Marvel Studios Reportedly Restricted Thor: Love and Thunder runs for less than 2 hours

By Rishi Rajput On Jul 14, 2022

Thor: Love and Thunder, the fourth MCU standalone film starring the God of Thunder, has opened in theatres.

Chris Hemsworth returns to the title character in the upcoming Marvel Studios picture, reuniting with Taika Waititi and specific cast members from the original Thor movie.

This includes Dr. Jane Foster, who has developed some incredible abilities of her own, as depicted by Natalie Portman.

Many people thought it was an enjoyable summer movie, while others questioned aspects including tone, writing work, and pacing.

Pacing, in particular, has become a source of contention among viewers. When a film is less than two hours long, some scenes and characters may not get enough time to shine as the plot moves on.

After the success of his previous MCU picture, Thor: Ragnarok, most fans believe Waititi has practically unlimited freedom to do whatever he wants with Love and Lightning. However, this may not be the case.

Thor 4 Is Bound to Marvel’s Runtime Mandate.

According to Joanna Robinson of The Ringer-Verse podcast (via Comic Book), Marvel Studios officials ordered Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi to keep the film’s screen time under two hours, restricting the number of scenes that can be featured in the fourth installment.

Robinson also stated that due to this constraint, many elements had to be eliminated, including the character’s appearance and the idea of what the evil Gorr should be doing. “murdering another set of people.”

Why Are Marvel Studios Making This Decision?

It’s worth speculating why Marvel would push Taika Waititi to cut this film so short. Several MCU films are longer than two hours, including Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home blockbusters.

Perhaps Waititi’s last draught was too lengthy? There is some discussion over the four-hour version of Love and Lightning that exists as an early edit.

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With shorter films, Marvel and Disney could pack more theatre shows daily, resulting in higher earnings. This does not always appear to be Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige’s style.

He’s unlikely to prohibit creators from knowing what they want to achieve with an MCU project, so perhaps that decision is outside his control? However, Thor 4 clocks in at precisely 1 hour and 59 minutes, so whoever says keep it under 2 hours means it.

Waititi has stated that fans see what they get, ruling out the prospect of completely dismissing the director. This, however, should come as no surprise. Marvel Studios has never attempted an extended or director’s cut.

On the other hand, several years ago, DC and Warner Bros. famously and forcibly kept the theatrical version of Justice League under two hours in length, which many argue is a significant injustice.

With the runtime and superiors’ restrictions, Marvel Studios’ Thor: Love and Thunder are officially in theatres, whatever the case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Did Natalie Portman Quit Thor?

“That’s why it was so intense.” Over the years, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has downplayed any feud between Portman and the studio, explaining that she was kept out of Thor: Ragnarok simply because the film is set in space.

Is the Fourth Thor Film the Last One?

Unless Bullet Train is “wholesome family fun,” Thor 4 will be the last *big* family-friendly newcomer until Black Adam on October 21. However, there are specific warning indications for the God of Thunder.

Will Thor in Love and Thunder Be Overweight?

Fat Thor will not appear in Love & Thunder, but Odinson’s change, which goes beyond his weight, reveals much about Thor’s return to the MCU.