Following the lackluster Thor: The Dark World, both Natalie Portman and Kat Dennings bowed out of the MCU seemingly for good, only to reappear years later in Phase 4. Dennings just reprised (now Dr.) Darcy Lewis in WandaVision, while Portman is back as Jane Foster in Thor: Love and Thunder. Jane isn’t just returning, either. She’ll also have her ex-boyfriend’s powers in the movie, becoming the Mighty Thor herself.
Unfortunately, Dennings will not be involved with Love and Thunder, just as she sat out Ragnarok. However, the actress has revealed that she’s just as excited as the fans to see Portman in action as a superpowered Jane, calling her friend and co-star “a rockstar actor” who she knows will rise to the challenge. As Dennings told CinemaBlend:
“I thought it was genius. The most genius thing I’ve ever heard. It’s so brilliant. She’s a rockstar actor she can do anything. So I’m just so excited. As a fan, I’m just excited to watch it.”
While we’ve yet to receive any footage from Taika Waititi’s second Marvel movie, set photos have already revealed one way in which Portman has risen to the challenge—namely, she clearly worked out hard for the role to get herself in Asgardian shape. Just as in Jason Aaron’s The Mighty Thor comics run, Jane will become worthy of lifting Mjolnir herself after being diagnosed with cancer.
While Darcy won’t appear in Love and Thunder, Dennings will be heard in at least one episode of What If…?. She’s also definitely returning in one more unknown Marvel live-action project, too. It’s currently unclear if Natalie Portman is looking to do more as Jane following Thor 4, but it feels like a strong possibility. There’s a chance that Jane and Darcy could reunite on screen somewhere, then, with the former mentor and intern no doubt being shocked by how they’ve both changed—Darcy being an astrophysicist in her own right, and Jane now wielding “Meow-Meow.”
Thor: Love and Thunder is coming to theaters next May.
