# Natalie Portman is the new Thor **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 21, 2019, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398 "2019-07-21T13:27:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/1 "2019-07-21T13:27:32Z")
[At ComicCon](https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/article/Marvel-Phase-4-kicks-off-with-Angelina-Jolie-14111206.php) it was revealed that the role of Thor in “Thor 4” would be played by Natalie Portman(as the character Jane Foster). I can see it happening because it _already_ happened in the comics, and the changeover was quite successful. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/2 "2019-07-21T14:16:08Z")
Isn’t Thor’s Hammer as big as she is? Should be interesting though I’m surprised a larger & younger actress was cast for the role. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/3 "2019-07-21T14:28:23Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Should be interesting though I’m surprised a larger & younger actress was cast for the role. Estelle Getty from _The Golden Girls_ would have been perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/4 "2019-07-21T14:33:08Z")
I don’t care about the woman as Thor angle but Portman was one of the worst parts off the MCU and they didn’t even bother having her film new stuff for Endgame. I might be excited if it was Tessa Thompson as new Thor but Portman? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/5 "2019-07-21T14:41:47Z")
Yeah, a female Thor is fine, but Thor as waif? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/6 "2019-07-21T15:06:13Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Should be interesting though I’m surprised a larger & younger actress was cast for the role. Her character in the comics is wasting away from cancer before takes up the mantle. Thor Odinson himself even initially dismisses her as a possible secret identity of the new Thor because of it. But [s]he who is found worthy of wielding Mjolnir “shall possess the power of Thor.” She looks a lot beefier after the tranformation. So much of what we see is CGI now, so I wouldn’t put it past them to beef her up when she’s in Thor mode. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/7 "2019-07-21T15:37:14Z")
Here’s [an article with the actual reveal comic](https://nerdist.com/article/the-identity-of-marvels-female-thor-finally-revealed-spoilers/). ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/8 "2019-07-21T17:15:31Z")
Very cool. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/9 "2019-07-21T18:00:16Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I don’t care about the woman as Thor angle but Portman was one of the worst parts off the MCU and they didn’t even bother having her film new stuff for Endgame. I might be excited if it was Tessa Thompson as new Thor but Portman? Why, exactly? Being a giant Natalie Portman fan and not an MCU fan at all, she is the only reason that _Thor_ was one of the two\* MCU movies that I’ve seen, and _Thor 4_ is now going to be the third. So what–exactly–was it that she did so awful in the movie? \*_Guardians of the Galaxy_ was the other one–curiosity got to me. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/10 "2019-07-21T19:21:12Z")
I dont get it. Thor is a name, a person, a deity. Cap picked up the hammer, didnt become Thor. There’s a female Superman- called Supergirl. Monel isnt Superman, despite having his powers. How can she become Thor? Grow a beard? Take over his memories? There’s no Norse female deities who can do this? Plenty are cool enuf. Or is it just that she picks up the hammer and takes over some of his duties? Or is this just Marvel stirring shit up like Cap being Hydra? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/11 "2019-07-21T19:31:27Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I dont get it. Thor is a name, a person, a deity. Cap picked up the hammer, didnt become Thor. There’s a female Superman- called Supergirl. Monel isnt Superman, despite having his powers. > > How can she become Thor? Grow a beard? Take over his memories? There’s no Norse female deities who can do this? Plenty are cool enuf. > > Or is it just that she picks up the hammer and takes over some of his duties? > > Or is this just Marvel stirring shit up like Cap being Hydra? It’s merchandising. They have to keep the franchise fresh for the fanboys (of any gender). ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/12 "2019-07-21T20:23:34Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I dont get it. Thor is a name, a person, a deity. Cap picked up the hammer, didnt become Thor. There’s a female Superman- called Supergirl. Monel isnt Superman, despite having his powers. > > How can she become Thor? Grow a beard? Take over his memories? There’s no Norse female deities who can do this? Plenty are cool enuf. > > Or is it just that she picks up the hammer and takes over some of his duties? > > Or is this just Marvel stirring shit up like Cap being Hydra? Bear in mind that, in Marvel canon, from the start, Mjolnir has born the inscription: “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.” In the books, a number of people who have been worthy have wielded Mjolnir, and thus been granted “the power of Thor”, most notably Jane Foster and (longer ago) an alien named Beta Ray Bill. As noted upthread, the Thor book had a fairly long story arc, three or four years ago, in which Thor