Love and Thunder

Thor 4 leaks resolve one unanswered Avengers: Endgame question

Thor is big into '80s fashion now.

Thor 4 promises to be even sillier than its predecessor, 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, which was largely seen as a tonal course correction for the superhero franchise. Given that the fourth film, subtitled Love and Thunder, is again helmed by Ragnarok writer-director Taika Waititi, that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

But not even the knowledge of Waititi’s return could have prepared fans for the new look that Chris Hemsworth’s God of Thunder will be sporting this time around.

The Leaks — New set photos from Thor: Love and Thunder, published by The Daily Mail, reveal nothing of the new film’s plot but do show Hemsworth’s Thor wearing a training outfit, complete with a colorful red-and-white headband and matching wristbands.

All in all, the outfit feels like it was pulled straight out of an ‘80s clothing store. Check out the photos for yourself by clicking here.

Chris Hemsworth in Thor: Ragnarok.

Marvel Studios

Totally Rockin’ Vibes, Dude — The training outfit featured in these images lines up with a handful of Thor: Love and Thunder set photos leaked online earlier this year. Those images showed the powerful Avenger dressed up like an ‘80s rock star (think Bruce Springsteen). This week’s leaks further cement that Thor will be undergoing a retro makeover in Love and Thunder.

Why is Thor donning this illustrious training outfit in Love and Thunder? There are a few possible explanations. This could be part of a sequence that sees the God of Thunder shedding extra weight from Avengers: Endgame. Knowing Waititi’s sense of humor, the outfit could also be part of a montage in the film that shows Thor training to take on Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale).

But perhaps the God of Thunder has just really gotten into those workout tapes that were all the rage in the ‘80s. Maybe we’ll even see Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) gift him such a tape during their time together post-Endgame.

Thor’s time dressing up as The Dude is, unfortunately, over.

Marvel Studios

The Inverse Analysis — Thor: Love and Thunder will surely offer plenty of funny gags and surprising narrative twists, but it’s hard to know how a scene with Thor dressed in casual training gear fits into the plot. It’s possible this outfit will be at the center of a sequence but equally possible that it’s a quick throwaway gag. Such are the possibilities with a Taika Waititi film.

No matter how Thor’s big fashion moment ultimately appears in Thor: Love and Thunder, it’s clear that Waititi and company are taking inspiration from ‘80s fashion and pop culture in order to dress the God of Thunder. What will be most interesting to keep an eye on is whether those old-school vibes influence the rest of the film. In other words, what kind of hit ‘80s tracks and gloriously retro pop culture references are audiences in for this time?

Thor: Love and Thunder will be released in theaters on May 6, 2022.

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