Present in the first two films about the Marvel hero, Natalie Portman did not resume her role as Jane Foster in “Thor: Ragnarök”. Here are the different reasons for this important absence.
Thor Ragnarok : The beginning of the end
In Thor: Ragnarokthe third opus of the heroic adventures of Thor, the latter is in bad shape. Deprived of his hammer, he is held prisoner on a remote planet while Asgard is threatened. In order to save the city, the hero must prevent the dreaded Hela – his sister – to carry out Ragnarök.
This mysterious term designates a most disturbing reality: the destruction of the world and therefore the end of the asgardian civilization. However, before throwing himself into battle, the god of thunder begins with a titanic fight against a well-known face. Indeed, it is one of his former comrades in arms, namely Hulk!
Where is Natalie Portman?
If we find Chris Hemsworth (Thor)Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Idris Elba (Heimdall) or even Anthony Hopkins (Odin), the character of Dr Jane Foster does not return for this third opus populated with new arrivals – like those of Mark Ruffalo and Cate Blanchett. But then why didn’t Natalie Portman did not pursue the adventure, yet present in the two previous films? The first element of the answer is of unstoppable logic: because the God of Thunder and herself, after a passionate idyllseparated themselves !
HAS Entertainment Weeklydecision-makers humorously explain that Thor: Ragnarok could have been called “Thor: Forget Jane Foster”. Even more, the president of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, explains that the character of Valkyrie (camped by Tessa Thompson) is approaching an equal for the God of Thunder.
We wanted his relationship with Jane to have evolved in unexpected ways since The Dark World and we also wanted to confront him with a character who is, if not equal, superior to him.
Added to this is the plot partly in space, far from where Jane is. But besides these “official” reasons, Natalie Portman would have been above all disappointed with the dismissal of director Patty Jenkinswho should have directed the second film, Thor: The Dark World (2013). After that, the actress claimed that his adventure with Marvel was over.
back for Love and Thunder
In the meantime, the actress clearly did not lose out. Rather than turn Thor: Ragnarokthe young woman lends her features to Jackie Kennedy in 2016 in the biopic of the same name and picks up an Oscar nomination ! She then turns several beautiful projects like Song to Song or of My Life with John F. Donovan. But contrary to what she thought at the time, Natalie Portman ended up fall back into Marvel’s arms. We can see it in 2019 in Avengers: Endgame.
Moreover, it is she who holds the main role of the fourth opus of Thor, entitled Love and Thunder. In this feature film, Jane Foster becomes Mighty Thor! She thus works alongside the powerful Valkyrie, named Queen of Asgard by Thor shortly before his departure. The two women and Thor must then overcome Gorr the Godslayer, played by Christian Bale. The new role of the young woman is for the first time mentioned in the comics, in which we learn that the doctor and nurse becomes worthy to lift Mjöllnir !