We recently went into the multiverse with Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
However, we can't help but think that the real madness will be uncorked by gonzo director Taika Waititi for the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder. Here's the new poster.
The latest chapter in Phase Four of the the Marvel Cinematic Universe reunites Chris Hemsworth with the Thor: Ragnarok director. And the results look suitably eye-popping and surreal.
Here's what we've learned from the first full-length trailer for the movie.
1. It's setting itself up as a love triangle
We already know that Natalie Portman returns as Jane Foster, now re-imagined as the Mjolnir-wielding Mighty Thor.
We also know that Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie is the new ruler of Asgard, now apparently re-imagined as a Terry Gilliam-esque bureaucratic nightmare. (The old, majestic Asgard was destroyed by Cate Blanchett's Hela in Thor: Ragnarok.)
But what happens when the two women in Thor's life triangulate and collide? Jane is, of course, Thor's original love from the first two movies, so we can't wait to see how she shares space with Valkyrie.
2. It looks like a hilarious meta-commentary on storytelling
Waititi's scene-stealing, Polynesian-accented rock monster Korg was a memorable addition to Thor: Ragnarok.
He's back to seemingly take an even bigger role in Thor: Love and Thunder. In his role as director and actor, Waititi subverts the portentous notions of mythological storytelling by having Korg relay Thor's epic story to a group of rapt children.
Of course, he's ultimately forced to interrupt the recap when events don't play out as planned. Such is the case when a former Asgardian God tries to go on the straight and narrow.
This devious approach to storytelling conventions is a hallmark of Waititi's work, present in everything from What We Do In the Shadows to Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
3. Christian Bale's Gorr feels human in more ways than one
Bale is famously method in his roles, notoriously melting down on the set of Terminator: Salvation and chewing out the lighting technician.
There have been no such reports from the set of Thor: Love and Thunder, but we dread to think how seriously Christian Bale has taken the role of Gorr the God Butcher.
Waititi has described Gorr as the best Marvel villain to date. We love his design – rather than burying Bale under mounds of prosthetics, the character has maintained something of a human visage, which may well complicate our emotional response to his actions and motivations.
This may assist our viewing experience as we acclimate to Gorr's tragic backstory (more on which below).
4. All-Black the Necrosword is prominent in the story
Gorr's primary weapon is what he uses to lay waste to the gods, and we're assuming this is the very sword in the following shot.
As per the comics, Gorr was spurred into a god-killing rage upon the death of his son Agar. Gorr blamed the deities for this personal calamity and All-Black became the vessel of his terrifying anger.
We wonder how much of this mythology will be imported into the movie? It may help add more dimensions of nuance and empathy to Bale's performance.
5. Russell Crowe's Hercules is being set up as a comic foil
Known for his higgledy-piggledy accents, Crowe may just get away with it in the context of this movie. After all, this is the Taika Waititi Thor universe where anything goes and nothing is to be taken too seriously.
We love the idea of Hercules being recontextualised as someone who is so powerful that Thor can't keep his clothes on. It's a cheeky riff on the conventions of Greek mythology, the sort we'd expect from this singular director.
6. Love may save the day
There's a brief glimpse of two unseen characters touching hands. Given this image is contextualised within the grim gray colour scheme that characterises Gorr, we wonder if Thor and/or Jane/Valkyrie are preparing to face the God Butcher on his home turf, maybe realising that they're stronger together.
It would be a suitably Taika Waititi flourish, one that we imagine could be scored to Huey Lewis and The News' 'The Power of Love', if the movie's 80s-themed aesthetic is anything to go by. But we're probably getting ahead of ourselves. It could even be from a flashback to Gorr's past. We simply don't know.
Even so, the subsequent close-up shots appear to signal Thor going it alone against Gorr as the latter urges him on.
Thor: Love and Thunder is released in Cineworld cinemas on 8th July 2022. Excited? Tweet us your trailer thoughts @Cineworld.
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