Taika Waititi Claims That Thor: Love And Thunder Is Not A Passing Of The Torch Between Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster And Chris Hemsworth’s Thor

John F. Trent |

May 25, 2022

(L-R): Natalie Portman as Mighty Thor and Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Marvel Studios' THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi recently claimed that the film will not be a passing of the torch between Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor following the release of a second trailer for the film.

Waititi spoke with Total Film where he first claimed that Portman’s Jane Foster arc follows Jason Aaron’s comic run pretty closely.

He said, “We stick pretty closely to Jane’s storyline, and what happened to Jane… because that was such an influence on the film. We’re trying to take the best parts of that.”

In Aaron’s comic run, Foster does indeed replace Thor as he’s found unworthy to wield Mjolnir. Not only is Thor unworthy to wield Mjolnir, but so is Odin.

However, while Thor and Odin are unworthy, Jane Foster is not and she is able to wield Mjolnir.

The series would see Foster, as a female replacement of Thor, face off against Dario Agger of Roxxon, the Dark Elf Malekith, and numerous frost giants.

She would even face off against Thor, who believes she has stolen the hammer.

It also saw Foster suffer from cancer albeit while she wields Mjolnir the disease is kept at bay. However, when she is separated from the hammer’s magic the disease continues to eat away at her own body.

The cancer storyline was previously confirmed to be included in Thor: Love and Thunder by Natalie Portman.

Back in 2020 she said, ““I’m trying to think — it’s based on the graphic novel of the Mighty Thor. She’s going through cancer treatment and is a superhero on the side.”

After noting that the film follows Aaron’s comic run on the series, Waititi went on to confirm that the film will play with the idea that Foster is replacing Thor.

He said, “And also, it’s really fun, the idea that Thor [has] got Stormbreaker, that big axe, and now his hammer’s back and it’s in the hands of someone else. It’s no longer his hammer. It’s the idea that someone’s taking his place.”

Next, Waititi revealed that he doesn’t believe that Foster will be replacing Hemsworth’s Thor in a passing of the torch moment despite claiming just a sentence before “it’s the idea that someone’s taking his place.”

He said, “I think a lot of fans are gonna potentially assume, ‘Oh, OK, this is the passing on of the torch’… I’m not privy to any plans Marvel has for the future, but I don’t think that’s the case.”

It’s hard to know what exactly Waititi was trying to convey, but I don’t think he assuaged any fan fears that the film will see Thor play second fiddle to Portman’s Jane Foster or that Foster will replace Thor moving forward in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Hemsworth did indicate back in December 2021 that he felt Marvel Studios’ enthusiasm for him to return to the character was waning.

When asked if he would sign on for more Thor films, Hemsworth replied, “How many Spider-Man’s has he done? He’s a little behind me. I think he’s done three. I’ve done six or seven Thors so. Maybe.”

“As long as they’ll have me, I’ll turn up. But I feel like they might be waning that kind of enthusiasm for me to keep playing the character,” he added.

We caught up with the God of Thunder himself, @chrishemsworth, to chat about his new project and The Big Chris! #9Today pic.twitter.com/a63aaywRpP

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) December 5, 2021