Two-time Oscar®-winner Cate Blanchett (“Lord of the Rings”, “Hobbit”, “Cinderella”) joins Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok” as the mysterious and powerful new villain Hela, along with Jeff Goldblum (“Independence Day: Resurgence,” “Jurassic Park”) who joins the cast as the eccentric Grandmaster, Tessa Thompson (“Creed,” “Selma”) who will bring the classic hero Valkyrie to life on the big screen, and Karl Urban (“Star Trek” trilogy, “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King”) who will add his might to the fray as Skurge.
Rounding out the cast for the film is three-time Oscar®-nominee Mark Ruffalo (“Spotlight,” “The Kids Are All Right,” “Foxcatcher”), reprising his role of Bruce Banner/the Hulk from “Marvel’s The Avengers” and Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”
“The continuation of the epic Thor franchise will be powerful and unique, and with the additions of Cate, Jeff, Tessa, Karl, and Mark to the cast we have the makings of his most dangerous and heroic adventure yet,” said Producer Kevin Feige. “The sheer, raw talent each of these actors brings to the screen can’t be quantified. Having any one of them join the Marvel Cinematic Universe would be an honor, and having all of them is incredible.”
Thor’s new cast members join returning stars Chris Hemsworth (“Rush,” “In the Heart of the Sea,” “Ghostbusters”) in the title role for the fifth time; Tom Hiddleston (“Crimson Peak,” “The Night Manager,” “Kong: Skull Island”) as Thor’s adversarial, adopted brother, Loki; Golden Globe® and Screen Actors Guild Award winner Idris Elba (“The Dark Tower,” “Luther,” “Beasts of No Nation”) as the Asgardian sentry, Heimdall; and Academy Award®-winner Sir Anthony Hopkins (“Silence of the Lambs,” “Nixon,” “Hitchcock”) again portraying Odin, Ruler of Asgard.
“Thor: Ragnarok,” the third installment of Marvel’s popular Norse Super Hero, is directed by Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Taika Waititi (“Two Cars, One Night,” “What We Do in the Shadows,” “Hunt for the Wilderpeople”). Kevin Feige will produce the film, joined by executive producers Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Victoria Alonso, Thomas M. Hammel and Stan Lee.
Natalie Portman will not be returning as Dr. Jane Foster. Talking on the Empire Podcast (and reported by Io9), Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed that Portman wouldn’t be in the soon-to-film third Thor film, Thor: Ragnarok. There are “many reasons” for her absence, according to Feige, “Many of which are in the film so you will see that.” He also said “There are only a couple of scenes on Earth in this movie; 80 to 90 percent takes place in the cosmos.”
The Third installment of the Thor movie franchise has a present release date of July 28, 2017.
