Could Hela the Goddess of Death be making a comeback in Thor: Love and Thunder? There’s no official indication on that front, but actress Cate Blanchett is at the ready if Marvel needs her to show up. There are quite a few factors that would ultimately play into whether or not that call gets made, not the least of which being that Hela presumably died at the end of Thor: Ragnarok, but that’s not necessarily a deal-breaker when it comes to comic book movies.
Cate Blanchett has been making the rounds to promote her latest movie Where’d You Go Bernadette, which hits theaters this weekend. During a recent interview, the Oscar-winning actress was asked about a possible return as Hela in Thor: Love and Thunder, which was officially announced last month by Marvel Studios. Blanchett had this to say.
“That’s probably a Marvel question, but I’m here.”
More or less, that boils down to, if Marvel Studios wants her back, she’ll come back. Cate Blanchett had previously indicated she would be open to reprising her role, but that was long before Thor 4 was formally announced. Other former stars of the franchise such as Idris Elba and Kat Dennings have also expressed their desire to return since the announcement was made.
So how possible is this? Here’s what we know. Taika Waititi, who directed Thor: Ragnarok, is returning to helm the sequel. Waititi has already penned the script, which will see Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster return to the MCU to become the new Thor. There is no word yet on who the villain will be, but the idea is based on Jason Arron’s The Mighty Thor run in the pages of Marvel Comics.
Related: Has Thor: Love & Thunder Found Valkyrie’s Queen in Lady Sif?
Hela ended up getting caught up in the oblivion that was the end of Ragnarok, which saw Asgard totally and completely destroyed. Yet, we didn’t see Hela’s body, so there is always a remote possibility, somehow, she managed to survive. Or maybe the character could come back in a flashback? Few deaths have remained truly permanent in the history of the MCU, that much is certain. In any case, even if Hela doesn’t return, Cate Blanchett expressed her excitement to see the movie anyway when it arrives.
“I’m so, so excited. I’m so looking forward to seeing it, because I absolutely loved seeing them all with my kids. But I really, really loved Captain Marvel. No offense, Taika, but it was probably my favorite.”
Chris Hemsworth is also set to reprise his role as Thor, with Tessa Thompson returning as Valkyrie, who will be the first major LGBTQ character in the MCU. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as any further details on the project are made available. Thor: Love and Thunder is set to arrive in theaters on November 5, 2021. This news comes to us via Entertainment Tonight.
