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Thor: Love and Thunder will drop on Disney+ on Friday, September 9, at 3 a.m. ET, as part of Disney+ Day. The fourth film in the Thor series follows Thor assembling gods to fight Gorr the God Butcher, and takes place in the New Asgard era. It had a theatrical release in July.
The film's synopsis reads:
Thor enlists the help of Valkyrie, Korg and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster to fight Gorr the God Butcher, who intends to make the gods extinct.
The movie is directed by Taika Waititi, who also helmed the prequel, Thor: Ragnarok. It features actors Chris Hemsworth as the God of Thunder Thor, Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Russell Crowe as Zeus, Natalie Portman as Jane Foster aka Mighty Thor.
Waititi also essays the role of Korg, a Kronan gladiator who befriended Thor.
Reception of Thor: Love and Thunder after its theatrical release in July
The film was released in theaters in the US on July 8, 2022. It received mixed reviews with appreciation for Bale and Portman's performances.
Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote that Thor: Love and Thunder, as opposed to Ragnarok, sustained its freshness to the end, although it started with a "more awkward" first act with the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Gleiberman also appreciated the powerful introduction of the film's antagonist, Gorr the God Butcher, and credited Waititi for keeping the film "emotionally alive."
Todd Gilchrist of the AV Club echoed similar sentiments as Gleiberman, and stated in his review:
"Natalie Portman and (especially) Christian Bale contribute more than enough capital-A acting bona fides to lend deeper emotional dimensions to Waititi’s loose, occasionally too-cheerful but always visually adventuresome adaptation of Jason Aaron’s stint on the Mighty Thor comic, in which (among other things) Portman’s Jane Foster gains the hero’s powers."
He added that Bale's Gorr is one of the most interesting and sympathetic Marvel adversaries since Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger in Black Panther.
On the review aggregator platform Rotten Tomatoes, Thor: Love and Thunder garnered a critics' rating of 65% and audience rating of 77%.
In terms of box office collections, while the latest film garnered over $340 million at the US box office and became the highest-grossing Thor film ever, it failed to surpass the global collections of Thor: Ragnarok.
Thor 5: Everything you need to know
The post-credit scene in the latest release has assured Marvel fans of another film on the superhero based on Norse mythology. However, Waititi himself was not informed of the developments in the Thor franchise.
Waititi spoke to Insider and said:
"That was a surprise to me, too. I’m not joking. I saw it in the theater and I was like, ’Oh, s**t. Really?’ Even Chris was like, ‘What?’ But, of course he’ll be back. He’s the best character. I mean, I may be a little biased, but he’s the most fun to watch."
Waititi added that he would definitely be interested in directing another Thor film, provided Hemsworth continues with the franchise.
Recent reports, however, suggest that Waititi has quit the upcoming Thor film owing to the lukewarm response to Thor: Love and Thunder. Fans are yet to get a confirmation from Marvel.
Thor: Love and Thunder will be made available on Disney+ on September 9.
