Thor Love and Thunder: new trailer, 2022 UK release date, and cast with Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher

This week sees the release of Thor: Love and Thunder.

A previous teaser trailer for the film had given fans the first glimpse of Natalie Portman as the female Thor.

The actress played Jane Foster in the first two Thor movies in 2011 and 2013, but returns to the franchise after nearly a decade to star as Mighty Thor.

Here is everything you need to know about it.

What happens in the trailer?

In the first teaser clip, Portman was seen masked while wielding Thor’s magical hammer, Mjolnir, as he looked on in awe.

Chris Hemsworth will reprise his role as Thor for the Norse God’s fourth movie, which will feature Portman’s character becoming Mighty Thor, Goddess of Thunder, mimicking Jane Foster’s arc from the comic books on screen.

The new trailer shows the actress in full superhero costume as the pair reconnect and do battle together.

“What’s it been, like, three years?” Portman asks. “Eight years, seven months and six days, give or take,” Hemsworth replies sheepishly.

The newer trailer also reveals Christian Bale’s transformation into the galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher, who appears bald and white, with body tattoos and orange eyes.

“The only ones who Gods care about is themselves,” he declares, adding: “So this is my vow: all Gods must die.”

Chris Pratt as Peter Quill, the Star-Lord superhero from the Guardians of the Galaxy series, also featured in the first-look clip.

A funny moment occured between the two as Quill tells Thor: “Remember what I told you. If you ever feel lost, just look into the eyes of the people that you love.”

As Quill tries to look over at his love interest Gamora, Thor stares intently at him as Quill adds: “Not me”.

What happens in Thor: Love and Thunder?

Thor: Love And Thunder is part of phase four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

The upcoming film will see Thor embark on a “journey unlike anything he’s ever faced – a quest for inner peace”, Marvel said.

However, his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher, who seeks the extinction of the gods.

To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie, Korg (Taika Waititi, who also directs the film) and ex-girlfriend, Foster.

Together, they will embark on a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it is too late.

Who’s in the cast?

It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to find an actor who hasn’t been part of the MCU, and Thor: Love and Thunder is continuing to prove that point.

Alongside stars Hemsworth and Portman, Tessa Thompson will also be returning to her role as King Valkyrie.

Jaimie Alexander is also returning to the movie in the role of Lady Sif, while Matt Damon, Sam Neill and Luke Hemsworth will all be back as Asgardian actors playing Loki, Odin and Thor.

Mellissa McCarthy is also on board to play a fictional version of Cate Blanchett’s former villain Hela.

While Chris Pratt is the only one to make an appearance in the teaser trailer, other members of the Guardians of the Galaxy cast, including Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Dave Bautista, and Karen Gillan have all been reported to have filmed a small number of scenes.

Russell Crowe - who is no stranger when it comes to the world of superhero movies, having appeared in DC's Man of Steel almost eight years ago - has a cameo appearance as Zeus, the king of the Olympians, based on the Greek mythological deity of the same name.

Finally, Christian Bale, who was last seen in a superhero movie playing Batman in the Dark Knight Trilogy, is set to play Gorr the God Butcher, the villain of the film.

When can I watch it?

Thor: Love and Thunder is scheduled to be released on Friday 8 July.

It was previously set for release in November 2021, but was delayed to February 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It was delayed once again to May 2022, before shifting to its current July 2022 date.