While Thor: Love and Thunder will see Jane Foster pick up Mjolnir, it doesn't look like audiences are in for a long-term change.
Taika Waititi, the director and co-writer of the upcoming Marvel Studios film, spoke to Total Film about bringing back Natalie Portman's character and giving her a superhero upgrade. "It's really fun, the idea that Thor got Stormbreaker, that big axe, and now his hammer's back and it's in the hands of someone else," Waititi said. "It's no longer his hammer. It's the idea that someone's taking his place." But while Thor Odinson and the Mighty Thor will fight side-by-side against Gorr the God Butcher, fans might not want to get used to Jane wielding the hammer.
"I think a lot of fans are gonna potentially assume, 'Oh, OK, this is the passing on of the torch'... I'm not privy to any plans Marvel has for the future, but I don't think that's the case," Waititi said.
Though he doesn't outright confirm it, Waititi does seem to be indicating that Jane won't remain in possession of Mjolnir. In the comics, Jane spends considerable time as Thor, fighting evil across the universe, joining the Avengers, and having years of adventures while the Odinson remains unworthy. Ultimately, however, she ends her tenure as Thor and becomes a Valkyrie. While it's not clear what the future holds for Portman in the MCU now that she's returned, something similar could play out.
But until that time, Jane will wield a shattered Mjolnir that's been reforged and even has some interesting new powers. The full-length Thor: Love and Thunder trailer showcased Mighty Thor in action, taking on enemies and bantering alongside her old flame. She even appears to serve a special place alongside Valkyrie and the goddess Bastet, which could be a nod to her time sitting on the Congress of Worlds in the comics.
Along with Jane joining the fight, the new trailer also showed Christian Bale as Gorr in all of his gory glory. Many of his scenes also take place in stark black-and-white scenes that call to mind the striking visuals of the Valkyrie battle against Hela in Thor: Ragnarok. Jane's journey in the MCU may be a mystery, but it's clear her return will offer fans quite the ride.
Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters July 8.
Source: Total Film, via GamesRadar+