Moviefone Editorial

Tag: thor: love and thunder

All Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies Ranked

Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2025 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2025 Marvel.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown into one of the biggest and most beloved movie franchises in Hollywood history!

With ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘, which welcomes “Marvel’s First Family” to the MCU, opening in theaters on July 25th, Moviefone has ranked every Marvel Cinematic Universe movie ever made, including the latest!

Note: We are only including MCU movies, not the MCU Disney+ series and mini-series.

However, we are including the Disney+ “Special Presentations,” including ‘Werewolf by Night‘ and ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.’

Let’s begin!

39. ‘Eternals‘ (2021)

(L to R) Don Lee, Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Salma Hayek, Gemma Chan, and Lia McHugh in Marvel Studios’ ‘Eternals.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

The Eternals are a team of ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. When an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows, they are forced to reunite against mankind’s most ancient enemy, the Deviants.
7ntA9bxQAz88yPJhNae7O1

38. ‘Thor: The Dark World‘ (2013)

Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos… but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
54329

37. ‘Thor‘ (2011)

Against his father Odin’s (Anthony Hopkins) will, The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) – a powerful but arrogant warrior god – recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.
30881

36. ‘Iron Man 2‘ (2010)

With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances – and confront powerful enemies.
4cOBZDQjuTEdYwsIsMkmE

35. ‘The Incredible Hulk‘ (2008)

Edward Norton in ‘The Incredible Hulk.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

Scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) scours the planet for an antidote to the unbridled force of rage within him: the Hulk. But when the military masterminds who dream of exploiting his powers force him back to civilization, he finds himself coming face to face with a new, deadly foe.
34376

34. ‘Thor: Love and Thunder‘ (2022)

After his retirement is interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods, Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who now wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor. Together they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
A7uWxSuNaTC8jVhL2FovZ2

33. ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania‘ (2023)

Super-Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), along with with Hope’s parents Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) , and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), find themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible and pits them against Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors).
B1SAaPWX3xWKnawiOgxUQ1

32. ‘Doctor Strange‘ (2016)

After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon (Benedict Cumberbatch) gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under her wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.
20060089

31. ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron‘ (2015)

When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron (James Spader) emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.
20052338

30. ‘The Marvels‘ (2023)

(L to R) Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan, Brie Larson as Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers, and Teyonah Parris as Captain Monica Rambeau in Marvel Studios’ ‘The Marvels.’ Photo by Laura Radford. © 2023 MARVEL.

Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), aka Captain Marvel, has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe.
clU8QkqfIHVJwWPVCjfPl3

29. ‘Ant-Man‘ (2015)

Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Doctor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
10129934

28. ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming‘ (2017)

Following the events of ‘Captain America: Civil War’, Peter Parker (Tom Holland), with the help of his mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City, with fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture (Michael Keaton), emerges.
20082370

27. ‘Iron Man 3‘ (2010)

When Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.
52353

26. ‘Captain America: The First Avenger‘ (2011)

During World War II, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is a sickly man from Brooklyn who’s transformed into super-soldier Captain America to aid in the war effort. Rogers must stop the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) – Adolf Hitler’s ruthless head of weaponry, and the leader of an organization that intends to use a mysterious device of untold powers for world domination.
33906

25. ‘Black Widow‘ (2021)

Scarlett Johansson in Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Widow.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.
tT8ZzfW3h27psN6LzQLDl4

24. ‘Captain Marvel‘ (2019)

The story follows Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
s1QgqWi6s3bA3Mn7Fv8JY2

23. ‘Werewolf by Night‘ (2022)

On a dark and somber night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. In a strange and macabre memorial to the leader’s life, the attendees are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic—a hunt that will ultimately bring them face to face with a dangerous monster.
oM9yD6G0SaTUrzO8Ewca17

22. ‘Iron Man‘ (2008)

After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.
24396

21. ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ (2022)

Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.
YfwFRIH7gcF9NDbGgfedc2

20. ‘Captain America: Brave New World‘ (2025)

Red Hulk/President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) in Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World’. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 Marvel.

After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), Sam (Anthony Mackie) finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
38PIIqJ72BWyVUfWZQqug4

19. ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp‘ (2018)

Just when his time under house arrest is about to end, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) once again puts his freedom at risk to help Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) dive into the quantum realm and try to accomplish, against time and any chance of success, a very dangerous rescue mission.
0vWXbc8UpzcWr8qT7MbLp4

18. ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home‘ (2019)

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and his friends go on a summer trip to Europe. However, they will hardly be able to rest – Peter will have to agree to help Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) uncover the mystery of creatures that cause natural disasters and destruction throughout the continent.
20063489

17. ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ (2021)

Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization and his father, Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung).
jxexWZrAsj4OkSGUYgMST1

16. ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ (2022)

On a mission to make Christmas unforgettable for Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), the Guardians head to Earth in search of the perfect present. The special follows Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) as they set out to give Quill the best Christmas ever, after discovering that Yondu (Michael Rooker) ruined the holiday for him as a child.
RRfhVBh4lFCPlYzf21OFr5

15. ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ (2022)

(L to R) Charlize Theron and Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.
Yn5kjVbedpQ4FE8rL2agE6

14. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3‘ (2023)

Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
k5kA3qeDcQFylAb4AgIbb6

13. ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2‘ (2017)

The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s (Chris Pratt) true parentage.
20068340

12. ‘The Avengers‘ (2012)

When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!
33907

11. ‘Captain America: Civil War‘ (2016)

Following the events of ‘Age of Ultron’, the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, causing two factions to side with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) or Captain America (Chris Evans), which causes an epic battle between former allies.
65108

10. ‘Thunderbolts*’ (2025)

(L to R) Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), and Red Guardian/Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour) in Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 Marvel.

After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, seven disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
ySD9fRBhzaiO2TcznWDp2

9. ‘Black Panther‘ (2018)

King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T’Challa assumes the Black Panther mantle to join with ex-girlfriend Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), the queen-mother, his princess-kid sister, members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan ‘special forces’) and an American secret agent, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.
20083572

8. ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier‘ (2014)

After the cataclysmic events in New York with ‘The Avengers’, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), aka Captain America is living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon (Anthony Mackie). However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.
54664

7. ‘Thor Ragnarok‘ (2017)

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home-world and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of a powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett).
20076120

6. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy‘ (2014)

Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser.
54663

5. ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ (2025)

(L to R) Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2025 Marvel.

