Video: We’re entering the home stretch of the long wait until we get to experience Taika Waititi’s vision for Thor: Ragnarok and see a bunch of wacky aliens fight in space to please Jeff Goldblum. But just because we already know an awful lot about the movie doesn’t mean that there isn’t more to learn.
Image: Marvel Studios
Today, Marvel’s Japanese social media accounts posted their localised trailers for Ragnarok, and while most of the footage included is exactly the same as what we’ve seen before, there are two key differences that make the the Japanese versions better. The first? Doctor Strange.
Though Ragnarok is very much about Asgardians punching each other’s lights out to a fantastic soundtrack, the very first person we see and hear in the Japanese trailer is Benedict Cumberbatch as Strange, explaining to Thor in the Sanctum Sanctorum that he’s “sensed a great change in [Thor’s] future”, which makes sense considering we all know that Hela’s going to kick Thor’s arse at least once. As surprising as Strange’s inclusion is in the trailer, it makes a degree of sense considering that Doctor Strange‘s first post-credits stinger also featured the two heroes discussing Asgardian affairs.
ソーが、ハルクやロキたちと「#アベンジャーズ」を結成⁉️
『#マイティソー バトルロイヤル』＜日本版本予告＞が解禁⚡️
さらに！カンバーバッチ演じる「#ドクターストレンジ」の出演シーンも【世界初】解禁！ https://t.co/GQInsTux6U pic.twitter.com/q3in15zPe0
— 映画『アベンジャーズ』シリーズ［公式］ (@AVG_JP) August 16, 2017
The second (and infinitely better) difference has absolutely nothing to do with the movie’s plot or casting, and everything to do with the fact that Marvel decided to forgo the somewhat cryptic “Ragnarok” subtitle in favour of one that everyone can understand.
In Japan, Thor: Ragnarok is known as Thor: Battle Royale, which is literally the most accurate and well-suited title this movie could have.
Thor: Ragnarok hits Australian theatres October 26 and Thor: Battle Royale, an objectively superior movie, hits Japanese theatres on November 6.