Nobody was shocked to discover that Chris Hemsworth had gotten more jacked than ever to return as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Odinson in Thor: Love and Thunder, to the extent that his stunt double admitted it was a nightmare trying to keep up with his calorific intake, while co-star Chris Pratt urged him to stop working out so that he didn’t look bad on screen next to him, seeing as the hulking Aussie has always been known for getting ripped to play his signature role.
However, it appears as though nobody was ready to discover that Natalie Portman had more than lived up to her promise of getting into superhero shape for her return as Jane Foster, with images of the Academy Award winner’s bulging biceps setting the internet ablaze. Portman isn’t the sort of actress you typically imagine being able to snap somebody in half with little effort, but she’s definitely put the work in.
According to insider Daniel Richtman, in fact, the Black Swan star is going to make good use of those gains in Love and Thunder when she wipes the floor with Hemsworth’s Thor, after they engage in what’s shaping up to be the MCU’s most protein-heavy smackdown yet. Portman is clearly more than ready to inherit the mantle and wield Mjolnir, and it would make sense from a story perspective for her to utilize her newfound abilities to instantly kick some serious ass.
Having Thor and Jane fight out their differences is also a logical progression of their dynamic, especially when the God of Thunder clearly still isn’t over their breakup, and Portman looks set to reacquaint herself with the MCU in the most spectacular fashion when Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder releases next year.
