The Flickering Myth team react…
Out of nowhere, Marvel and Disney dropped the first trailer for Thor: Ragnarok yesterday to a lot of critical applause [watch the trailer here]. The soundtrack of Led Zeppelin pleased many, but the sight of Thor going against Hulk whetted the appetite of comic book fans around the world. But what did our writing team think?
Chris Cooper: Wow! I did not expect to be so impressed by that. Thor’s time on Earth has clearly changed him. “He’s a friend from work!” Looks like great fun.
Matthew Skeen: Totally unexpected, I thought this would be a rehash of the last two films with some extra Avengers touches not this! It looks like they’ve gone all in on the Guardians of the Galaxy weirdness for the Marvel space films which I’m all for.
Luke Owen (Deputy editor): I really didn’t know what to expect from Thor: Ragnarok. It’s the end of a trilogy, it’s about the end of the world, it’s following on from Thor’s nightmare visions. But it’s also directed by Taiki Waititi and it stars Jeff Goldblum in crazy costumes with an 80s logo. I didn’t know what we were gonna get, but I didn’t think we’d get this trailer! Just fantastic! This has jumped right up into my most anticipated movie of the year that doesn’t feature the subtitle The Last Jedi.
Sean Wilson: Really enjoyed this. It looks like they’re set to restore the humility, humour and character development from the first Thor, which remains one of my favourite Marvel films. Visually it looks wondrous too and with Taiki Waititi on board, I couldn’t be more excited. What We Do in the Shadows meets the MCU? What’s not to like?
Ricky Church: I wasn’t sure what to expect either but I enjoyed this. It certainly looks different from the other two Thor films and I’m glad we’ll be getting to see more of the different realms and space in this. The visuals look great, lots of nice colours popping off the screen, and Cate Blanchett looks very cool as Hela. Hopefully she won’t be as underused as the last couple of villains.
Ben Robins: Looks like A LOT of fun, and really love the nods of humour/80s typeface. Cate Blanchett looks badass, and starting things with her destroying Mjolnir was a great touch. Wasn’t too fond of the soundtrack – could’ve used a song switch-up half way through, and it feels like they’re trying to tease some of the film’s more unusual tonal choices more gradually (which is probably a clever move overall to be fair), so I was expecting a little more comedy given Waititi and the cast’s comments so far, but very, very excited for this one. Even just for Goldblum. I love me some crazy Jeff.
Tom Nightingale: I was hyped for this anyway, but I am still surprised how good the trailer actually is. It looks incredible, and the colour is eyepoppingly vivid. More importantly it has Goldblum.
Anghus Houvouras: Asgardians of the Galaxy. Love it. This trailer is about as perfect a teaser as Marvel has ever released. This looks like grade A cheese with a helping hand of ham. Fun, crazy, science fiction shennanigans.
Chris Cooper: People are using ‘Asgardians of the Galaxy‘ like it’s derogatory. It’s a great description and one I’m very happy with.
Anghus Houvouras: I used it as a compliment. It’s smart for a series without an identity to borrow from one that does. Absolute right direction to go with the material.
Chris Cooper: As it should be! Thor is Cosmic Marvel, as is Guardians of the Galaxy. I’m cool with them having similar vibes. The Dark World was a big old shrug of the shoulders. This one’s already hip thrusting.
Gary Collinson (Editor-in-chief): A brilliant trailer, possibly the best we’ve seen from Marvel. Started great, ended even better. Looks like the film is going to be Guardians of the Galaxy-levels of fun. I’m in the same boat as Luke here, I’d say this is now my second-most anticipated movie of the year behind Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Anghus Houvouras: I’d go one better and say this is now my most anticipated blockbuster of 2017. Marvel has thrown down the gauntlet with the force of mighty Mjolnir.
Villordsutch: Utterly fantastic! Everything I see here makes me want to go and watch Thor: Ragnarok on the big screen now! Taiki Waititi + Asgard * Jeff Goldblum = Winner.
Eric Bay-Andersen: Very different to what I was expecting. It’s clearly a comedy first and foremost, and “he’s a friend from work” is already a classic line. As one of those rare people who really enjoyed The Dark World I’m still glad they’ve gone for a lighter and .ore colourful tone for this one. I’m actually excited about Cate Blanchett’s character (she always struck me as the kind of actress who would consider herself ‘above’ being in a Marvel film) and even Thor’s short hairstyle is growing on me!
Mike McClelland: It looks fantastic. It appears as if Marvel is allowing Waititi to put his own stamp on it.
Anghus Houvouras: Until he steps out of line, and then they’ll call Peyton Reed…
Scott Watson: Sold, sold, sold, sold, SOLD!!! Looks like Guardians of the Galaxy ramped up to eleven if that was even possible. It’s like Flash Gordon made modern.
Helen Murdoch: Brilliant teaser, tons of humour and just enough glimpses of the main players. The Thor series have always lacked for me, but this looks phenomenal!
Graeme Robertson: Plenty of laughs, action and a cool looking villain and generally looks like it’ll be a lot better than The Dark World. Plus it looks like it’ll show how the Guardians might meet up with the Avengers. All and all it looks like a good bit of fun.
Eddy Gardiner: I’m sold. Looks super fun and completely chaotic. Although nothing will ever beat The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo‘s use of Immigrant Song…
Tai Freligh: I haven’t been paying any attention to this movie and really knew nothing about the plot or characters or anything, so I came into this trailer completely with a blank slate. It looks like a lot of fun and a welcome relief from all the heavy Marvel movies of late. It’s definitely got a retro feel to it, which is why I think the Guardians of the Galaxy comparison is valid. Use of music and bright colors has this looking like a real winner. Cate Blanchett totally sells the villain and I love how she starts with the destruction of his hammer. The line at the end about Hulk being a friend from work will go down as a classic. I really like what I’m seeing here and will most likely see it in the theater, but I have other more anticipated movies this year over on the DC side of things.
Danny Hale: Did not expect to love it as much as I did. Cate Blanchett looks amazing as Hela and the Thor meets Hulk moment was hilarious in the best way. Very excited
Mark Clark: Loved it, very excited for the whole shebang. Ragnarok as a title had me thinking they were going to go down a darker route, so part of me was a little worried as the trailer played out that they’d gone too far with the Guardianizing, but Blanchett as Hela and the newly shorn Thor v Hulk on Sakaar sold me ten times over. Plus it’s directed by Taiki Waititi, what could go wrong?
Look, we’ve done a lot of these trailer reactions over our years online, but I can’t remember a trailer that was this positively received. Maybe it was Guardians of the Galaxy? I don’t even think Captain America: Civil War got this kind of praise. Looks like this has jumped up in many writer’s most anticipated lists.
What did you think of the trailer?
In Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok,” Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok—the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization—at the hands of an all-powerful threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger—the Incredible Hulk.
Thor: Ragnarok is being directed by Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows) and features Marvel veterans Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Idris Elba as Heimdall and Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk alongside Cate Blanchett as Hela, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster, Karl Urban as Skurge and Sam Neill in an as-yet-unrevealed role. It is set for release on November 3rd, 2017.
(Article originally appeared on Flickering Myth)