Against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel’s First Family is forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, while defending Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).
z9uHs9M5vfCiKZCJCNg4I6 rboBloYj

4. ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘ (2018)

As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos (Josh Brolin). A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.
20083432

3. ‘Deadpool & Wolverine‘ (2024)

Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ delivers the ultimate, iconic, cinematic team-up throw-down on July 26.
FW15JuJGFTtwqnkn4XqPf5

2. ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home‘ (2021)

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a super-hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man. Teaming with other Multiverse Spider-Men (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield), they must now work together to take out the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx) and other Spider-Man villains from around the multiverse.
1jkAWdNGH1gxE3kmxbZFq4

1. ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ (2019)

Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Avengers: Endgame.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.
P4hIwBTPRnwELWrG1VOML2

If you are a big Marvel fan, and you want to have a movie marathon, here is how you can watch the Marvel movies in chronological order.

August 2, 2025
Best Natalie Portman Movies

Natalie Portman attends Netflix’s ‘May December’ Los Angeles premiere at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on November 16, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Natasha Campos/Getty Images for Netflix.

Natalie Portman has been acting professionally for over 30 years and has appeared in some of the biggest franchises and most beloved films of all time.

Portman, who won an Oscar for ‘Black Swan,’ has appeared in such popular movies as ‘Leon: The Professional,’ ‘Heat, ‘V for Vendetta,’ ‘Garden State,’ and ‘Closer,’ as well as playing Padmé Amidala in the ‘Star Wars‘ prequel series, and as Jane Foster in three out of four of the ‘Thor‘ movies.

Her new movie, ‘May December,’ which was directed by Todd Haynes and also stars Julianne Moore, was released in theaters on November 17th before premiering on Netflix December 1st.

In honor of her latest film, Moviefone is counting down the 20 best film’s of Natalie Portman’s career, including ‘May December.’

Let’s begin!

20. ‘Thor: The Dark World‘ (2013)

Chris Hemsworth in ‘Thor: The Dark World’

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) fights to restore order across the cosmos… but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster (Portman) and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
54329

19. ‘Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones‘ (2002)

Following an assassination attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala (Portman), Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) investigate a mysterious plot that could change the galaxy forever.
10533

18. ‘Cold Mountain‘ (2003)

In this classic story of love and devotion set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, a wounded Confederate soldier named W.P. Inman (Jude Law) deserts his unit and travels across the South, aiming to return to his young wife, Ada (Nicole Kidman), who he left behind to tend their farm. As Inman makes his perilous journey home, Ada struggles to keep their home intact with the assistance of Ruby (Renee Zellweger), a mysterious drifter sent to help her by a kindly neighbor.
14956

17. ‘Thor‘ (2011)

Against his father Odin’s will, The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) – a powerful but arrogant warrior god – recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.
30881

16. ‘Hesher‘ (2010)

A young boy (Devin Brochu) has lost his mother and is losing touch with his father and the world around him. Then he meets Hesher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who manages to make his life even more chaotic.
10024243

15. ‘Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace‘ (1999)

(L to R) Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson in ‘Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.’

Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), a young slave strong with the Force, is discovered on Tatooine. Meanwhile, the evil Sith have returned, enacting their plot for revenge against the Jedi.
5220

14. ‘Everyone Says I Love You‘ (1996)

A New York girl (Natasha Lyonne) sets her father up (Woody Allen) with a beautiful woman (Julia Roberts) in a shaky marriage while her half sister (Drew Barrymore) gets engaged.
2826

13. ‘Mars Attacks!‘ (1996)

A fleet of Martian spacecraft surrounds the world’s major cities and all of humanity waits to see if the extraterrestrial visitors have, as they claim, “come in peace.” U.S. President James Dale (Jack Nicholson) receives assurance from science professor Donald Kessler (Pierce Brosnan) that the Martians’ mission is a friendly one. But when a peaceful exchange ends in the total annihilation of the U.S. Congress, military men call for a full-scale nuclear retaliation.
3219

12. ‘Annihilation‘ (2018)

A biologist (Portman) signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don’t apply.
NeKYiq0YNTLAD5BnoPYGu5

11. ‘Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith‘ (2005)

The evil Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid) enacts his final plan for unlimited power — and the heroic Jedi Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) must choose a side.
17722

10. ‘Thor: Love and Thunder‘ (2022)

Natalie Portman in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.

After his retirement is interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods, Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi), and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Portman), who now wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor. Together they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
A7uWxSuNaTC8jVhL2FovZ2

9. ‘Beautiful Girls‘ (1996)

During a snowy winter in the small fictional town of Knight’s Ridge, Massachusetts, a group of lifelong buddies hang out, drink and struggle to connect with the women who affect their decisions, dreams and desires.
1972

8. ‘Closer‘ (2004)

Two couples (Jude Law and Julia Roberts, Clive Owen and Portman) disintegrate when they begin destructive adulterous affairs with each other.
18194

7. ‘Jackie‘ (2016)

An account of the days of First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy (Portman), in the immediate aftermath of John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963.
20085650

6. ‘Heat‘ (1995)

Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.
60592

5. ‘May December‘ (2023)

(L to R) Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Berry and Julianne Moore as Gracie Atherton-Yoo in ‘May December.’ Photo: Francois Duhamel / courtesy of Netflix.

Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple (Julianne Moore and Charles Melton) buckles under pressure when an actress (Portman) arrives to do research for a film about their past.
6r5BmolYgY3BZjq9D8XRC3 InkKJyeq

4. ‘Black Swan‘ (2010)

A journey through the psyche of a young ballerina (Portman) whose starring role as the duplicitous swan queen turns out to be a part for which she becomes frighteningly perfect.
1441150

3. ‘V for Vendetta‘ (2005)

In a world in which Great Britain has become a fascist state, a masked vigilante known only as “V” (Hugo Weaving) conducts guerrilla warfare against the oppressive British government. When V rescues a young woman (Portman) from the secret police, he finds in her an ally with whom he can continue his fight to free the people of Britain.
21798

2. ‘Léon: The Professional‘ (1994)

Léon (Jean Reno), the top hit man in New York, has earned a rep as an effective “cleaner”. But when his next-door neighbors are wiped out by a loose-cannon DEA agent, he becomes the unwilling custodian of 12-year-old Mathilda (Portman). Before long, Mathilda’s thoughts turn to revenge, and she considers following in Léon’s footsteps.
Hk7Npeb33IfahzTEIY4jH5

1. ‘Garden State‘ (2004)

(L to R) Natalie Portman and Zach Braff in ‘Garden State.’ Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

Andrew (Zach Braff) returns to his hometown for the funeral of his mother, a journey that reconnects him with past friends. The trip coincides with his decision to stop taking his powerful antidepressants. A chance meeting with Sam (Portman) – a girl also suffering from various maladies – opens up the possibility of rekindling emotional attachments, confronting his psychologist father (Ian Holm), and perhaps beginning a new life.
18459

December 5, 2023
Movie Review: ‘Next Goal Wins’
The cast of ‘Next Goal Wins.’ Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Opening in theaters on November17th, ‘Next Goal Wins’ is the latest movie from New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi and sees him deploying a familiar blend of sweet and silly.

In the past few years, Waititi has spent his time flip-flopping between the giant likes of Marvel movies (he directed 2017’s ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, which was a resounding success and last year’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’, generally seen as less of a hit) and the territory at which he has excelled, the low-key comedy.

This new effort, which Waititi actually shot before ‘Love and Thunder’, got caught up in the bizarre Armie Hammer sex text scandal, which resulted in the actor being replaced in the film by Will Arnett, with scenes re-shot to accommodate the change.

Yet with extra time to noodle on the movie, has the usually reliable (and Oscar-winning) filmmaker scored a winner? The answer is yes and no.

Does ‘Next Goal Wins’ hit the back of the net?

Michael Fassbender in ‘Next Goal Wins.’ Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

‘Next Goal Wins’ was always going to be tricky proposition given its soccer content (a sport that, while it has vastly grown in popularity in the States, in large part to the efforts of its women’s national team is still sometimes niche entertainment.

Yet the focus here is on the personalities and the underdog spirit of the natives of American Samoa, who for years had the reputation of the worst national soccer team in the world (well earned, since they could seemingly not score a goal –– and lost 31-0 to Australia in a world cup qualifier back in 2001.

What could have been seen as mocking of small-town (or island mentality) is instead a warm embrace –– not that anyone would have expected that of the director with some Māori in his family background and who makes strides in representation.

Because the movie is based on the 2014 documentary and references real-life events, there are only so many paths he could have taken with this one, but the road he chooses to travel is genuinely funny and moving places, even if it can feel familiar at times.

‘Next Goal Wins’: Script and Direction

Taika Waititi on the set of ‘Next Goal Wins.’ Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Waititi wrote the script with Iain Morris, an English writer who created British sitcom ‘The Inbetweeners’ and collaborated with the director on HBO’s ‘Flight of the Conchords’. The combination works here; it all feels very much in the Waititi style and comedy patter, featuring lots of undercutting of moments and confounding expectations. It chugs along at a fair pace, though at an hour and 45 minutes, there are moments that could still have been trimmed.

Sometimes, though, like Rongen’s habit of cribbing from other speeches to power his own motivational locker room talks, Waititi and Morris do end up borrowing from other, better movies from the genre and the style to find meaning and heart in the movie.

There are some very expected steps here, and not every plotline hits its mark. The interaction between Rongen and transgender player (Kaimana) turns nasty at one point, fueled by Rongen’s frustration with the team’s lack of ability, and he calls her by her old, “registered” name. The incident is soon glossed over and is never really addressed again. Though the two do have a touching/inspirational moment later in the film, it feels like an untied thread.

In terms of the directing style, Waititi largely lets the story lead the flow of the film and has the benefit of some beautiful locations (albeit in Hawaii, not American Samoa).

Related Article: Actor Chris Hemsworth Talks Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

‘Next Goal Wins’: Performances

Kaimana and the cast of ‘Next Goal Wins.’ Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Michael Fassbender is the driving force of the film, showing off some solid comic chops and making you believe in Rongen’s arc as he evolves from frustrated former pro to happy coach.

But the various players all have a moment or two to shine, with newcomer Kaimana proving more than up to the challenge of the conflicted Jaiyah, who is struggling with her own gender identity and confidence issues. There’s also great work from the likes of Oscar Kightley as the endlessly positive Tavita, president of the local island’s football association (not to mention also restauranter and cameraman for the local TV show that interviews notable people arriving at the airport).

And, of course, Waititi regular Rachel House makes an impact as Tavita’s wife, Ruth, the power behind the throne.

The more famous actors, such as Elisabeth Moss and Will Arnett, largely take a backseat (Moss’s character in particular is mostly thankless), but another Waititi repeat collaborator, Rhys Darby has a fun moment near the start.

‘Next Goal Wins’: Final Thoughts

(L to R) David Fane and Michael Fassbender in ‘Next Goal Wins.’ Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

There is plenty of gentle joy to be found here. ‘Next Goal Wins’ definitely won’t be accused of being startlingly original or game-changing in any way, but it fits perfectly into the director’s canon of movies such as ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ and ‘What we Do in the Shadows’. It can’t compare to either or those (or his award-winning ‘Jojo Rabbit’), but it’ll certainly be the cause of a few smiles and one or two tears.

If this is the result of Waititi taking more time away from the MCU, then the audience is the real winner.

‘Next Goal Wins’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
NBSNKcpRwKTE5Io7U21Kd
What’s the story of ‘Next Goal Wins’?

Loosely based on a true story (first chronicled in a 2014 documentary of the same name), ‘Next Goal Wins’ looks to tell a heartwarming underdog tale.

The American Samoa soccer team suffered the worst loss in World Cup history, crashing out to Australia 31-0 in 2001. With the 2014 World Cup approaching, the team recruits down on his luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) to help turn their fate around.

