For the Marvel Cinematic Universe, amidst all of the major strengths it consistently has within their movies, their villains have been a common weakness. Sure, you have exceptions such as Loki and the Vulture, but the MCU has dropped the ball on much of their antagonists. Hopefully, with Thor: Ragnarok that won’t be the case because with Cate Blanchett cast as Hela, not utilizing her properly would be a wasted opportunity.
Thankfully, director Taika Waititi is a skilled filmmaker who will certainly make sure that Blanchett will be equal parts threatening and memorable. All of the footage for Thor: Ragnarok showcase that Waititi’s entry within the MCU will be one of the most unique, and with Blanchett having the honor of being the first female villain in the MCU movies, the opportunity is too important to waste.
At San Diego Comic-Con, the two-time Academy Award winning actress discussed the significance of playing the first female antagonist within the MCU:
“I only realized that really when I got on set and you think, ‘Wow! It’s taken this long to catch up! But you know, Marvel is catching up at a rapid, rapid rate. You’ve got Captain Marvel coming out with Brie [Larson] and I mean, all these incredible women who are in Black Panther...and Scarlett [Johansson] of course.”
Blanchett also showered her co-star Chris Hemsworth with some praise, expressing how much she enjoyed working with him:
“He’s one of the great men. He really is the mesnch and he’s an extraordinary actor. And he has the patience of a saint. I mean, because we were filming this in Greenland and it was pretty bloody hot, and what he has to wear and the hours…So, I mean, he’s a real leader.”
For all the criticisms that can be thrown at the MCU in regards to their lackluster villains, their 2017 entries so far have had some solid antagonists for our heroes. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 had a terrific villain as did Spider-Man: Homecoming. What made those two villains successful was their inherent connection to the main protagonist. Hopefully, Hela will also have an important connection to Thor in this new movie.
Directed by Taika Waititi, the film stars Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Idris Elba, Karl Urban, and Jeff Goldblum.
Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok hits theaters November 3rd.
Source: Entertainment Tonight
