a certain level of chaos. Like existing in a certain level of chaos because there’s always like the version that’s on the page and then… we throw that out and do a bunch… that we know probably… 95% of it will never get to be in the film, but you do it for the 5% that can live there."
Waititi also went on to discuss his directorial style compares to that of Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, saying that "he just knows what he’s doing:"
“I don’t know. I have different a [style] to James [Gunn]. James, I think… well, he directed me briefly in Suicide Squad and he just knows what he’s doing. That’s the difference. He’s got a plan and he knows every frame that he’s going to shoot and he storyboards everything and he just knows what he wants. Well, I’m just trying to like, I’m like, ’I don’t know what I want. I’ll see it somewhere in there at some point.’”
Chris Hemsworth also chimed in by reminiscing on his first encounter with the Guardians crew during filming for Avengers: Infinity War, calling them "insane and hilarious and fun:"
“The first time I met them all was on the Infinity War set and from that day, there was just such a different sort of vibe and energy that each of the characters brought out in each other and it was the same with on this film. It’s a whole different dynamic when you have characters from another franchise who are used to doing their own franchise mashed into this world. It was like most of it. Insane and hilarious and fun.”
How Large of a Role Do the Guardians Really Have?
Seeing as Tessa Thompson outright stated that Vaklyire and the Guardians of the Galaxy don't share any screentime in the finished film, it does beg the question: How much play do Quill, Rocket, Groot, Mantis, Nebula and Drax get in the plot?
It's possible that the team really only appears at the beginning of the movie, adventuring with Thor immediately following Avengers: Endgame. Then, something might occur that would cause their paths to branch. Thor seems to want to investigate Gorr and perhaps the Guardians get a new lead on Gamora's whereabouts, which would lead into 2023's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
It appears clear that the ragtag group of outer space misfits doesn't factor into the final battle though, since it would seem natural for Valkyrie to be present for that sequence.
Also of note are Thompson's words on the "certain level of chaos" happening on the set of Thor 4. Taika Waititi Waititi is a comedic director at heart, and he's largely credited with revitalizing Thor's character in Thor: Ragnarok by letting Chris Hemsworth let loose and explore his comedy chops a little more. Waititi has had hit after hit in his recent career, so his method of improvising on set must be well-proven.
Marvel Studios' Thor: Love and Thunder thunders into theaters starting July 8.
