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MOVIE FEATURE

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FROM GLADIATOR TO GOD Thor: Love and Thunder introduces a vainglorious Zeus, the father of all Gods, who spends his days living in excess in the Grand Pantheon in Omnipotence City. In one of the film’s most hilarious moments, Russell Crowe sends up his Gladiator character in his portrayal of the bloated and ineffectual leader, long past his prime and with a Greek accent that seems to be channeling Mark Mitchell’s beloved Con the Fruiterer. Recalling her reaction to Crowe’s gonzo performance, Portman says, “It was so much fun to see Russell Crowe play Zeus and have such a great sense of humour with the character. I think we’re so used to him in these very strong, heroic roles, so it was fun to see him be able to let loose.”

STACK chats withTaikaWaititi and the cast of Thor: Love andThunder , which features the return of Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster in an unexpected new incarnation. Words Gill Pringle

• Thor: Love and Thunder is out on Sept 14

R evealing that two Thors are better than one, Thor: Love and Thunder reunites Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) with his former love, Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) – albeit now in the unlikely role of “Mighty Thor”. Say what? Jane’s return and the explanation for her sudden and rather bizarre transformation into Mighty Thor won’t be spoiled here, although comic book devotees will already know the reason. Portman admits that donning Hemsworth’s iconic golden armour was pretty wild. “After seeing Chris wear the costume for so many years and then to try the version on myself and

new movie, then Waititi and his team most definitely brought the thunder, spending 89 days on the Australia-based production beginning in January 2021. “ Thor: Love and Thunder feels similar to Ragnarok in terms of tone and style, but we wanted to double down on how vibrant and crazy the worlds are and the situations we put Thor in,” Waititi tells STACK . “Because when you’re dealing with outer space and a Viking, if you run and embrace that incredible combination as the thing that powers the story, you’re only really limited by your imagination.

swagger about him when he encounters these aliens,” suggests Waititi who, once more, pulls double duty, lending his voice to Thor’s sidekick, Korg. “Taika definitely brought out the immature young adolescent quality that I embody and so does Thor now, which he didn’t in the original films, which was exciting and new and fresh,” agrees Hemsworth. “Personally, with these kind of films, it’s got to be fun, and that’s what we’ve done and that’s what I’ve related to, and that’s what Taika has insisted upon.”

“I don’t think it’s far-fetched to expect change in a character like Thor,” he adds. “He’s been around for a long time, so there’s time for him to go through different phases.

getting fitted for all the arm cuffs and boots and everything, it was pretty surreal for the first time. “I was especially grateful to everyone’s imagination to cast a 5’ 3” actress in a six-foot role, she adds. “I think that takes a real leap of possibility in your mind and probably isn't something I'll get the opportunity to be imagined as by any other group.” Thor: Ragnarok (2017) revealed

I was relieved when I knew how high he was testing in

the Ragnarok screenings, but it was also a sense of pride that we’d managed to reinvent this character in a way that made the film do well, and also made people want to see more of him because he’s so relatable. “I really feel that Thor, more than any other character in the MCU, lends himself towards big, inventive, colourful creatures from different worlds. He has a casualness and a sort of

DON'T MISS

Taika Waititi and Thor as a match made in Valhalla, with the Kiwi director deftly tapping Chris Hemsworth’s considerable comedic abilities and larrikin nature to triumphantly reinvent the character. Now, he’s back at the helm for a second round with the Norse god in Love and Thunder . If love is the resounding theme of the

12 SEPTEMBER 2022

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