Thor: Love and Thunder post credit scenes explained (light spoilers)
This section names who appears but keeps the details vague. The mid-credits scene returns to Zeus, who turns out to be in worse shape than his ego, and in a foul mood about it. He is not done with Thor, so he calls in someone new to settle the score: his son Hercules. It is a classic setup for a future rival, and the film leaves it hanging.
The second scene comes after the full credits, and it is very different in tone. It takes place somewhere Asgardians hope to reach one day, where a familiar face from the earlier Thor films is waiting to welcome a new arrival. It is short, gentle and the emotional close of the movie. Wait for both.
What to watch before Thor: Love and Thunder
Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame are the two you need. Ragnarok gives you the new Asgard, Korg and Valkyrie. Endgame explains why Thor left Earth with the Guardians of the Galaxy and why New Asgard now has a ruler who is not him.
The first Thor film is a useful extra for Jane Foster. She has barely been seen since Thor: The Dark World, so a quick refresher on her and Thor's history makes her return land harder. Our Thor movies in order guide lists all four solo films with the Avengers team-ups that fill the gaps.
Where to watch Thor: Love and Thunder
In the US it streams on Disney Plus, along with the other three Thor films and both Avengers movies you need first. Outside the US, availability varies by country; the watch box on this page lists the services we track for your region.
Where it fits in the MCU timeline
On our timeline, Love and Thunder is set in 2025. It follows Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, though the two stories do not overlap at all. Next comes She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, a Disney Plus series, so in story order you jump from a cosmic adventure straight into a legal comedy.
| Watching by | Right before | Right after |
|---|
| Story order | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | She-Hulk: Attorney at Law |
| Story order, films only | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever |
It is a Phase 4 film in the Multiverse Saga, and our Marvel Phase 4 in order guide puts it in context with the films and series around it.
Thor: Love and Thunder explained: the plot without spoilers
Thor is trying to find inner peace while traveling with Star-Lord and the rest of the Guardians. That plan does not last. Gorr the God Butcher is killing gods across the universe, and he sets his sights on New Asgard.
Thor rushes back and finds Jane Foster there, holding a rebuilt Mjolnir and calling herself the Mighty Thor. With King Valkyrie and Korg in tow, the two exes set off to track Gorr down, stopping at the golden city of the gods on the way to ask for help. Taika Waititi pushes the comedy even harder than in Ragnarok, with screaming goats and a jealous axe, though Jane's storyline gives the film a serious center.
Is it essential? Who can skip it
We rate it optional. Its events have had little effect on the wider Multiverse Saga so far, and no later film depends on it. It is mostly a character piece: Thor wrestling with what he wants after losing nearly everything, and Jane getting a chapter of her own.
Watch it if you care about Thor and Jane, or if the tone of Ragnarok was your favorite part of his story. Skip it if you only want titles that move the bigger plot forward. The Guardians fans among you can pick up their thread next in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
Cast and characters
Chris Hemsworth returns as Thor and Natalie Portman comes back as Jane Foster, now wielding the hammer as the Mighty Thor. Christian Bale plays Gorr and gives the film its most menacing moments. Tessa Thompson is King Valkyrie, Taika Waititi directs and voices Korg, and Russell Crowe appears as Zeus. The Guardians, including Rocket, Groot, Nebula and Drax, show up in the opening stretch before the story moves on without them.
Runtime and viewing tips
Thor: Love and Thunder runs 119 minutes, just about two hours. Pair it with Ragnarok for a Waititi double feature, or fold it into a longer run with the marathon plan, which builds a schedule around your evenings.