Who else is in ‘Next Goal Wins’?

The ‘Next Goal Wins’ ensemble also includes Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Rachel House, Will Arnett, Elisabeth Moss, Chris Alosio, Rhys Darby, Kaitlyn Dever and Waititi (who pops up a couple of times as a local priest).

Michael Fassbender in ‘Next Goal Wins.’ Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Other Taika Waititi Movies:
- ‘Eagle vs Shark‘ (2007)
- ‘Boy‘ (2010)
- ‘What We Do in the Shadows‘ (2014)
- ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople‘ (2016)
- ‘Thor: Ragnarok‘ (2017)
- ‘Jojo Rabbit‘ (2019)
- ‘Thor: Love and Thunder‘ (2022)
Buy Tickets: ‘Next Goal Wins’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Taika Waititi Movies on Amazon
November 18, 2023
What ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Reveals About the MCU’s Future

(L to R) Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.

With the release of ‘Thor Love & Thunder’ we are once again pushed deeper into phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Each film before it has given us little hints and glimpses into what’s next, but Taika Waititi’s brightly colored and rock-filled sequel may have been our most important glimpse into the future, and we have the end credits, little references and new characters in the film itself to thank.

During the movie, it’s revealed that actual gods have existed in the universe for centuries. I mean ‘real gods,’ I’m not talking about Celestials (though more on that later). I’m talking about Zeus, Ra, etc. Pantheons from all over the world existing and instilling fear in humans for millennia. But we’re also shown that they use humanity as grounds for worship, sacrifice … and not much else.

As the film ends, we’re shown Zeus recovering from a fight with Thor earlier in the movie. He talks about how humans don’t even think of them anymore, only seeing the costumed heroes as gods. He laments on the days when they were feared by humanity. He looks to his son, Hercules played by Brett Goldstein (‘Ted Lasso’), to send him after Thor in revenge. But what does this all mean for the future?

Marvel Comics’ Hercules. Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.

The pantheon of gods has existed in Marvel comics for decades now, first appearing all the way back in 1948 with the character of Venus in the self-titled comic published by Timely, which would eventually become Marvel Comics in the 1960s. They have many iterations in the comics, some being Inhumans or Eternals, and many others just being actual gods. But this is the first time in the MCU we have seen them appear.

Obviously, the gods are angry. Superheroes have taken their place and the jealously is boiling over. The one place we can easily see this going is a war between the gods and humanity, with Hercules being the jumping off point. First appearing in 1965, he’s not exactly a villain as the movie makes him out to be.

Hercules was a hero, even becoming a part of the Avengers at one point. But using him as a villain for Thor could spark the gods versus humans war, leading to him most likely changing sides. But that’s not all the reveal of the gods and Hercules could lead towards.

On top of the gods, ‘Love & Thunder’ gives us our first look at Eternity, literally. A being that is the embodiment of the universe. The film reveals that Eternity manifests itself as a being of pure energy. This opens the door for way more crazy cosmic stuff, as well as one-character people have been asking for forever.

Marvel Comics’ Galactus. Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.

Alongside Eternity sits Infinity … and Galactus. That’s right, something I also brought up in my ‘Eternals’ deep dive. Throughout ‘Love & Thunder’ we see subtle hints of the Planet-eater in statues and visions. Beings like him do exist in the MCU, so what’s taking him so long to show up?

Let’s be real, Galactus isn’t some one-time villain you throw in a single movie and never see again. If they were to bring the entity into the movies, he would be a Thanos-level enemy. Just way more powerful and even deadlier. And besides, we just started this new Phase.

So far, movie wise, we have ‘Black Widow’, ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,’ ‘Eternals’, ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’, ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ and now ‘Thor Love & Thunder’. Many of these films hinting towards the MCU going full on cosmic.

Looking ahead, the upcoming roster screams just that. While we know next to nothing about ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, we know that ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ is going to bring in Adam Warlock (Will Poulter). In the comics, Warlock becomes a being called the Living Tribunal, a being so powerful he could take on Galactus.

Marvel Comics’ Adam Warlock. Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.

Introducing Adam would give the MCU a being strong enough to destroy Galactus. Without him, I honestly don’t know how Marvel can write their way out of it. Thankfully, just calling Warlock the Living Tribunal from the get-go is the best way to do this and would forego confusion from casual fans.

One last element that ‘Love and Thunder’ introduced is the character of Love, the (reincarnated) daughter of Gorr. The god of Thunder promised him he would take care of her before his death. Love was very fun for the few minutes we saw her and her personality, but while also being Chris Hemsworth’s daughter in real life, her role in the future could be huge.

We know Love was brought back to life by Eternity. Meaning she is a child with infinite potential of power. We see this already with her crazy eye beams and the fact she can control Stormbreaker like it’s nothing. This shows now, through her, just how powerful the ethereal cosmic beings of the MCU are.

What they did with Love is just a precursor to what they can do. They brought a literal child back to life, they can apparently do anything! But this one act could also show a bit of compassion from these ‘gods,’ much more than the likes of Zeus.

Christian Bale in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.

They can do whatever they want and could have easily brought Love back as something twisted and nightmarish. But they followed Gorr’s wish to a tee and gave him back the one thing that mattered. This act is a huge reminder that Galactus may be the literal embodiment of hungering evil, but the other cosmic beings are not like him.

Phase 4 of the MCU is looking to be way bigger than the previous, especially on a cosmic scale, with ‘Thor Love & Thunder’ having so many different paths for this universe to travel. But seeing how everything connects to past films, and how it could also connect to the future, makes the threads a lot stronger and less dangling.

Personally, I think Marvel is killing it so far, and once they find that solid footing, this is going to be one phase of Marvel movies that is really going to resonate with both the casual and hardcore audiences in the years to come.

(L to R) Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.
A7uWxSuNaTC8jVhL2FovZ2

July 14, 2022
Natalie Portman Talks ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

IDuL6OZ1
‘Thor: Love and Thunder,’ opens in theaters on July 8th and is the fourth MCU movie starring the God of Thunder, following ‘Thor: Ragnarok.’

