The third solo outing for Marvel's God of Thunder – aka Thor – has become one of the highest anticipated movies of 2017.
Now the wait is finally over as Thor: Ragnarok hits Irish cinemas on October 24th. The new film will see Thor team up with the Hulk, aka Bruce Banner, as well as adopted brother Loki and new ally Valkyrie in order to defeat Hela, a deity who is intent on destroying Asgard.
In case you needed reminding, and in no particular order, here are 10 reasons why we couldn’t be more excited for Thor: Ragnarok:
1. The trailers
Have you seen the trailers?? If not, you can watch the latest one below, and if you have seen it, heck, watch it again as a reminder of its awesomeness. Over its 2 and a half minute running-time, the trailer promises fun, action, comedy and spectacle - and that’s only a glimpse at what’s to come.
Early reactions to new movies are almost always right on the button and so far, Thor: Ragnarok has gotten high praise for not only being Thor’s best movie but also possibly Marvel’s funniest movie ever. Promising stuff.
3. Thor’s new look
Thor has a new helmet and, more importantly, new hair. Yes, the son of Odin and crown prince of Asgard had everyone talking when the first pics of the movie came out showing that he’d abandoned his characteristic mid-length blond hair for a trimmer do. In any case, the man behind the myth, Chris Hemsworth, looks great, and we’re looking forward to seeing the next chapter in the superhero’s journey.
4. Cate Blanchett as Hela
Cate Blanchett is fabulous in everything but she seems to particularly revel in playing the bad guy. We saw this previously in films like Disney’s Cinderella remake, in which she played the evil stepmother, and Hanna, which she starred in opposite Saoirse Ronan. Her take on Hela is definitely going to be a highlight.
5. Taika Waititi as director
New Zealand-born Taika Waititi has proven himself a talented actor and filmmaker. He was the director behind two of the best independent comedies of recent years – Hunt for the Wilderpeople and vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows. We are so psyched for his unique and quirky take on the superhero universe – plus he’ll have a cameo in the movie, which you can see a clip of below, too.
6. Thor’s new love interest
It was announced last year that Natalie Portman isn’t returning as love interest Jane Foster and that she and Thor broke up between films. This leaves room for a new leading lady, and Tessa Thompson in the role of Valkyrie looks to be smart, strong and one serious badass. We’re looking forward to seeing the new character give Thor a run for his money.
7. Thor v The Hulk battle
It’s been teased in the trailer and in the plot synopsis (‘the mighty Thor finds himself in a lethal gladiatorial contest against the Hulk’) – this Avenger v Avenger showdown is bound to be an adrenaline-pumped, action-filled fight for the ages.
8. Jeff Goldblum
He’s so Goldblum-y.
9. Loki’s back
***SPOILERS FROM THOR: THE DARK WORLD*** When we last saw Loki, played devilishly by Tom Hiddleston, he had faked his death and was impersonating Odin. Now Thor seems to be teaming up with his former nemesis and giving him another chance, but can the trickster be trusted? Oooooooo…
10. The improvised script
As previously mentioned, Thor: Ragnarok has already received high praise for its comedic quality. A lot of this is likely owing to Waititi’s direction and the high amount of improvisation involved in the dialogue (as much as 80%, in fact, according to Waititi). Such a style has never been applied to a Marvel movie on this scale before and we’re so excited to see the end product of it.
