Thor: Love and Thunder has begun production and we are super psyched for the film. It is possibly going to be the final Phase 4 film. And with the roster of characters that it carries, it totally deserves to be the epic finale event. We’ve already got the first batch of Thor 4 set photos from Sydney, Australia. Taika Waititi seems to be outdoing his own good work from Thor: Ragnarok this time around. With these set photos, we’ve got our first look at Chris Hemsworth’s new Thor outfit. And it’s safe to say that he looks pretty cool. Jeez! Just look at those arms.
We’ve got to bid farewell to “Bro Thor” from Avengers: Endgame because he is gone for good. Thor is back to being his hunky muscular self. He is rocking a sleeveless leather jacket over a white tank top. And for the lower half, he’s wearing blue denim jeans and yellow strapped boots. He loved his long hair before Stanley cut them short. So, it’s natural that those have been retained. Although, he has switched from dreads to braids once again. And the beard has been trimmed. But why does Thor look totally different here? What’s the reason behind his epic turn around? Well, there are several reasons behind his new look. Let’s point out all of them:
Merchandising
One of the main reasons why every Superhero movie employs a costume change in its plot is to sell toys and merchandise. People are mostly attracted to something that’s new and trending. So, Thor had to get a new suit no matter what. And since he is wearing an outfit that seems more casual than “Superheroic,” we’re certain that this won’t be his final look in the film. We will probably get a more Thor-like suit at some point of time in the film. And that’s going to sell even more toys
Taika’s Touch
Taika Waititi is surely among the best directors currently working in the industry. He brings his own flair to every film that he works on. He employed all these quirky and colorful costumes and set designs back in Ragnarok. So, we are getting more of that instead of the typical “Asgardian Warrior” look that one would have originally expected. This jacket and jeans might seem all cool and funky, but Taika has actually inspired this new look from two different comic book outfits of Thor.
The sleeveless jacket showing off Thor’s beefy arms is a clear nod to Thunderstrike. As for the lower half of his outfit, it has been inspired by Thor’s original look from the comics. The blue pants and yellow strapping on the boots are a classic move, mixing up the old-fashioned Thor look with the current trends.
Character Progression
Over the last three Thor appearances, we’ve seen him go through different phases. Avengers: Endgame was his PTSD phase. He had lost half his father and his planet. Thanos killed half of the Asgardian citizens who were left alive. Heimdall and Loki also died on his watch. And then he failed to prevent Thanos’ snap. He felt that the blip and the Universal disintegration was his fault!
The trauma that Wanda is facing is much smaller compared to what Thor had suffered. I mean comparing their loss may not be right. But Thor had literally lost everything. He felt like a total failure as he was supposed to be the one to protect others. That’s why he drowned in sorrow, gave up, became an alcoholic, and gained weight during the 5 year time jump. He even thought that he wasn’t worthy of his powers anymore. But then seeing his mother provided him the warmth and closure that he desperately needed. Queen Frigga’s wise words were, “Everyone fails at who they’re supposed to be, Thor. The measure of a person, of a hero, is how well they succeed at being who they are.” And then she also asked him to eat a salad.
And boy did he eat a big salad!! The pep talk from his mother helped in motivating him. Knowing that he was still worthy raised his confidence. Hulk’s snap, the victory over Thanos, and then the passing of Asgardian rulership really did him a world of good. A ton of weight was lifted off of him. He was able to overcome his guilt and became his true happy self. With good mental health and the advice from his mother, he started working out and attained his peak physical shape once again. He is back to being the God of Thunder!
The Time Jump
Spider-Man: Far From Home took place 8 months after Avengers: Endgame. Its story happened in June or July 2024. So, that places the Endgame battle somewhere in October 2023. Now, Homecoming 3 is confirmed to take place during Christmas 2024, and it is supposed to lead into Doctor Strange 2. That means Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness could take place sometime in early 2025.
Since Thor 4 arrives after Doctor Strange 2, it is possible that it takes place in early to mid-2025. And that means Thor has been hanging around with the Guardians for 15-18 months. This gave him enough time to work out and get into the best shape of his life. A lot could change in this time span, and Thor’s look changed as well.
Side Note: I could be wrong about the 2025 timeline. Love and Thunder could easily take place in mid-2024 as well. But 2025 makes sense because it will also give Valkyrie enough time to change the whole outlook of New Asgard.
The “Asgardian of the Galaxy” Factor
As I’ve mentioned, Thor has been an “Asgardian of the Galaxy” for over a year. He is in a happy place with this family of misfits that keep arguing and making fun of each other. And since they all wear these cool and funky costumes, Thor’s new look also symbolizes that he belongs to this team now.
Although, it will be exciting to see Thor’s final look in the film. Thor: Love and Thunder arrives on May 6, 2022.
