‘This is too much’: News of Natalie Portman as female Thor divides film franchise fans

News that Natalie Portman will star as a female Thor in an upcoming Marvel film has sparked debate on social media as some fans reacted in anger to a woman being cast as the titular role in the popular comic book franchise.

While a female Thor character does appear in the comics, some fans were angered by Marvel Studios’ announcement on Saturday, saying it was “too much” and claiming it was another example of PC madness messing with a beloved series to score diversity points. The casting revelation prompted some critics to ask if we should expect a man to play Wonder Woman, or female versions of Batman and Superman films.

Some drew comparisons with the recent rumors that the next Bond movie will see a female black actress take over the ‘007’ codename from Daniel Craig. Others simply said they had no interest in watching a female Thor movie. 

However, many more fans of the series were quick to point out that the comic books feature a story arc in which Thor’s love interest, Jane Foster, who Portman played in previous Thor movies, takes up the hammer and becomes Thor, the Goddess of Thunder.

Portman appeared as Foster in the Thor movies in 2011 and 2013, but wasn’t in the most recent movie, Thor: Ragnarok. 

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