The Fight Between Thor And Hulk Is The Central Motif Of Thor: Ragnarok

As Thor: Ragnarok approaches, audiences are eagerly anticipating the full glory of the scene that the entire marketing campaign appears to have been built around – the gladiator match between Thor and Hulk. Right from the earliest teaser trailers, this epic showdown has been front and centre – showcasing both the humour and the action that will be found in Taika Waititi’s Marvel Cinematic Universe debut. In terms of publicity, this has been an inspired choice – and is one borne of a decision to make that scene the central motif of the movie.

As previously reported, Thor: Ragnarok producer Brad Winderbaum explained the way in which the popular Hulk comic book storyline, “Planet Hulk,” influenced the development of the movie’s plot, in conversation with Screen Rant.

“In the earliest development of Thor, we were looking at Planet Hulk as inspiration, maybe not even to integrate the Hulk into the franchise but the idea of a planet where there are gladiatorial games as being a Thor predicament. It really was a cool idea to us.”

Now, in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, star Chris Hemsworth has reiterated the fact that this fight scene is the heart of the film, and was a deciding factor in his acceptance of the story for his third solo franchise instalment.

“Before [the fight] was written in the script, [the movie] was centered around it. And I thought, ‘Whoa I’m in!’”

While Thor and Hulk are both fan favorites among the vast roster of Marvel characters, issues of character and distribution rights have meant that the green rage monster has been destined to remain a support act within the wider MCU. This being the case, having the Hulk be the central motif of Thor’s third movie is the perfect way to please frustrated Hulk fans, while delivering something fresh and interesting to an aging film series.

More than that, though, it means that Thor: Ragnarok can serve multiple purposes for the MCU. With its own tone and unique approach to visuals, the film would seem able to stand alone as a comic book movie. But, by incorporating the “Planet Hulk” storyline as what is essentially a sidenote to a Thor-centric situation, the film bridges many gaps in the franchise from a narrative point of view.

It tells us where Hulk has been since he flew off into the sunset in the Quinjet at the end of Avengers: Age Of Ultron and it opens up a whole new intergalactic aspect to the overall story arc – introducing new worlds and civilizations, while bringing previously earth-centred characters (Hulk) into the realm of the Guardians Of The Galaxy. This is important as we head toward Avengers: Infinity War.

For these reasons, the centering of the Thor-Hulk fight is perfect for Thor: Ragnarok – as is its early reveal in the film’s marketing campaign. Clearly, Thor’s real, show-stopping conflict will be with Cate Blanchett’s Hela – the Goddess Of Death – of whom we have seen only snippets so far. So, this next Marvel movie promises proper focus on an otherwise marginalized character, as well as a whole new era of villainy for the series – which all bodes very well indeed for Thor: Ragnarok when it arrives in theatres on November 3rd.