A Familiar Friend Shows Up in the International 'Thor: Ragnarok' Trailer

It is now expected that international cuts for movie trailers to contain footage that the U.S. versions don’t. When Star Wars: The Force Awakens had yet to be released, the international versions of its trailers and teasers became coveted by fans, giving them their first glimpses of locales, characters, and action scenes not seen in elsewhere. That tradition continues with the new Thor: Ragnarok Japanese trailer, which recently made its way onto the internet.

ソーが、ハルクやロキたちと「#アベンジャーズ」を結成⁉️

『#マイティソーバトルロイヤル』＜日本版本予告＞が解禁⚡️

さらに！カンバーバッチ演じる「#ドクターストレンジ」の出演シーンも【世界初】解禁！ https://t.co/GQInsTux6U pic.twitter.com/q3in15zPe0

— 映画『アベンジャーズ』シリーズ［公式］ (@AVG_JP) August 16, 2017

The extra footage shows up right in the opening seconds of the trailer, with Thor (Chris Hemsworth) being given a dire warning by Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). Their partnership was first teased in the post-credits scene for Dr. Strange, where Thor and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) come seeking Dr. Strange’s assistance in finding their missing father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins). Odin’s absence is the precipitating event that enables the villain of Thor: Ragnarok, the goddess Hela (Cate Blanchett), to overthrow Thor’s home, the city of Asgard.

Aside from the brief interaction between Thor and Strange, the footage in the Japanese trailer is largely taken from the previously released U.S. version. We get glimpses of Hela destroying Asgard, as well as plenty of shots of Thor and Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) teaming up, which according to Ruffalo will be a major aspect of the film’s plot. Other characters like Loki, Heimdall (Idris Elba), Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and Jeff Goldblum’s eccentric Grandmaster also show up.

It is worth noting that the jovial tone of the original U.S. trailer is intact in the Japanese version, a good indication that Thor: Ragnarok will ultimately share this lighter attitude. It also seems to gel with the direction Marvel Studios is heading within the broader Marvel cinematic universe’s “phase three.” The bright, colorful world established in Guardians of the Galaxy is bleeding into other series like Thor and next year’s Black Panther with sci-fi themes and practical effects prominently featured.

It will be interesting to see how much of that spirit is maintained by the time Avengers: Infinity War comes along. The death-obsessed villain, Thanos, is next up to bat against the Avengers and their allies. In the comics, Thanos was able to use the Infinity Gauntlet — a powerful artifact made with the six Infinity Gems — to literally destroy the universe in hopes of courting his love interest, the avatar of Death herself.

That ultimate showdown with Thanos is still a way off. Thor, however, will have plenty to contend with in the meantime when Thor: Ragnarok hit theaters on November 3.

A new international trailer for 'Thor: Ragnarok' features a familiar face

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