‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Trailer Previews Existential Crisis Facing MCU (Looks Awful Familiar, Doesn’t It?)

With the arrival of Thor: Love and Thunder, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is on the verge of hitting 30 (movies). No wonder the behemoth of box office blockbusters is having an identity crisis. Everyone knows, 30 is f*cking old.

To recap: After squandering an opportunity to kill Thanos in Avengers: Endgame that cost Ironman his life, the former King of Asgard finds himself suffering from an incurable existential malaise. And as you do when facing an early-life crisis, Thor goes off to join a traveling circus of reformed space pirates.

Here’s where our story picks up.

While the 90-second teaser doesn’t give much away, here’s what it does preview: Thor is still fat. He decides to hang up his cape and part ways with the Guardians of the Galaxy in order to find the Urban Outfitters version of inner peace. Along the way, there’s a training montage where he gets swoll before discovering Mjolnir is now wielded by his ex Jane Foster. (Welcome back, Natalie Portman.)

Now for some speculation.

Having lost his drive and worried about what the future holds, Thor is caught questioning the meaning of his sophomoric successes as he heads into the grind of full-time adulting (#relatable). But a threat from Gorr the God Butcher forces him off his cloud of Camus-level sulking to face life head-on. Reunited with Jane (who, though cancer-ridden, has reached god-level sexy after restoring the broken hammer), Thor rearranges his core values to fit his newer, more mature self, and win the day.

Is it a metaphor for the entire MCU or are we reading too much into it? Either way, there will be love. And thunder.

Director Taika Waititi returns to helm the project so expect some serious laughs to go with all the feels. Thor: Love and Thunder kabooms into theaters on July 8.

Cover Photo: Marvel Studios