Ahead of a production start date this June in Australia, Marvel Studios is bulking up the ensemble forThor: Ragnarok, and the studio continues to hit it out of the park in Phase Three. The secondThorsequel already hasMark Ruffaloco-starring withChris Hemsworthin a buddy-type galactic road trip story with Oscar-winnerCate Blanchettset as the villain andJaimie Alexanderreturning as Sif, and nowTHRreports thatTessa Thompson—who broke out in a big way in last year’sCreed—has landed a “key” role in the Marvel sequel.
Who could this character be? THR speculates that Thompson could be filling the female lead role now thatNatalie Portman’s time with the Marvel Cinematic Universe is apparently at an end, despite her character being the emotional center ofThor: The Dark World. Rumors have swirled thatRagnarokwill introduce the comics character of Valkyrie, an Asgardian hero who led a group of warrior goddesses, so it’s possible that Thompson could be filling this role, which would be mighty exciting.
What We Do in the Shadowsco-writer/directorTaika Waititiis onboard to helmThor: Ragnarok, and having seen Waititi’s upcoming adventure comedyHunt for the Wilderpeople, I can attest that he’s got the goods to handle a project ofThor’s scale. I’m looking forward to seeing what he brings to the MCU not just visually, but tonally and thematically as well, especially given that theThormovies have kind of been the weak spot for the MCU thus far.
Thompson is next set to star inEx MachinadirectorAlex Gardland’s incredible-sounding eco-horror adaptationAnnihilation, in which she’ll star opposite Portman (ironically enough),Jennifer Jason Leigh,Gina Rodriguez, andpossiblyOscar Isaac. And now it appears she’ll move directly fromAnnihilationtoThor: Ragnarok, which is slated for release on July 12, 2025.