Directed by Taika Waititi, Chris Hemsworth reprises his role as Thor, with actress Natalie Portman returning to play Jane Foster after sitting out the last movie. This time Foster becomes The Mighty Thor, and must team with her ex-boyfriend to defeat Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who has vowed to kill all Gods.

In addition to Hemsworth, Portman, and Bale, the movie also stars Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Jamie Alexander as Sif, Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Russell Crowe as Zeus, and Waititi as Korg,

Moviefone and Made In Hollywood recently had the pleasure of sitting down and speaking with Natalie Portman in-person about her work on ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’

(L to R) Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.

You can read the full interview with Natalie Portman below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Portman and Chris Hemsworth.

Moviefone: To begin with, people are going back to the theaters and Marvel fans are really excited to see ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ on the big screen. Is there anything you’d like to say directly to the fans as they’re getting ready to sit down and watch this movie?

Natalie Portman: I’m just so excited for people to see it. I just feel like it’s so entertaining. I think they’ll get a lot of joy and heart from it.

MF: Can you talk about returning to this franchise, returning to the character of Jane Foster, and having the opportunity to hold the hammer and finally play a superhero yourself?

NP: It was such an incredible opportunity that Taika and Marvel invited me back in this way where Jane gets to become The Mighty Thor. I got to work with Chris again, and with Tessa again, even though we hadn’t worked in the MCU together, but we had worked together on ‘Annihilation.’ It was just such a gift to get to come into this incredibly fun environment, and with people I felt so comfortable with.

Natalie Portman in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.

MF: Had you followed this storyline in the comics? Were you aware that Jane Foster eventually becomes The Mighty Thor?

NP: I did. I think it was actually first mentioned to me by journalists when I was doing press for something around the time the comics first came out. So, I had heard about it, but it wasn’t until Taika approached me. I mean, it was right before the pandemic I feel like that he kind of started talking to me about the possibility of doing it together.

MF: What was it like reuniting with Chris Hemsworth, and can you talk about the different dynamics between Jane and Thor this time around?

NP: Well, it was so fun to work with Chris again. I mean, first of all, he’s just the best person, he’s so nice, fun, hardworking and such a good actor. He’s so just wonderful, and it was also very moving. When we met, we had both just started dating our future spouses on the first one and now our kids are running around on the set playing together. So, that was so wild to kind of cut to 10 years later.

Similarly, in the film, I think our characters are kind of reuniting after all this time passed and seeing where the other is in their lives, and so much has changed for them. I mean, it’s not similar places. We are in our lives as our characters are, but just the passage of time and how wild that is to have this relationship with someone that you’ve known for so long.

(L to R) Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.

MF: Finally, what was your experience like working with director Taika Waititi on ‘Thor: Love and Thunder?’

NP: Taika is just so extraordinary, and singular as a director and as a person. I mean, he really insists on spontaneity all the time, which is so incredible to be challenged with as an actor to be like, oh, every time has to be completely different. I have to be completely open to anything that could happen and just flow with it. It was really wonderful.

Then he also kind of makes it his responsibility to have everyone have a great time every day. He’s DJing, there’s music, and he’s on the mic making jokes. He’s leading the crew in workouts every hour on the hour. So, it’s the most fun set and it’s just his generosity that he cares about everyone having a good time.

Natalie Portman stars in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’
A7uWxSuNaTC8jVhL2FovZ2

July 8, 2022
Chris Hemsworth Talks ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

dwh9o5KK
Opening in theaters on July 8th is the fourth film in the MCU’s ‘Thor’ series and a direct sequel to Taika Waititi’s ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ entitled ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’

Once again directed by Waititi, Chris Hemsworth returns as the God of Thunder, while Natalie Portman returns as Jane Foster/The Mighty Thor, to take on Christian Bale’s villain, Gorr the God Butcher. The film also stars Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Jamie Alexander as Sif, Taika Waititi as Korg, and Russell Crowe as Zeus.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down and speaking with Chris Hemsworth in-person about his work on ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’

Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.

Moviefone: To begin with, people are going back to the theaters and Marvel fans are really excited to see ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ on the big screen. Is there anything you’d like to say directly to the fans as they’re getting ready to sit down and watch this movie?

Chris Hemsworth: I’d say, strap in, and get ready for the wildest wacky Marvel adventure you’ve ever been on.

MF: You’ve played this character for over ten years now in multiple films, what does playing Thor mean to you personally?

CH: Well, it’s paralleled my life. My whole career has been instructed around playing this character and being a part of the Marvel universe. It’s an absolute honor and a dream, and it’s such a special thing to be able to come back and play the character again, and with a different cast, different directors and trying different things. If you asked me when I first started acting what my dream career looked like, this was well above and beyond anything I could have imagined. So, I’m thankful.

(L to R) Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.

You can read the full interview with Chris Hemsworth below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Hemsworth and Natalie Portman.

MF: Can you talk about reuniting with Natalie Portman on this movie and the different dynamic between Jane Foster and Thor this time around?

CH: It was great. I started this journey with Natalie eleven years ago, and now to reunite and see her back dressed like Thor was so impressive. It was fun and unique. It did immediately change the paradigm of the space, and my character and his interaction. That’s what you want. You want your fellow actors and actresses to manipulate the scene. You want them to throw something in there that dramatically shifts your interpretation of it, and then it becomes unpredictable and it becomes unique.

She’s incredible and so much fun. She is a dear friend of mine. As I said, back on the first film, and we were just talking about this earlier today, she was so kind to me. To think that she’d won an Oscar, she was Natalie Portman, and this was my first job. I thought, I’m going to be fired or replaced at some point. But she was encouraging, supportive, and wonderful. I’m really thankful for that. I think about where it all started and so much of it, I think, the path that I was set on was due to that collaboration.

MF: Finally, after working with him on ‘Thor: Ragnarok,’ what was the collaboration like on set between you and director Taika Waititi making ‘Thor: Love and Thunder?’

CH: It’s just about embodying the same thing we did in ‘Ragnarok,’ which is a sense of adventure and fun. If you’d asked a couple of five-year-olds what they wanted to see in a movie, that’s what this film is. That was us kind of riffing and throwing more and more ridiculous elements into it.