Odinson realized he was unworthy of Mjolnir, and could no longer pick it up. Mjolnir (which is, itself, sentient) sought out a worthy wielder, to pick up the mantle that Thor Odinson no longer could; that person wound up being Jane Foster, and, when she was wielding the hammer, she was transformed into a tall, muscular blonde woman, and had all of the storm-control powers of Thor. Taika Waititi has said that he has read that run of the book, and it was an inspiration for this upcoming film. IMO, that run of the book was very well done, but YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/13 "2019-07-21T20:30:36Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Bear in mind that, in Marvel canon, from the start, Mjolnir has born the inscription: “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.” > … Sure. \*Power \*of Thor. No problem. His name? :dubious::rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/14 "2019-07-21T20:33:37Z")
Yes, anyone who can pick up the hammer becomes Thor. (Probably from mutle thrain.) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/15 "2019-07-21T20:39:20Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > So what–exactly–was it that she did so awful in the movie? Her acting was terrible. Mind you the character was nothing great either but she barely seemed to be trying. Even the MCU looked as though it was trying to lampshade/handwave the thing off across other movies and, as I said, they used purely recycled footage of her for Endgame\* so it seemed even more jarring to hear that they plan to make a movie out of her. She’s felt like an embarrassing appendix to the franchise for ages. I don’t have a better “exactly” than that since I’m not about to rewatch the films to take notes on her acting but “Portman was bad in the Thor movies” has never felt like an especially argumentative stance in conversations about MCU. \*Apparently they got her to record a couple new lines for Endgame “heard at distance” which doesn’t make it less odd. Like they got her to literally phone it in. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/16 "2019-07-21T20:49:34Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Yes, anyone who can pick up the hammer becomes Thor. Cap didnt. Mr Rogers didnt, either. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2019, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/17 "2019-07-22T00:09:25Z")
Yeah, maybe it worked in the comics, but the MCU Jane Foster just didn’t work. _Thor: Ragnarok_ made it pretty clear that Thor Odinsson and Jane weren’t an item any more, which one would think would put her out of the picture. I’d much rather see a Valkyrie movie (with or without the hammer) than a Jane Foster movie. Plus, they’d have to deal with the minor issue that Mjollnir doesn’t even exist any more. They borrowed it from the past for _Endgame_, but then they put it back. Is she going to wield Stormbreaker instead? Because while that’s an impressive weapon, it’s not even particularly associated with the role of Thor. You might as well say that the next gladiator to use the mace that Sparky used in the Grandmaster’s arena “counts as Thor”, because hey, it’s totally the same weapon he used! ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2019, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/18 "2019-07-22T00:21:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Plus, they’d have to deal with the minor issue that Mjollnir doesn’t even exist any more. They borrowed it from the past for _Endgame_, but then they put it back. Is she going to wield Stormbreaker instead? My guess is that this is going to be one of the splinter multiverse thingies where Capt returns the hammer and Reality stone (sludge?) to Asgard. It’d kind of have to be, I’d think. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/19 "2019-07-22T00:42:02Z")
I like the idea that all the authenticity fanatics have spent the last ten years getting all blue in the face about how “this didn’t happen in the comics!” and now they’re just gonna have to deal with it. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2019, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398/20 "2019-07-22T01:44:20Z")
Addressing a couple of points: 1. “Natalie Portman couldn’t play Thor Foster - she’s too small and waiflike” Does that mean you object to Bill Bixby/Edward Norton/Mark Ruffalo as HulK? Or Waititi as Korg? They’ll (most likely) do some sort of embiggening when she’s being Thor, just as they did with Ruffalo when he was being Hulk. Lots of little dots… She’ll be in her own skin being Jane Foster, and CGI’d into being Thor, I’m pretty sure. Think of the difference between Adora and She-Ra. Same person, different forms. 2. “Thor Odinsson and Jane are no longer an item, therefore she’s no longer in the picture” Does she have to be dating Odinsson to be worthy of the power of Thor? 3. “Natalie Portman sucks as an actor” Well, to be honest, I wasn’t impressed by her turn as Foster in Thors one or two, but she’s done good work in other movies, and let’s face it, she didn’t have much of a character in the previous Thor movies. I’m still a little doubtful, but I’ll see how it works out now that she’ll have a little meat to chew on. If nothing else, Waititi and Marvel in general have earned a fair amount of faith, and I’m willing to go along. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natalie-portman-is-the-new-thor/837398.md?page=2)