Kevin Feige Explains Why Natalie Portman Won’t Be In ‘Thor: Ragnarok’
Thor: Ragnarokis building up a cast to die for, withChris Hemsworth,Tom Hiddleston,Mark Ruffalo,Tessa Thompson, andCate Blanchettall on board. But one Marvel star who’ll be sitting out this trip isNatalie Portman. After playing Jane Foster inThorandThor: The Dark World, Portman will not reprise her role forThor: Ragnarok, as confirmed by Marvel Studios presidentKevin Feige. Find out why after the jump.
Feige addressed the Natalie Portman Thor Ragnarok absence to theEmpirepodcast. According to him, Portman is out ofThor: Ragnarokfor “many reasons.” He continued, “Many of which are in the film so you will see that. There are only a couple of scenes on Earth in this movie; 80 to 90 percent takes place in the cosmos.” That may also explain whyStellan Skarsgård’s Erik Selvigisn’t expected to return either.
As Jane Foster, Portman has been Thor’s main squeeze and the female lead in his solo films, so her exclusion is a bit surprising. But it’s not as if this movie is wanting for female characters or romantic possibilities. Earlier films have hinted at a possible connection between Thor and his BFF Lady Sif (played byJaimie Alexander, who is returning). In addition, early reports about Thompson’s casting suggested her character (whose name has not officially been revealed) could be the next love interest to the god of thunder.
Much as I like Portman as an actress, I can’t say I’ll miss her Jane Foster all that much. Jane’s relationship with Thor has always felt more circumstantial than genuinely romantic, and Jane herself feels peripheral to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Unlike other secondary characters like Loki, Pepper Potts, or Peggy Carter, she’s never crossed over into any of the other Marvel sub-franchises. Besides, it’s not like Portman is wanting for work outside the Marvel franchise — she’s currently shootingAnnihilation, the next film by Alex Garland.
As for what Thor will be up to without Jane, we’ve previously heard thatRagnarokwill be"a buddy picture"for Thor and Hulk — so Bruce Banner should cover the “Midgardian lost in Asgard” angle we’d probably have gotten with Jane Foster.Taika Waititiis directingThor: Ragnarokfor release onNovember 3, 2017.
