Thor Ragnarok: Tessa Thompson joins cast, Natalie Portman won't appear
The Creed star is set to join the Marvel universe with the Taika Waititi-directed third instalment, with Portman officially taking her MCU leave
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It's easy to imagine the franchise offers piling up on Tessa Thompson's desk after her magnificent performance in Creed; following such equally impressive turns in Selma and Dear White People.
Yet, it looks as if she's finally hitched her wagon to one of those franchises, with the eventual outright champion being Marvel's Thor: Ragnarok. Though there's no official word on who she'll play, Deadline has proffered that Thompson will both star as a superhero and will feature in later films; which makes the Asgardian warrior Valkyrie a likely candidate.
However, the news comes with a catch; as The Hollywood Reporter has stated Natalie Portman will not return for the film. And, as Thompson's being primed as a love interest for Chris Hemsworth's Thor, the assumption is Portman has officially taken her leave from the Marvel universe. Unsurprising, really, considering her Dr. Jane Foster remains one of the MCU's least developed characters.
Ironically, both Portman and Thompson are set to star in Alex Garland's follow-up to Ex Machina, Annihilation; Thompson also stars alongside Anthony Hopkins, who returns as Odin for Ragnarok, in HBO's Westworld.
Directed by Taika Waititi, the sequel also sees the return of Tom Hiddleston, Jamie Alexander, and Mark Ruffalo; with Cate Blanchett onboard to play the film's villain.
Thor: Ragnarok is set to start production in July, and will hit UK cinemas 27 October 2017.
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