Again, he’s another very close friend of mine and to have that space to experiment, improvise and try different things, often that’s a little daunting. You don’t know what the director’s going to do with that in the edit room and how you’re going to look, but I have complete trust and faith in him. It’s a safe space to just go for it and I know he’s going to have my back.

Chris Hemsworth plays Thor in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder,’ which opens in theaters on July 8th.
A7uWxSuNaTC8jVhL2FovZ2

July 5, 2022
Movie Review: ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

(L to R) Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.

Opening in theaters on July 8th is the fourth film in the MCU’s ‘Thor’ series and a direct sequel to Taika Waititi’s brilliant ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ entitled ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’

Once again directed by Waititi, Chris Hemsworth returns as the God of Thunder, while Natalie Portman returns as Jane Foster/The Mighty Thor, to take on Christian Bale’s villain, Gorr the God Butcher. The film also stars Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Jamie Alexander as Sif, Taika Waititi as Korg, and Russell Crowe as Zeus.

The result is another fun and stylish MCU outing from Waititi that features amazing performances from Portman, Hemsworth, and Bale, but tries to recreate too many moments from ‘Ragnarok’ and as a sequel never transcends its direct predecessor.

The film opens with Gorr the God Butcher’s (Bale) backstory, before a clever narration from Korg (Waititi) bringing the audience up to speed on Thor’s (Hemsworth) adventures with the Guardians of the Galaxy since we last saw him in ‘Avengers: Endgame.’ We see him transform from “Dude Thor” to his old self and then leave the Guardians with Korg when he learns of Gorr’s vow to kill all Gods. Worried about his fellow Asgardians, Thor returns to New Asgard to find King Valkyrie (Thompson) who has turned their town into a Disneyland-like tourist attraction.

Tessa Thompson in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.

Meanwhile, Thor’s ex-girlfriend, Jane Foster (Portman) is dying of cancer. She feels the broken pieces of his hammer, Mjolnir calling to her and she arrives in New Asgard to investigate. The hammer suddenly comes alive, rebuilding itself, and eventually transforming Foster into The Mighty Thor, which temporarily cures her disease. Thor is surprised to see his ex, as well as wondering why Mjolnir has chosen her, but teams with Foster, Valkyrie and Korg to stop Gorr. In order to do so, they will need the aid of Zeus (Crowe) and his fellow Gods to defeat the butcher before it’s too late.

I loved ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ and I would put it in the top five on my list of the all-time best MCU movies. But I only liked it on my first viewing, it took repeat viewings for me to fall in love with it. I had a similar experience with ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.’ ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ was not quite as enjoyable for me as ‘Ragnarok’ but it is one of the better Marvel sequels, although technically it is the forth in the franchise. To that point, it is still far superior to ‘Thor’ and ‘Thor: The Dark World,’ which are among Marvel’s most disappointing.

I also love Taika Waititi and think he is a brilliant filmmaker and actor, but he goes to the well one too many times trying to recreate ‘Ragnarok’s best moments in ‘Love and Thunder.’ For example, Matt Damon, Luke Hemsworth, and Sam Neill return, now with Melissa McCarthy, as Asgardian actors performing a play, which is the same joke from ‘Ragnarok’ and was given more prominence but lacked the surprise the second time around.

Another example is the sequence in the court of Gods with Zeus, which is very similar to the “Contest of Champions” scene with Hulk in ‘Ragnarok.’ It seemed unnecessary to the story and just an excuse to fill the scene with Easter eggs.

Christian Bale in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.

While the musical choices are also similar to ‘Ragnarok,’ just swapping Led Zeppelin for Guns N’ Roses, it actually works exceedingly well and is explained by the story. But Waititi makes a bold choice by having the character of Gorr and his world presented in black and white, which is in stark contrast to the other colorful costumes and characters in the movie. While the film feels like it runs a little long, even at only 119 minutes, it’s completely entertaining and Waititi fills it with his unique humor and point of view.

In his eighth full length performance as the God of Thunder in a little over ten years, Hemsworth has finally found his Thor, which has become his signature character as an actor. Let’s be honest, no matter what else he does in his career, “Thor” will be in the first sentence of his obituary.

It took Hemsworth a few movies to truly find the character, and it didn’t really begin to happen till ‘Ragnarok,’ but once he was allowed to inject his own humor into the character he became the Thor we all know and love. In ‘Love and Thunder’ Hemsworth continues the characters journey after the events of ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame,’ by restoring the humor and insecurities that have made the God-like hero so relatable in the second half of Hemsworth’s tenure.

Christian Bale, who is of course no stranger to comic book movies after playing Batman in ‘The Dark Knight’ trilogy, gives a brilliant and terrifying performance as Gorr the God Butcher. Bale creates a sympathetic character that is not only truly frightening, but also a worthy nemesis for Thor and his alleys. Tessa Thompson also gets to build on her character, Valkyrie after ‘Ragnarok’ and ‘Endgame,’ and while the actress is excellent, I do wish we got a bit more of her in the film.

Natalie Portman in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.

But the breakout performance for me came from Natalie Portman, who returns to the franchise after sitting out ‘Ragnarok.’ The Academy Award winning actress wasn’t given a lot to do in the first two ‘Thor’ movies, which is probably why she opted not to do the last one, but after a cameo in ‘Endgame’ returns thanks to a more pivotal story arc and likely the opportunity to work with Waititi. Adapting the “Mighty Thor” storyline from the comics allowed Portman to actually be a superhero too, and she is fantastic battling alongside Hemsworth.

However, I thought this was going to be a “passing of the hammer’ movie and it is not. I have news for you, Chris Hemsworth is here to stay as Thor. That’s fine by me, but I hope there is a way to bring Portman back again in the future. Her storyline was sad yet inspiring, and the actress clearly relished in having the opportunity to do more with the character.

There are two end-credit scenes, although I won’t give them away. I’ll just say that Marvel continues its trend of introducing a deep-cut comic book character played by a veteran movie star (see Charlize Theron as Clea in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’) or a fan-favorite celebrity (see Harry Styles as Starfox in ‘Eternals’) in the end-credits. It’s fun for fans of that particular actor or comic book historians, but the rest of the audience is often left scratching their heads asking, “Why is Charlize Theron in this movie?”

