Thor: Ragnarok comes to rock our worlds in cinemas tomorrow, so we are giving you a roundup of all you need to know to avoid scratching your head at the Space-Vikings latest outing.
What’s Ragnarok about?
This film sees Thor and his half-brother Loki confronted by Hela, who’s main aim is to destroy Asgard and incite Ragnarok, the end of all things. On his adventures Thor loses his hammer and winds up on the planet Sakaar, where he finds the Hulk in a gladiator pit. Thor and Hulk join forces to find their way back to Asgard to confront Hela, with Loki coming along for the ride. To further add to the excitement from a comic book fan perspective, the film takes elements from several key storylines from Thor and Hulk mythos, namely Planet Hulk, Thor: Dissasembled and The Surtur Saga.
Who’s in it?
Chris Hemsworth returns as the tituliar superhero for his third solo outing. Joining him on his latest adventure is fellow avengers, the jade giant Hulk played by the enigmatic Mark Ruffalo. Both of these actors skipped out on being apart of the Captain America: Civil War storyline so it will be refreshing to see them back in the Marvel films. Tom Hiddleston is returning as the nefarious trickster god Loki, who is arguably the MCU’s most popular villain. Speaking of villains, a major actor has joined the elite ranks of evil doers, portraying the Asgardian Goddess of Death, Hela. Cate Blanchett brings her talents to the role in a very comic accurate portrayal that is sure to leave jaws dropped.
Anthony Hopkins returns as Thor’s father Odin, while Idris Elba reprises his role as the keeper of the Rainbow Bridge, Heimdall. New recruit Karl Urban is set to play the role of Skurge the Executioner, an Asgardian grunt who sides with Hela to save his own skin. Jeff Goldbum also brings his quirky charm and charisma to the Grandmaster, a cosmic entity who is obsessed with winning the contest of champions. Tessa Thompson also joins the cast as the Asgardian scrapper Valkyrie.
Who’s directing?
Taika Waititi makes his MCU directoral debut. For those unfamiliar with his other works, Waititi is known for his quirky humor and personality. While starting off as a relatively indie director, he has recently come to more mainstream attention for his feature films Boy and Hunt For The Wilderpeople. Waititi also enjoys giving himself roles in his movies, undertaking the role of Korg, a Kronan rock person in Thor: Ragnarok.
Where does Ragnarok sit within the greater Marvel Universe?
When we last saw Thor he was leaving on a journey to discover Infinity Stones after Avengers: Age of Ultron after having a vision in a mystical pool. Thor was notably absent in Civil War, presumably because of his hunt for the stones. This story is likely to be running concurrently to the events of Civil War, Guardians of The Galaxy Vol 2 and Doctor Strange. This is further supported as Thor cameoed at the end of Doctor Strange trying to seek his father Odin. As this is the second last movie before Avengers: Infinity War, this is likely going to set the status quo for Thor before the film brings together the Avengers yet again.
Retro Revolution
Waititi has made numerous mentions in interviews how he drew inspiration from the wackiness from the comic books in setting the tone for the film as well as the visual influences. Jack Kirby, the grandfather of comic books has been cited as the main influence in developing set pieces and imagery in the film. Kirby is known for his bold colours and shapely art, all of which are payed homage in the film. Overall the film has a very retro tone, with Led Zepplin’s Immigrant Song featuring prominently in trailers, emphasizing that this film is set to play out like an 80’s action movie. Mix this flare with the colourful world created by comic creators and this is sure to be a wacky and zany film.
Still not convinced to see the film? Check out this featurette hyping Thor’s latest big bad, Hela.
Who else is excited for Thor: Ragnarok? What do you hope to see happen in the film? Any cameos or easter eggs you would like to see? I’m kind of hoping for Beta Ray Bill or Ulik. Let us know what you think of the movie in the comments section of our Facebook page and don’t forget to check out our review of the film on our Youtube channel. Movie Nerds is the place to go for all of your movie information.