What Can We Expect from the Thor: Love and Thunder Movie?

We expect Thor: Love and Thunder to be one of the top movies of 2022, but what do we know about it so far and what can we expect from this superhero film? In addition, how much could the current popularity of Norse mythology influence its future success?

Norse Themes in Popular Culture

Norse mythology has been a big part of popular culture for decades. However, it seems fair to say that the public’s appetite for this culture has grown in recent years. In terms of movies, the likes of 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, 2009’s Valhalla Rising and 2022’s The Northman all offer a combination of contemporary and traditional portrayals of iconic mythological tales and characters. Oh, and of course, lots of action!

Our love of all things Norse has spilt over into the gaming world, too. The average online casino in UK markets tends to include slot game titles such as Age of Gods: King of Asgard, Champions of Valhalla Jackpot and Age of the Gods: Norse Legends. These slots are featured alongside other diverse titles inspired by a number of themes such as Ancient Egypt, cultural festivals, TV/films and notable popstars/celebrities. For example, titles such as Eye of Horus, Book of Dead and Starburst have proven to be popular with players. They provide a colourful, themed contrast to traditional table and card games such as roulette and blackjack.

Video games featuring Thor and Norse mythology have also increased in popularity in the last few years. 2011’s Thor: God of Thunder was the first time that the character had starred in a video game bearing his name and it proved to be a hit across various consoles. Since then, God of War and an Assassin’s Creed game subtitled Valhalla have kept the genre in the spotlight.

About the Movie

The above information helps us to see why Thor: Love and Thunder should be a success, as public interest in Thor and the other Norse Gods is now very high. Another reason for believing that it will attract big audiences is that this is a sequel to Thor: Ragnarok, which grossed over $850 worldwide and was the ninth-highest-grossing movie in 2017. Five years have passed since then, so there are plenty of people keen to see the next instalment in this high-profile blockbuster franchise.

Love and Thunder is set to be released in July 2022, with all of the filming having been carried out in 2021. Taika Waititi is back as the director following the success of Ragnarok, and he describes this new movie as a romance film. Chris Hemsworth plays the role of Thor, while Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman and Chris Pratt reprise their roles from previous MCU appearances. Russell Crowe appears in the movie too, as the God Zeus.

Thompson plays Valkyrie, who has just taken over as the ruler of New Asgard. Fans of the earlier movies in this series will be surprised to see Natalie Portman return as Jane Foster, who will be The Mighty Thor, in a plot that the writers seem to have taken directly from the Thor comic books in the 2010s. She is going through cancer treatment and some fans have speculated that events in the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness could lead to the iconic Mjolnir hammer falling into her hands.

The timing seems right for the release of Thor: Love and Thunder. If it’s as successful as we anticipate it will be, we can probably expect to see more Norse mythology appear in different elements of popular culture in the next few years.