Natalie Portman has revealed more details about her role in Thor: Love and Thunder, including a pretty major spoiler.
We found out at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con that Portman would be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the fourth instalment if the Chris Hemsworth-fronted Thor series. It was also revealed that Jane Foster will no longer just be a love interest – she’ll be wielding the enchanted hammer Mjolnir.
However, there are more surprises in store. When asked about the movie in an interview with Fatherly, Portman said: “It’s based on the graphic novel of the Mighty Thor. [Jane’s] going through cancer treatment and is a superhero on the side.”
Jane’s medical diagnosis won’t come as a surprise to comic-book readers, who’ll know that she took on the title of Thor, Goddess of Thunder, as part of Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman’s Mighty Thor series, which ran from 2015 to 2018.
In that series, Jane is diagnosed with breast cancer and turning into the Mighty Thor cleanses her body of toxins, including those used in her treatment. It even reaches a point where Doctor Strange warns her that, if she picks up Mjolnir one more time and transforms into Thor, she will die. Judging by Portman’s words, it appears Marvel will use the series as inspiration.
For her part, Portman seems keen to get back in the role. She also told Fatherly: “I can’t tell you that much. I’m really excited. I’m starting to train, to get muscles. If there can be all these female superheroes, the more of them they are, the better it is.”
Thor: Love and Thunder sees Taika Waititi back in the director’s chair after he took the helm for 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. The movie is scheduled for release in February 2022, so we still have some waiting to do before we find out what fate awaits Jane Foster. While you wait, make sure to catch up with all the Marvel movies with our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order.
