Thor: Love and Thunder will begin filming at the start of 2021, says Natalie Portman

(Image credit: Walt Disney Studios)

Thor: Love and Thunder is reportedly set to begin filming in just a matter of months, according to co-star Natalie Portman.

Talking with Serena Williams on Instagram live, Portman says just before the 29-minute mark that "we're shooting in Australia at the beginning of next year." It sounds surreal given the state of things with the coronavirus pandemic, but it sounds like that's the plan at the moment.

ICYMI, Portman is returning to the MCU's Thor series for the first time since 2013's Thor: The Dark World. And unlike her brief appearance in Avengers: Endgame, Portman's portrayal of Jane Foster is central to the story of Thor: Love and Thunder, as she'll be lifting the hammer herself and becoming Mighty Thor, aka the Goddess of Thunder. For more on that, here's what the comics can tell us about Thor: Love and Thunder and Portman's Mighty Thor.

As the title suggests, Thor: Love and Thunder could put as much emphasis on the romance between Thor and Jane Foster as it does the God and Goddess of Thunder themselves. As we reported last week, director Taika Waititi said in an interview with the BBC that Thor: Love and Thunder is "so insane" and also "very romantic," adding that he'd like to one day produce a romantic movie.

Thor: Love and Thunder is slated to bring Marvel Phase 4 to a close on February 11, 2022. But with movie release dates in a perpetual state of disarray, there's always a chance that date gets pushed back.

For what to look forward to on the nearer horizon, here are the most exciting upcoming movies of 2020.

Jordan Gerblick

After scoring a degree in English from ASU, I worked as a copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. Now, as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer, I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my apartment, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.