'Thor: Love and Thunder' to start filming at the start of 2021, says Natalie Portman

Thor: Love and Thunder, the next chapter in the Norse god of thunder’s Marvel journey, will start filming at the beginning of next year.

Natalie Portman confirmed the plans during – of all things – an online chat with tennis icon Serena Williams on Instagram Live (Portman arrives around the 29 minute mark).

“We haven't started [filming yet],” she said. “More time to get jacked. Which I have not. I've got the carbo-loading down, but not the exercise part. I'm super excited.

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“We're shooting in Australia at the beginning of next year. I think. Obviously everything is weird because of pandemic time, who knows what's happening, but the plan is for all of us to go.”

Kiwi director Taika Waititi will be returning to the Marvel fold for the movie, having also helmed the last Thor movie, Thor: Ragnarok.

It will find Portman back as astrophysicist Dr Jane Foster, who she played in 2011's Thor and then again in Thor: The Dark World, opposite Chris Hemsworth.

It's rumoured that, picking up from some of the comic book storylines, Foster could be in line to become the next Thor.

Speaking about the movie, Waititi told the BBC that the movie is 'so insane' and 'very romantic'.

“I think it’s going really good. We’ve been writing the script off and on for over a year and… actually, this week, doing another pass on it,” he said.

“I want to make something that I’ve never done or never cared for. I would like to attack something like that.”

Currently, Love and Thunder is slated for release on 25 March, 2022, though if filming is to start at the beginning of next year, this could – and likely will – change.

The delayed Black Widow movie is next up for Marvel, due 6 November after being shoved back from its original May release date.

Check the trailer below...