By: Justin Pomerville
News from the Marvel movieverse front!
Marvel has released the cast list for the third (and possibly final) installment of the Thor franchise; "Thor: Ragnarok".
For returning cast members, we have Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Idris Elba (Heimdall), and Sir Anthony Hopkins (Odin). Unfortunately to those who have liked her in the films, Natalie Portman will not be returning as Jane Foster. But fear not, Mark Ruffalo will be taking her place, not as the love interest, but as new fighting buddy and fellow Avenger, Bruce Banner (aka Hulk). I know this isn't really new, but still helps with the next intro.
But he is not the only new cast member. As most comic fans know, Ragnarok is one of the biggest Thor stories that there is. And for a big story arc, you need an all star cast of characters. And we have just found out who they are and who they will play.
Cate Blanchett ( "Blue Jasmine", "Carol", "Cinderella") will be playing the big villain of the film, Hela. Odin appointed her goddess and ruler of the northernmost realms of the dead. Her special dominion was over the souls of all who did not die in battle, while Odin himself built the palace Valhalla to house the souls of all of those who died as heroes. In recent years, when Odin’s attention had strayed from the maintenance of Valhalla, Hela tried to annex that realm to her own, hoping to consolidate her power over all Asgard’s dead.
Jeff Goldblum ("Grand Budapest Hotel", Jurassic Park", "Independence Day", and upcoming "Independence Day: Resurgence") will be playing one of the Elders called, The Grandmaster. It is known that he is one of the oldest living beings in the universe. Like other Elders, he is the survivor of one of the intelligent races that evolved in one of the first galaxies to form after the “Big Bang”, the cataclysmic event in which the universe was created. Although his race became extinct and even his native galaxy died as the ages passed, the Grandmaster, like the other Elders, lived on, having become virtually immortal.
Tessa Thompson ("Creed", "Selma") will be playing Valkyrie. Born into a wealthy family of eccentric philanthropists, Samantha Parrington grew into an idealistic feminist. When her parents adopted the monstrous Hulk as their latest pet cause, Samantha formed a rapport with the misunderstood brute and helped talk him down from the Statue of Liberty, though her father took all the credit for this feat in the media. Miffed, Sam led her women's group in an anti-patriarchal protest that attracted the attention of Amora (aka Enchantress). Amora magically transformed Samantha into a raging, man-hating facsimile of the Asgardian warrior goddess Brunnhilde the Valkyrie, whose form and might Amora could replicate at will, having trapped Brunnhilde's soul in a mystical crystal centuries earlier. As Valkyrie, Samantha battled the Hulk to a standstill until the spell wore off, returning her to normal just as Hulk turned back into puny human, Bruce Banner. The confused pair parted awkwardly, neither fully recalling their battle, with Samantha half-convinced it was all a dream.
Karl Urban ("Star Trek" Trilogy, "Dredd") will be playing Skurge The Executioner. Skurge wields a magic double-bladed axe and is a long time enemy of Thor. Falling in love with Enchantress, he usually is used to carry out various schemes, along with Loki. Eventually, he joined Thor and other heroes on a mission to Hel where he uses his axe to destroy the ship of the dead and delay Ragnarok.
I'm interested in how this movie will turn out. All the brief explanations I gave are what happens in the comics and do not reflect on how the movie is going to go. What do you guys think?