Marvel Comics continues to expand their comic superhero footprint as they release the latest trailer for the next film, Thor: The Dark World.
The first teaser trailer for Thor: The Dark World finds his next adventure to be more gritter and grounded in what made the comic so popular. The film picks up after the events of The Avengers when Thor (Chris Hemsworth) returns home to Asgard, but a new force threatens both the god’s home world and Earth. As it’s revealed near the end of the trailer, Thor must turn to his brother and rival Loki (Tom Hiddleston) for assistance when trying to save the Nine Realms from the dark elves.
Natalie Portman returns as Jane Foster, Thor’s Earth-bound love, who finds herself in Asgard shortly after the start of the preview. A menacing voice over from the film’s main baddie, the dark elf Malekith, played by G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra actor Christopher Eccleston, suggests that Jane may stand directly in harm’s way with only Thor to protect her.
Much of the change in the sequel’s visual style has already been credited to the new director for the series. Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor took the reins from “Thor” director Kenneth Branaugh, when he decided not to return for the follow-up.
Thor: The Dark World and Iron Man 3 make up the first two legs of what Marvel Studios is calling Phase Two. This sequence of connected movies will continue next year with Captain America: The Winter Soldier in April and Guardians of the Galaxy starring Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana in August, eventually leading to The Avengers 2 in May of 2015.
Marvel’s strategy of opening their films across the calendar is another brilliant calculation as they continue to establish a winning blueprint that DC Comics should emulate.
Thor: The Dark World opens in theaters on November 8.
Check out the trailer below: