Nov 03, 2016 07:00 AM EDT By yasi bilangel, UniversityHerald Reporter

"Thor 3" will bring together actors Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo as Thor and Bruce Banner/The Hulk, respectively, in the much anticipated tandem of the two Marvel superheroes as they fight their way out of Ragnarok.

Marvel has announced the cast who will reprise their roles, namely, Anthony Hopkins (Odin), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Idris Elba (Heimdall) and Jaimie Alexander (Sif). 

The third franchise of the "Thor" series will also feature a powerhouse cast of new characters including Cate Blanchett (Hela), Tess Thompson (Valkyrie), Karl Urban (Skurge), Jeff Goldblum (The Grandmaster) and Sam Neill whose character remains undisclosed.

Taika Waititi known for 2014's "What We Do In The Shadows" is tapped to direct the film. "Thor:Ragnarok" will be Waititi's first Marvel movie and the director is set to make his own mark.  According to a Digital Spy report, Waititi even implies ignoring the first two franchises and the complex Marvel Comics universe.

Like many Marvel movies, the "Thor: Ragnarok" plotline may deviate from the original story the way it was depicted in Michael Avon Oeming and Andrea di Vito's 2004 comic book version. Ragnarok, which means 'twilight of the gods' inold Norse language, brought about the death of all the Asgardians and nearly brought to extinction the human race.

However, "Thor 3" may take a different route for Ragnarok's story and could refer to a planet that is dominated by The Grandmaster (Goldblum) who has a penchant for bloody games. The Grandmaster is an elder, the last of his kind, which brings many fans to speculate that Sam Neill's character may also be one. Since Benicio del Toro has been introduced as the collector in "Guardians of the Galaxy," can Neill be the runner or the gardener?

Marvel has kept mum about Neill's role in "Thor 3", prompting fans to form various theories. Neil disclosed that he will appear in the movie in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter. However, he has strict instructions from Marvel to make no further comments, indicating that his character could play a vital role in the newest Thor saga.

Filming for the "Thor 3" started in July, pushing the release date of the movie to Nov. 3 of next year in the U.S. and Oct. 27 in the U.K. 

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