Teaser trailer for Taika Waititi's next Thor film released

Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Photo / Marvel Studios

By Mana Wikaire-Lewis of Maori Television

Māori Hollywood director and actor Taika Waititi's next Marvel Studios adventure featuring the Norse god of thunder has just had its teaser trailer released globally earlier today.

Thor: Love and Thunder is the fourth instalment of the character's story and the Te Whānau-ā-Apanui director's second Thor movie, which sees Chris Hemsworth back to reprise the role of the self-called "Strongest Avenger".

Sticking with the 1980s-themed background music of Thor Ragnarok, the trailer, which features Sweet Child of Mine of Guns & Roses fame, offers a glimpse of the film, revealing a few other cast members reprising their roles from past Marvel Studios films, such as Chris Pratt's Star-Lord/Peter Quill, former pro wrestler Dave Bautista's Drax the Destroyer and Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie.

Taika Waititi. Photo / Getty Images

Thor: Love and Thunder picks up from the events of the 2019 blockbuster Avengers: Endgame where Thor leaves the throne of New Asgard, to Valkyrie, and Earth in pursuit of a new adventure in the cosmos, tagging along with the Guardians of The Galaxy. Judging by the dialogue heard in the trailer, it seems the god of thunder will be ditching his trusty axe Stormbreaker and his superhero ways for a journey of self-discovery.

Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Photo / Marvel Studios

Thor's next adventure also sees the return of the fan-favourite alien "made of rocks", Korg, who was first introduced in 2017's Thor: Ragnarok, played by Waititi himself. It also features a small two-second shot of someone's back believed to be the Greek God Zeus holding his infamous lightning bolt, played by Russell Crowe (Ngāti Porou).

Better yet, the teaser shows scenes of actor Natalie Portman's Jane Foster, not seen since Thor: The Dark World in 2015, decked out in Thor's battle armour and wielding his mighty hammer Mjölnir, suggesting that Thor might not be done with big battles.

The film is due to release in New Zealand theatres on July 7.