EW Gives First Look at “Thor: Ragnarok” with On-Set Photos

Although the film doesn’t open untl November of this year, this week’s cover of Entertainment Weekly will feature Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok. That’s because the magazine is giving us a first look at the new movie, which will also feature the Hulk, Loki, and Jeff Goldblum among others.

Thor: Ragnarok

Thor: Ragnarok is this week’s EW cover

One of the most notable changes in the on-set photos released is Thor’s hair… or lack thereof. Additionally we also get a look at characters Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Hela (Cate Blanchett), and Grandmaster (Goldblum):

EW also takes a quick look at the film’s plot and tone:

When Hela is accidentally unleashed from her prison, she is not psyched. “She’s been locked away for millennia getting more and more cross, and then, with a mistake, she gets unleashed and she ain’t getting back in that box,” says Blanchett, who worked with legendary stuntwoman Zoë Bell (Grindhouse) and learned the Brazilian martial art capoeira to prep for the role. Her attack on Thor sends him to Sakaar where he is forced to become a gladiator and realizes he’s no longer super special. “[Sakaar is] basically where every wormhole across the universe dumps out its trash, so you get people from all walks of life with all sorts of incredible abilities and powers,” Hemsworth explains. “No one cares what prince or king Thor may have been in another world. Also, his strength is pretty easily matched with those he finds himself amongst.” Case in point: Sakaar’s most successful (and popular) fighter is The Hulk.

Still, despite a title that references an end-of-days-type battle in Norse mythology, Ragnarok marks a decidedly more comedic installment for the series, thanks in large part to director Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows). “Taika has such a quirky, left-of-field sense of humor, which forced all the characters and the tone of the whole story to head in a new direction,” says Hemsworth. “Each day we were like, ‘Are we pushing it too far? Are we allowed to have this much fun?’”

Thor: Ragnarok hits theatres November 3rd and this week’s EW will be on newsstands this Friday.