Though speculation is rife that Marvel Studios hopes to introduce another Valkyrie to the MCU, for us, there will always be Tessa Thompson’s sword-wielding Asgardian.
Otherwise known as Brunnhilde, the Thor: Ragnarok breakout has become something of a cult favorite within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, given her spectacular cameo during the tail-end of Avengers: Endgame, when she single-handedly downed a Chitauri Leviathan using only her wits and her spear. And her winged horse Aragorn, of course.
You’ll be pleased to know that Valkyrie will be returning for Thor: Love and Thunder late next year, when Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster is expected to wield Mjolnir and take on the mantle of Mighty Thor. It’s a story that has long been on the cards at Marvel Studios, and with Ragnarok‘s Taika Waititi at the helm, November 2021 can’t come soon enough.
Waititi, who was present at the Oscars ceremony this past weekend to collect the famous golden statuette for Best Adapted Screenplay (Jojo Rabbit), also took a moment to voice his support of Thompson playing an explicitly queer character in the MCU.
Variety caught up with the Kiwi director soon after the Academy Awards, and asked him whether Valkyrie will be explicitly queer in Thor: Love and Thunder (as opposed to relegating any LGBT moments to the deleted scenes), to which he replied:
I think so. The IP is not mine. But with the actors, I feel whatever makes them comfortable — whether they feel like there’s a natural choice, or a natural way for that character to go — then I’m pretty supportive. If Tessa wanted to do that, I’m in.
Thor: Love and Thunder has been pegged for a global release on November 5th, 2021. Cameras will begin rolling later this year, and we understand Taika Waititi has drafted in Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, best known for her work on Netflix pic Someone Great, to develop the sequel’s screenplay.