When Thor made his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe back in 2011, Chris Hemsworth starred opposite Natalie Portman, who portrayed scientist Jane Foster. Portman would return for the film’s sequel, subtitled The Dark World, but it seems that her time with the franchise may have come to an end.
We already knew that Portman wouldn’t be returning for next year’s Thor: Ragnarok, as her duties as love interest will seemingly be fulfilled by newcomer Tessa Thompson. However, comments made by Portman in an interview with the Wall Street Journal suggest that the Jane Foster character is unlikely to make a return further down the line.
“As far as I know, I’m done,” said Portman. “I mean, I don’t know if one day they’ll ask for an ‘Avengers 7,’ or whatever — I have no idea. But as far as I know, I’m done.”
That said, the actress doesn’t seem to regret her time working on the Thor movies. She goes on to describe the experience as “a great thing to be a part of,” and despite joking about “Avengers 7,” she seems quite open to returning to the series should the opportunity arise in the future.
However, it seems doubtful that the Jane Foster character will play a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe going forward. The first two films about the Norse superhero managed a reasonable amount of critical and commercial success, but couldn’t match the performance of solo films starring his super-friends Captain America and Iron Man.
Marvel Studios is attempting to remedy this by introducing a host of new characters in Ragnarok — which is another reason why Portman’s role is being phased out. Cate Blanchett, Karl Urban, and Jeff Goldblum are all set to join the cast.
Thor: Ragnarok hits theaters on November 3, 2016.