(L to R) Pom Klementieff, Chris Pratt, and Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.

And for anyone hoping the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ actors would have major roles in the movie, I hate to disappoint you, but they don’t. While it was nice to see Chris Pratt, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, and Karen Gillan, and hear Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel, they are not in much of the film, so you’ll have to wait to ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ to see more of their story arc. But I’m glad they concluded Thor’s story with the Guardians before their next full-length feature outing, and their appearance does add to the film.

In the end, I may have been a little harsh on ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ and I really do hope that I will eventually love it as much as I wanted to, but for now, I only really liked it. Director Taika Waititi delivers a strong sequel, that tries too hard to recreate the magic of the last film, but is still entirely entertaining, funny, and action packed, and also features great performances from Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale, and in particular, Natalie Portman.

‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ receives 4 out of 5 stars.

Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.
A7uWxSuNaTC8jVhL2FovZ2

July 5, 2022
Kevin Feige Teases When We’ll See More of Marvel’s Phase 5

(L to R) Kevin Feige from Marvel Studios and Brie Larson from ‘Captain Marvel’ at San Diego Comic-Con International 2016 in San Diego, California. ©Marvel Studios 2016.

Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige is not a man who gives up secrets. Nor is he particularly inclined to offer much more than veiled hints about the next steps in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But he did at least say something…

“As we’re nearing the end of Phase 4, I think people will start to see where this next saga is going,” confides Feige in the latest issue of Total Film. “I think there have been many clues already, that are at least apparent to me, of where this whole saga is going. But we’ll be a little more direct about that in the coming months, to set a plan, so audiences who want to see the bigger picture can see a tiny, tiny, tiny bit more of the roadmap.”

Right now, the remaining titles to come from Phase 4 are movies including ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ (more on that below), ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ and ‘The Marvels’. TV output will include ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’, the untitled Halloween special, a ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’, ‘Secret Invasion’, ‘Ironheart’ and ‘Armor Wars’.

Big themes for this phase so far have definitely been the multiverse, with the introduction of Kang (Jonathan Majors), who will crop up in a few more stories, and more cosmic characters.

In related Marvel news, we got a new look at the next movie to arrive in the hugely successful MCU.

‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ is headed to theaters on July 7th and sees the return of Chris Hemsworth’s Asgardian warrior.

In this latest outing, he’s still hanging around with the Guardians of the Galaxy but starts to crave a more peaceful existence. The chances of that are slim to none, though, not least because Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher is out to destroy all beings like our hero.

And then there’s the not-so-inconsequential matter of his former flame, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who has somehow acquired the powers of the Thunder God himself, including the ability to wield restored hammer Mjolnir.

With Taika Waititi once more co-writing and directing, it promises to be another blend of comedy and character drama, plus a full helping of thunder-powered action. In this latest look at the movie, we see Thor confronting Gorr and attempting to rally the people of Earth’s New Asgard – a task not helped by insectoid Miek’s screechy whiteboard use.

And to be filed under the more of a wish list item, Chris Evans has been addressing whether he’d return to the MCU. It sounds like he’s happy keeping Cap wrapped but wouldn’t mind returning as someone else from his Marvel – albeit not MCU – cinematic past.

“Look, I would love it,” Evans told MTV news about playing Johnny Storm/Human Torch again. “I would love it. That would actually be an easier sell to me than coming back as Cap. You know what I mean? Cap is so precious to me. And you know, I almost don’t wanna disrupt what a beautiful experience that was. But Johnny Storm, I feel like he didn’t really get his day. That was before Marvel really found its footing. So, I loved that role and, you know, who knows?”

Given that Marvel is developing a new take on the Fantastic Four, we’d guess he won’t be back. But, as Evans says, who knows? It’s a big movie multiverse out there.

(L to R) Chris Evans as Johnny Storm, Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards, Jessica Alba as Susan Storm, and Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm in 2005’s ‘Fantastic Four.’
A7uWxSuNaTC8jVhL2FovZ2

June 22, 2022
New Trailer for Thor: ‘Love and Thunder’

(L to R) Christian Bale, Chris Hemsworth, Taika Waititi, and Tessa Thompson in Marvel Studios’ ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’

The first teaser for ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ was just that… a tease. We got glimpses of Chris Hemsworth’s Asgardian Avenger trying to find himself after all his battles and adventures.

Of course, the new Marvel movie wouldn’t exactly thrill fans if it was two hours of Hemsworth sitting around on a yoga mat (though we’re sure people would still go and watch it). Which means that of course he’ll be thrown back into a big story full of gods, monsters and lots the humor that director Taika Waititi brought to his previous outing, ‘Thor: Ragnarok’.

The big threat this time is from Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who, as his name suggests, has a real problem with gods. He’s sick of how the powerful omnipotent beings care little for those whose lives their ruin, and he, well, again with the name thing, aims to kill them.

Thor is naturally on his list, though the likes of Zeus (Russell Crowe) should also be worried. And Crowe’s character features in one of the big laugh moments of the trailer, as he accidentally strips our hero, much to the fainting consternation of the women around him. All, of course, except for Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Jane Foster (Natalie Portman).
TaDXkV0B
Oh yes… Jane Foster. She’s back in Thor’s life in a big way and has her own god-like powers. While there’s an explanation for that in the comics, the trailer naturally is going to let the movie explain all of that. All we do know is that Jane can wield Mjolnir and dispatch baddies with her own lightning abilities. Plus, she’s certainly got some strength there. While there’s no sign (yet) of Kat Dennings’ Darcy, the double act between Jane and Valkyrie shows promise.

Also around (though probably not spending much time in the movie), the Guardians of the Galaxy, including Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, Pom Klementieff’s Mantis, Dave Bautista’s Drax, Karen Gillan’s Nebula, the Vin Diesel-voiced Groot, and Rocket Raccoon, brought to life as usual by Sean Gunn on set with the vocal tones of Bradley Cooper. Oh, and we can also expect to glimpse Kraglin (also played by Gunn, without needing his Rocket performance capture equipment).

