Friday, March 29, 2024

Timer

Thor: Ragnarok at Fan Expo

First Published:

Marvel fans and hardcore cosplayers are going to love the costumes that Disney has on display at Fan Expo from their upcoming release Thor: Ragnarok. During a preview of the exhibit, the ropes came down and we were invited to check out the costumes in detail with pieces from every main cast member being showcased. VP of Marketing Greg Mason was on hand to tell us about the outfits, which he described as”hero costumes”. This means that they were worn by the actors in close-up shots that don’t involve a lot of action. The actors would wear more flexible versions of their costumes during stunt scenes so they could move around easier.

Click on thumbnails for enlarged versions.

Let’s start with the villains. Ragnarok’s big bad is Hela, played by Cate Blanchett. The goddess of death sports a sleek black bodysuit highlighted with green accents. But the most impressive piece of gear is her headdress, which was nearly as big as a rack of deer antlers. I can’t imagine Blanchett wearing it for too long before getting a sore neck.

Aiding Hela in her siege on Asgard is Skurge, played by Karl Urban. An Asgardian himself, Skurge is watching over the Bifrost Bridge in Heimdall’s absense, but when Hela shows up he joins her side in an act of self-preservation. His armoured outfit is made out of traditional plate mail, and his weapon of choice is his enchanted double-bladed axe, though he can be seen wielding a couple of machine guns as well in the teaser trailer.

Jeff Goldblum joins the MCU as Grandmaster, an ageless being who rules Sakaar, the planet Thor and Hulk are trapped on. Grandmaster runs an arena where he pits fighters from across the universe in combat, all while lounging in his exquisite robes. While all of the costumes could be worn, Goldblum’s colourful costume looked like the only one that would actually be comfortable.

Marvel’s best villain and Thor’s brother Loki returns in Ragnarok sporting a pretty subdued leather outfit. The designers added in a few flourishes of gold as a throw back to some of his costumes from past films. Not on display is his tall, two-horned helmet (Hela’s puts it to shame anyway). The film was shot in Australia, and Mason pointed out that to battle the heat Tom Hiddleston and the other actors would wear cooling suits underneath their costumes that would be filled with cold water between takes.

Hulk, a massive CGI monster with no costume to speak of, is represented by his pair of massive weapons. As heavy as they look, the axe and hammer are made of very lightweight materials, however we weren’t allowed to get our hands on them. I really wish they had included Mark Ruffalo’s t-shirt and jacket combo to contrast with the rest of the fancy get-ups.

In the Thor: Ragnarok trailers, we see Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie capturing Thor for Grandmaster. But it appears that the Asgardian eventually joins Thor on his trip back to Asgard to take on Hela. Valkyrie’s costume is another leather construction with a few small pieces of chainmail and plate mixed in. She’s also carrying a pair of daggers sheathed on her hip.

Last but not least is Thor himself, whose new costume is made up of a bunch of random pieces. Mason drew our attention to the ripped cape and mismatched shinguards, and revealed that the red writing up the side of the torso is Sakaaran. Clearly Thor is forced to make due with some armour scraps before getting in the Grandmaster’s ring.

But what will the thunder god wield instead of his trusty hammer Mjolnir, which gets destroyed early on in the film? Apparently a pair of cool blue blades that match the visual aesthetic of his patchwork armour. And diehard Thor fans will be happy to see him back in a helmet, though not the classic winged helmet he’s known for.

The Thor: Ragnarok exhibit is on display at Fan Expo, which runs from Aug. 31 – Sept. 3. Thor: Ragnarok opens in theatres on November 3.

More Top News

Ontario school boards suing TikTok, Meta, and Snapchat

Four of Ontario's largest school boards are suing the parent companies of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. The boards are alleging the social media platforms...

Evening weather forecast for March 28, 2024

Shelly Marriage shares the forecast for March 28, 2024 and the days ahead.

Experts warn drivers to be careful on eclipse day

Researchers from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto are warning drivers to beware in the hours before and after the big solar eclipse on...

Premier Ford rejects Ottawa’s bill of rights and protection funds for tenants

Premier Doug Ford is going along with the Quebec government in rejecting Ottawa's attempt to help renters. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave...

Hamilton mayor intends to use strong mayor powers for affordable housing

Residents and businesses near two Stoney Creek parking lots are disappointed after Hamilton mayor Andrea Horwath decided to use her strong mayor powers to...

Date set for inquest into death of man during Halton police shootout in 2018

A provincial coroner has set a date for an inquest into a man's death after a shootout with Halton police almost six years ago. Ahmadu...