Over 20 years ago, Metal Gear Solid had one of the boldest marketing ploys in media. Thor: Love and Thunder could have taken a page from that book.

For better or worse, Thor: Love and Thunder is the film that got marketed to audiences in the trailers. It was a funny, light-hearted, colorful space romp that doesn’t stay too far from what audiences have come to expect from a Marvel Studios movie. It’s also a movie that stays safely within the boundaries, promising general audiences a good time and giving them just that.

However, in the infinite calculus of the multiverse, there could have been a version of the film that tried something a little bit different. In fact, there could have been a perfect marriage between marketing and a film that could have pulled the rug out from under fans' feet. To put it simply, Thor: Love and Thunder could have taken a page out of the Metal Gear Solid playbook.

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Prior to the release of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty in 2001, fans would have been forgiven for thinking the game was a straightforward sequel to the original PlayStation game. As far as the trailers were concerned, players were going to get a Metal Gear Solid game where they could play as Solid Snake for more stealth-based action. However, when the game was released, many were surprised to find that the main playable character of Metal Gear Solid 2 was newcomer Raiden and that Snake had taken a secondary role.

Such a twist for players did not stop Metal Gear Solid 2 from getting critical acclaim and becoming an early bestseller for the PlayStation 2. And it would have been interesting if a similar idea got applied to Thor. The marketing for Thor: Love and Thunder could have remained the same, retaining the idea that this adventure starts with some introspection and has Thor giving up the life of a superhero to try and find himself.

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However, come the film's story, instead of kidnapping Asgardian children, Gorr could take Thor. And the film then switches up its premise by going from a typical Thor film to one that primarily stars Jane Foster as the Mighty Thor, as she goes on an adventure with Valkyrie to save Thor. It would have been a unique take on the franchise and provided plenty of room for comedy.

Just imagine the main plot of Jane and Valkyrie traveling the cosmos to find Thor, and then a comedic subplot of Thor constantly trying to escape Gorr’s prison. It also would have given Jane's Mighty Thor more time to shine in the limelight rather than spend the film playing secondary to the original Thor. Finally, it would have resulted in a bigger twist than either Avengers: Endgame or Spider-Man: No Way Home, giving fans something to discuss for years to come.

To see Jane Foster become the Mighty Thor, Thor: Love and Thunder is now in theaters.

A graduate who has recently completed an English and Creative Writing degree - and a lover of all things nerdy. Has written for publications such as New Welsh Review, and Aberystwyth Student Media; having regularly covered film & TV for the latter. Also enjoys acting and performance in their spare time. They/He

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