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Natalie Portman Confirms Jane Wields Mjolnir In Thor: Love & Thunder
Natalie Portman, who makes her Marvel return in Thor: Love and Thunder confirms Jane Foster will wield Mjolnir in the movie. Portman appeared as Foster in 2011's Thor and the much-maligned 2013 sequel Thor: The Dark World. However, she was absent from 2017's Thor: Ragnarok, a fact quickly glossed over by Thor and Loki in the early part of the movie. However, when Thor: Love and Thunder was announced at Comic-Con 2019, Portman was not only confirmed to star as Jane Foster, but also Mighty Thor.
In the comics, Jane acquires Thor's powers via Mjolnir, but also contracts cancer from the magical hammer. Despite director Taika Waititi playing around with the comic's original mythology in Thor: Ragnarok, it appears he will return to the story line's roots for Love and Thunder, as Portman has previously hinted Jane will be battling cancer in the movie. How the details are portrayed is unclear. Similarly, it's uncertain where in the MCU timeline the movie will take place, and whether Chris Hemsworth's Thor will be fat, as he was in Avengers: Endgame.
Now, during an interview as part of the espnW Summit, Portman has confirmed Jane will wield Mjolnir in Thor: Love and Thunder. Portman spoke to retired soccer star Julie Foudy about the movie. When Foudy asked if Portman gets to hold Mjolnir in the movie, the actor responded in the affirmative. The pair then riffed on how Jane will react to wielding the weapon:
Besides the jokes in the interaction, there is the nugget of truth that confirms Portman's Foster will follow if not exactly the same story line from the comics, at least a very familiar one. It's still unclear, of course, how she gets hold of Mjolnir, considering Captain America returned it to 2013 at the end of Avengers: Endgame. The version in the current timeline was destroyed by Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, but Waititi is probably going to solve that issue within the first few minutes of the movie and get on with the business of telling a new story.
Portman's comments also may suggest the script for Thor: Love and Thunder is in a more advanced stage than previously thought. The movie only starts shooting in January, and Hemsworth has joked script meetings with Waititi haven't been very productive so far. But clearly there is a script in place, or at least a story outline, given that Portman is confident Jane gets to wield the hammer. She'll make history when she does, as only Thor, Captain America, and Vision (briefly) have proven themselves worthy of holding Mjolnir in the MCU so far.
Thor: Love And Thunder (2022)
Release Date: Feb 11, 2022