Waititi’s back in performance capture gear himself to play Thor’s rocky pal Korg, who becomes something of a storyteller here. Could we be seeing a framing device for the movie? It’s also a funny moment for the character. Who, as you might figure is an unreliable narrator.

And it’s not just gags – there’s plenty of action and the usual deep dive into Thor’s character. Written by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson alongside Waititi and featuring the likes of Jaimie Alexander (back as Lady Sif), Sam Neill, Melissa McCarthy, and Matt Damon (McCarthy joins a returning Neill and Damon as actors playing Asgardian heroes), ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ rumbles into theaters on July 8th.

Christian Bale as Gorr in Marvel Studios’ ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

(L to R) Christian Bale, Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi and Natalie Portman in Marvel Studios’ ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’
A7uWxSuNaTC8jVhL2FovZ2

May 23, 2022
‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Spoilers Explained

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Marvel Studios’ ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ is here and wow, do we have a lot to talk about.

While the film follows Marvel’s trend of slowly moving away from crazy connections (save for a few references to both ‘WandaVision’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame’), we still have a lot to cover. So here we’ll get into the end-credits scene, the introduction of the Illuminati, and what it all means!

So, let’s start off with the big one, the mid-credits scene. At the end of the movie, we witness Stephen Strange’s third eye revealing itself and an instant fear that would strike in anyone as who saw one of his multiverse counterparts with the same third eye. But in the scene following that, Stephen looks pretty okay! Also looking fancy in a new jacket and scarf.

A portal opens in front of him and Charlize Theron, making her first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, steps out. She tells Strange he created an incursion in another universe and that he must help stop it, then Stephen changes into his robes and suddenly, the third eye appears on his forehead, and he follows her into the portal.

Charlize Theron in 2017’s ‘Atomic Blonde.’

Now we have a lot to talk about. Let’s start with the new character reveal, Clea, or as she’s known in the comics currently, the Sorceress Supreme. Introduced in 1964, Clea is the niece of Doramamu—yes, the one Strange very cleanly bargained with in the first ‘Doctor Strange’. In the comics, she meets Stephen when he’s sent to the Dark Dimension. Even going on to marry him later.

This storyline would match up perfectly for the next film, as it is shown in ‘Multiverse of Madness’ that Stephen has come to terms with the fact he and Christine can never be together. And while he may not know the answer to the question “are you happy?”, it’s a great moment for Clea to come into his life.

Next, that weird extra eye. The Eye of Agamotto is considered the amulet of knowledge and grants the wearer the ability to see something before it happens, which we saw in ‘Avengers Endgame’. This could also be a reference to actual real-world myth, which says that the ‘opening of one’s third eye’ means many things, but mainly a representation of one’s power of clairvoyance. Exactly what the Eye does in the MCU, is yet to be determined. This doesn’t exactly mean Stephen’s evil now, but we should keep “an eye on” how much power he actually does have.

But the after-credits scene wasn’t the only major reveal that the film gave us. Halfway through, Strange and America Chavez get blasted into a Universe which is pretty much run by a superhero secret society called the Illuminati (first appearing in Marvel Comics in 2005.)

(L-R): Rachel McAdams as Dr. Christine Palmer, Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange, and Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez in Marvel Studios’ ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

We find out that this universe’s Doctor Strange created it himself, which now consists of the Sorcerer Supreme Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Blackbolt (Anson Mount), Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell), Captain Marvel (Lashana Lynch) and Reed Richards (John Krasinski).

Let’s start with the ones we do know and have seen in the MCU. Captain Carter, Maria Rambeau & Blackbolt.

Peggy Carter’s multiverse counterpoint was first seen in the ‘What If…?,’ which aired on Disney+. For those who don’t know, she is basically Steve Rogers if she took the super soldier serum instead of him. Maria was last seen in ‘Captain Marvel’ in 2019, as Carol’s best friend from the air force. We can deduce in this universe that she obviously got the cosmic powers instead of Danvers.

Now Blackbolt is a bit different. He’s the leader of the Inhumans on Earth and has the power to kill anyone with just a whisper. He is played by the same actor from the very short lived ‘Inhumans’ show that aired on ABC, coinciding with ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ While its reception wasn’t fantastic, it’s commendable to see Marvel and Disney bring back the same actor.

Now for two characters we had yet to see until now, Charles Xavier & Reed Richards. While they both have appeared in different studio films, this is the first time we have seen them in the MCU. But what versions are we seeing?

Many have theorized that this version of Professor X is not the one we have seen in Fox’s ‘X-Men’ films. Most point to his chair in the film, and the little sound cue that plays when he wheels out, both connecting to the 90s ‘X-Men’ cartoon. The one that Marvel just so happens to be reviving for Disney+, called ‘X-Men ‘97.’ While he does die in this universe, who’s to say he’s not still alive in others with the same chair? And could the new ‘X-Men’ cartoon connect to ‘Multiverse of Madness’ by being its own universe?

Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier in 2000’s ‘X-Men.’

Finally, we have Reed Richards, played by actual fan-casted John Krasinski. While we got Fox’s ‘Fantastic Four’ in the past, this is the first time we’ve seen a hero from that team in an MCU property. It’s hinted that the Illuminati is funded by the Baxter foundation, but what could his inclusion mean? It’s highly speculated that this could be both a little nod and hint by Marvel. One to his casting (photoshops aplenty before this reveal) and could be also a sign of what’s to come.

We know Marvel is making a ‘Fantastic Four’ film and that it will be attached to the overall MCU. But we have no info on the story or the production other than director shakeups. While seeing fan-favorite casting come to life is a great time, this could just be another universe version of Reed Richards. When he does return in his own film, there’s a chance we’ll see a different actor playing him.

I know all of this may sound confusing like all the multiverses shown in the film, so I hope this little breakdown helps a bit! ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ has brought the MCU into the new era—and has given us some exciting clues on where it could be going next.

Let’s see if ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ continues our journey through the Marvel Multiverse!

John Krasinski as Dr. Jack Ryan in Prime Video’s ‘Jack Ryan.’
Yn5kjVbedpQ4FE8rL2agE6

May 16, 2022