Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Cate Blanchett as: Hela

Directed by: Taika Waititi
Selected Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Idris Elba, Rachel House, Karl Urban, Anthony Hopkins
Written by: Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, Christopher L. Yost
Release Year: 2017
Genre: Adventure | Action | Sci-fi
MPAA Rating: PG-13

IMDb | Photos | Videos | Official Site

Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok—the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization—at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger—the Incredible Hulk!

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Behind the scenes; VFXRelated Videos

The fourth and fifth videos are playlists of DVD featurettes, deleted scenes, selected promos and interviews, just click on the playlist icon/thumbnails to see the other videos in it.

Quotes from Cate Blanchett

“My children are huge fans. My desire to be in Thor, even as a supernumerary, was driven by the desire to speak the same language as my children. And to work with Taika [Waititi] and Chris [Hemsworth] of course.” (So It Goes, October 2017)
On Hela’s appearance: “When I was starting to think about how she might look, I went back to the fanbase. All these girls were doing Hela makeup looks on YouTube. I thought about what their takes on her were. I spoke to Marvel about what she would look like when she would be unmasked, so she wasn’t a faceless, generic baddie. They were very open to everything.” (Yahoo, March 2017)
“I didn’t realize until I got on the set that this is the first Marvel film incarnation of a female villain. What decade are we in? It was shocking to me. The character they created is ballsy and front-footed.”
“One only need to have a mildly unpleasant thought and you’re considered evil. Everyone is too perfect. Why not mess it all up? It’s easy to play bad but, like when I was in Cinderella, like what makes the stepmother evil is interesting. So, it was trying to in the screen time I had to tease that stuff and to give her a journey really. So hopefully we’re given her a journey, like how you understand why Loki is as screwed up as he is. Hopefully, there’s that satisfaction in watching Hela.” (Entertainment Weekly, March 2017)
“What I like about playing her is that I really didn’t know anything about her and that’s really exciting,” Blanchett told us. “I mean obviously, the deep, hardcore fan base would know a lot about her but there was kind of a really interesting process of discovery for me and I guess like any of the Marvel characters, they have really interesting and varied back stories so it depends which origin story you read as to why she’s been kept at bay for so long. But yeah, playing the Goddess of Death has been really interesting.” (Fandango, October 2017)
On Chris Hemsworth: “I first met Chris on the lot—he was driving a golf cart, his Thor locks flying—careening towards me with a huge grin of welcome. I had heard he was generous, and boy is he generous, hilarious, and as hardworking and diligent as he is handsome, but I had no idea what a goofball he is. He is a complete goofball. He sets the tone on set—everyone is valued. Everyone is welcome. I adore and admire him deeply.” (Vanity Fair, May 2024)
On the physicality of her role: “I’m pretty physical when I’m on stage. Indiana Jones was quite physical. But in terms of hand-to-hand combat, this definitely wins. And that’s been part of what I’ve relished actually. And I enjoyed working with Zoe Bell, who is the most extraordinary stuntperson and also a wonderful actor.
We had this sort of really symbiotic relationship. She’s been very generous and clear and such an incredible teacher, showing me how to mime better. But also to say that this moment leads here and that there’s an opportunity if you wanted to do something in here. It’s not looking at a fight in a traditional way, which is a series of punches and kicks and knocking someone to the ground. There’s a psychology in it, which has been really fun to play with. I’ve loved it. Some of the happiest times on this film for me have been beating people up. I’ve really enjoyed it. I was like, oh, I don’t have to speak today. I can just throw axes into someone’s gut and decapitate that person there. So, it’s been good.” (New Zealand Herald, October 2017)

Quotes from Others

Taika Waititi:
— “The main aim was, let’s just show people a good time,” says Waititi. “We’re dealing with a bunch of elements that are so ludicrous that they shouldn’t even be in a movie together. We’re putting Cate Blanchett in some antlers! Let’s just go with it and be proud of it!… A lot of days I was surprised [Blanchett] came back to work [jokes Waititi]. She’d turn up and say, ‘So what are we doing?’ and I’d be like, ‘Well, this is the day you awaken the zombie army and your giant wolf.’ I remember thinking, ‘Uh, maybe I should just not say what’s in the scene.”
Chris Hemsworth:
— “Cate Blanchett is just brilliant as Hela. She is one of the greatest actors that has ever been. I was so excited to see what she was going to do with Hela. I had ideas of what she might do but I was completely blindsided by the outcome. She just has this insane off-kilter attitude or look or kind of movement to her character. At times you find yourself empathizing with Hela and then you remember that she is slaughtering people and destroying everything. That kind of conflict within an audience makes for a far more interesting film and journey to watch.”
Tom Hiddleston:
— “There is something, she, she is a natural and incredibly powerful actor and she’s brought all that power and wit to this part. It’s gonna be cool.
Cate Blanchett needs no pointers from me. It’s actually, this scene is huge fun to play because it’s the first scene we’ve played together, so it was really enjoyable.”
Zoe Bell (stunt double):
— “She’s [Cate Blanchett] been amazing and wants to be collaborative. Which is always our hope ‘cause I feel like that’s when you get the best, when all departments are aiming to make the same movie. She’s clearly an expert in her field which has been amazing for me for my own personal reasons. I’ve been just absorbing sponge-like the whole time. But she seems really comfortable with me being considered the expert in my field, and between the two of us we’re going to make the baddest Hela there is.”

Trivia & Facts

Filmed in Australia, USA.
The film premiered in Los Angeles on 10 October 2017.
In interviews, apart from wanting to work with Taika Waititi, Cate Blanchett said she signed up to do the film because of her children.
Cate Blanchett studied capoeira to prepare for her role.
Hela was the first female main villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The film grossed $855 million, becoming the highest-grossing film of the Thor series.
Thor’s “friend from work” line about The Incredible Hulk was suggested to Chris Hemsworth by a Make-A-Wish child who visited the set on the day the scene was filmed.
Loki is the father of Hela and Fenris the Wolf in the Norse mythology and the Marvel comics.
Unlike other Asgardians, Hela was immortal – not aging while imprisoned for 5000 years. In addition to her accelerated healing factor, Hela drew increased strength and power from Asgard itself as the first born of Odin.