Cate Blanchett up for Thor 4 return – why Hela should make a comeback

Cate Blanchett is totally here for returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Hela in Thor: Love and Thunder – and it absolutely needs to happen.

Taika Waititi made a lot of fans very happen when he revealed that he would be returning to write and direct Thor: Love & Thunder – the fourth standalone film in Marvel’s Thor series. The beloved director was responsible for the adored Thor: Ragnarok, which reinvigorated the franchise in every way imaginable.

Taking to the stage at San-Diego Comic-Con, he also revealed that Natalie Portman would be reprising her role as Jane Foster who, in the film, will end up becoming the first ever female Thor.

Having already appeared in both Thor and Thor: The Dark World, Portman is undoubtedly a Thor veteran, and thus, fans were thrilled to hear that she’d be returning to the franchise – and they weren’t the only ones.

Ragnarok‘s own Cate Blanchett (who appeared in the only Thor film not to feature Portman) voiced her excitement about the actress’s return in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, commenting:

"“I’m so, so excited… I’m so looking forward to seeing it, because I absolutely loved seeing them all with my kids. But I really, really loved Captain Marvel. No offense, Taika, but it was probably my favorite.”"

Blanchett, of course, stole the show in the beloved threequel as the villainous Hela – the long-lost sister of Thor (and Loki) and the Asgardian God of Death who, upon the death of her father, found herself inadvertantly released from the prison he had banished her to.

However, the veteran actress appears to be up for a return to the franchise. When asked if she’d like to work with Waititi again in Love and Thunder, she replied:

"“That’s probably a Marvel question… I’m here…”"

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a juggernaut that produces films which almost always live up to its gargantuan reputation, it has had suffered from more than just a few issues in the past due to an abundance of lackluster and rather one-dimensional villains.

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Blanchett’s Hela, however, offered us something just a little bit different.

While the fact that she was a God resulted in the film falling into the MCU’s other recurring villain trope (in that they are essentially just evil versions of the heroes), Hela gets a way with it due to the simple fact that there are few antagonists capable of standing toe-to-toe with the God of Thunder.

So it stands to reason that the-powers-that-be at Marvel wanted somebody more powerful than Thor to test him. And test him she did: With death itself running through her veins, a sassy desire for greatness and more power than Odin himself had ever possessed, Hela was a larger-than-life presence that radiated every single time she appeared on our screens – and one that felt every bit like the unstoppable threat she was presented as.

That said, there was so much more to her than the gloriously camp villainy on the surface, as her motivations were always clear- something that ensured she wasn’t just a great villain, but a strong, well-rounded and developed character. And, to be quite honest, the MCU needs more of those.

Cate Blanchett did a positively wonderful job bringing the antagonistic Hela to life and, if Thor: Love and Thunder hopes to recapture the excellent tone of Ragnarok, it could certainly benefit from bringing her back. Hela vs. Jane Thor, anyone?

You heard the lady Marvel, she’s here for it – and, quite frankly, so are we!

Thor: Love and Thunder will hit theaters on November 5, 2021. Are you excited for the film? Would you like to see Cate Blanchett return as Hela? Let us know in the comments below!