Each film in Marvel Studios' Phase Three, which began last year with "Captain America: Civil War," adds another step in the path toward 2018's "Avengers: Infinity War." And, unsurprisingly, "Thor: Ragnarok" contributes to that journey in its own way.

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However, director Taika Waititi remained adamant to Entertainment Weekly that Thor's third solo outing will be able to stand on its own while reinventing the franchise.

"A lot of what we’re doing with the film is, in a way, kind of dismantling and destroying the old idea and rebuilding it in a new way that’s fresh," he said. "Everyone’s got a slightly new take on their characters, so in that way, it feels like [this is] the first 'Thor,'" with the added caveat that Chris Hemsworth's thunder god will sport a lot less hair than in previous movies.

In Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok, Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok — the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization — at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger — the Incredible Hulk!

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Also starring Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Karl Urban and Mark Ruffalo, “Thor: Ragnarok” opens Nov. 3.

Arriving May 4, 2018, “Avengers: Infinity War” is directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo. Now filming outside Atlanta, the film boasts an ensemble that includes Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Chris Pratt, Jeremy Renner, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brie Larson, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Zoe Saldana, Tomo Holland and Pom Klementieff.