Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder star Tessa Thompson hopes to take Valkyrie away from comedy in her next MCU appearance. Thompson joined the MCU with Taika Waititi's revitalization of the Thor franchise, which did away with the dramatic fantasy of the previous two instalments and traded it for a comedic action-adventure tone. While Thor: Ragnarok was welcomed as a refreshing take on the MCU hero, Thor: Love and Thunder received less love, suggesting it might be time for another reframe of Thor and his team members.
Along with the latter Thor films, Thompson had minor roles as Valkyrie in Avengers: Endgame and The Marvels, both of which continued the comedic and lighthearted tone that has become synonymous with her character. For her next MCU appearance, whatever it may be, Thompson is hoping to shake things up a bit with Valkyrie.
The actress revealed on Collider's Ladies Night that she would be interested in playing Valkyrie in a "film that felt less comedic" as all her previous appearances as the character have leaned into humor. Thompson said one of the advantages of the MCU was the varying tones and styles of its many films, which allow actors to "find new facets of the character." The star hoped that her next MCU project (which is yet to be confirmed) would allow her to play Valkyrie in a different light:
Tessa Thompson: "One of the things that is so cool about getting to play in the MCU is obviously all the incredible actors that you get to act alongside, and then depending on the tone of the film that you exist in, you get to find new facets of the character. And so I feel like I've mostly existed in a comedic space with Valkyrie, but I'm curious if I were in a film that felt less comedic, how she would show up in those particular spaces."
Several Marvel stars have had the chance to refresh their characters throughout their time in the MCU. Chris Hemsworth's Thor was a notable example, but there are others like Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen who had the chance to switch from drama to comedy with their characters Wanda Maximoff and Vision in WandaVision. Chris Evans also started out playing Captain America in a period piece, which then evolved into an action spy thriller in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Valkyrie Getting a Tonal Shift in the MCU Is a Good Idea
It's been suggested that it would be time for another refresh of the Thor franchise after Thor: Love and Thunder's comedy tone fell flat. With Thor 5 reportedly in development at Marvel, but without two-time Thor director Taika Waititi on board, this refresh may already be in motion. This passing of the reins to a new filmmaker could be exactly what the Thor films need, and might offer Thompson the dramatic tone for Valkyrie that she is hoping for.
Thompson's next appearance as Valkyrie has not been confirmed (although rumors suggest it will be 2026's Avengers: Doomsday). However, it seems likely that if Thor 5 were to happen, it would be the next place fans would see her, particularly as her character is the reigning monarch of New Asgard.
That being said, Captain Marvel and Valkyrie were revealed to have a relationship in The Marvels, so any further Captain Marvel projects could also include Thompson as Valkyrie. The Marvels received criticisms similar to those of Thor: Love and Thunder, with aspects of the film's comedic tone not landing. This suggests that the Captain Marvel franchise might also need a new tonal spin in the future, which could open up new opportunities for Thompson's character.
Thompson's sarcastic wit as Valkyrie suits the comedic tone of the films she's been involved in. However, a tonal shift might be necessary for her to elevate the character and explore her interesting facets, whether that be in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars or a tonally shifted Thor 5 or Captain Marvel 3.
