Like all MCU projects, Thor: Love and Thunder was plagued with rumors after it was first announced in 2019. When the first teaser finally dropped in April, it answered many questions and hinted at storylines fans were ready to see. However, now the film has premiered, it didn’t necessarily meet the expectations raised by the trailer and teaser.
The previews hid several core moments of the film for the sake of surprise, which makes perfect sense. However, they also hinted at storylines that never happened in the movie, like the Guardians of the Galaxy teaming up or Thor’s potential new romance. Anyone who watches the trailer or teaser after seeing the movie will notice these changes.
8 Valkyrie Wasn’t Around During The Battle In Indigarr
Around the 50-second mark in the second trailer of the film, there’s a scene where Valkyrie talks with Thor about his feelings for Jane. In the next sequence, where Thor denies those feelings, Valkyrie is next to Ravager Thor with the Indigarrian Sacred Temple behind them.
In the film, Valkyrie and Thor don’t fight together until the God of Thunder arrives on New Asgard, which is way after he parts ways with the Guardians of the Galaxy. This scene in the trailer made the fans believe Valkyrie had abandoned her position as King of Asgard.
7 The Guardians Of The Galaxy Had Very Little Screen Time
After Thor joined the Guardians of the Galaxy at the end of Avengers: Endgame, fans were eager to see Star-Lord’s dynamic with The God of Thunder, especially considering they had a hilarious scene in the teaser and trailer.
Funny enough, this clip pretty much covered the Guardians’ entire screen time in the film. While viewers expected them to fight Gorr alongside Thor, they left almost at the beginning of the film to deal with another distress call. As a result, many fans felt the team-up was one of the biggest missed opportunities in Thor: Love and Thunder.
6 Thor’s Golden Armor Was Just A Joke
Both the first teaser and the trailer of Thor: Love and Thunder play around with Thor’s aesthetic, and The God of Thunder wears half a dozen different comic-accurate outfits. For example, the golden armor Thor wears when he recognizes Jane comes directly from the comics. It’s a reference to Walt Simonson’s run, so hardcore fans were excited to see it in action.
Unfortunately, this armor was made into a joke about Thor’s ego. The God of Thunder only conjures it to look better in front of Mighty Thor, who isn’t just his competition but also his ex-girlfriend. After this, it doesn’t appear in the movie ever again.
5 Some Fans Believed Thor Would Leave The MCU
When it was announced Natalie Portman would wield Mjolnir for the next Thor installment, some fans expressed their concerns over Chris Hemsworth’s time in the MCU. Combined with Korg’s narration in the past tense and Thor’s speech about peace at the beginning of the trailer, fans believed Thor would retire or die in Thor: Love and Thunder. Thankfully, this was the most radical theory about the film.
The movie explicitly stated “Thor will return,” which means Chris Hemsworth will reprise his role in upcoming MCU projects. The Australian actor has publicly stated he’ll play Thor as long as the fans want it.
4 Jane’s Cancer Was Kept A Secret
Comic fans know Jane’s cancer storyline is crucial to her character development and worthiness as the Mighty Thor. Given this, the fact that neither the trailer nor the teaser of Thor: Love and Thunder revealed anything about her condition was disappointing, especially to those who loved The Mighty Thor by Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman.
Granted, it makes sense the teaser didn’t focus on it, and it also made the reveal more dramatic. However, as both previews barely focused on Jane’s time as Thor, fans were pleased to see how Thor: Love and Thunder paid special attention to her characterization. Her time in the MCU was short-lived, but the fandom remains hopeful about her return.
3 Thor Doesn’t Have A Different Love Interest
Around the 45-second mark in the first teaser, there’s a short scene featuring Thor dressed like a pirate kissing a mysterious blue-haired woman on a pirate ship. When the trailer first dropped, this scene immediately caught the internet’s attention. Not only did it hint at a very absurd adventure, but it also involved a potential new romance for Thor.
Fortunately for Jane/Thor shippers, this scene wasn’t important in the film. The blue-haired pirate, portrayed by Zia Kelly, is a random woman who Thor had a fling with back in the day. Thor: Love and Thunder confirmed Jane Foster as Thor’s one true love.
2 Jane Didn’t Become The New MCU Thor
Given how different Thor: Love and Thunder seemed to be from other Thor films, the movie was surrounded by rumors before its release. Many MCU followers on the internet bet on Jane Foster becoming Thor for the future of the MCU – or at least for the next few phases.
Sadly for the Mighty Thor advocates, Thor: Love and Thunder ends with Jane Foster’s ultimate sacrifice, leaving Thor Odinson as the only God of Thunder. Nothing has been said about Natalie Portman’s return to the MCU, but fans are hopeful Jane will return as Valkyrie, just like she did in the comics.
1 The Trailer Didn’t Even Hint At Love’s Existence
By the end of Thor: Love and Thunder, Thor convinces Gorr to use his wish in the Eternity Realm to resurrect his daughter instead of killing all gods, which he does. Since the villain dies due to the Necrosword’s corruption, Thor takes Gorr’s daughter as his ward, and together, they become Love and Thunder.
This is definitely the biggest reveal of the film, so it makes perfect sense for the trailer to hide it. While fans suspected Gorr’s family would appear in the film as part of his backstory, no one expected one of his children to become such an important character.