For some inexplicable reason, Marvel Studios decided that Thor: Love and Thunder would have the shortest promotional window in its film catalog. While Chris Hemsworth's charisma might be enough to propel the movie to box office success, this shorter-than-usual promotion has curtailed one of the pastimes of the MCU faithful: speculating about after-credits scenes.
Compared to the vast majority of MCU films, Thor: Love and Thunder doesn't give us a lot of time to make drawn-out, educated guesses about its mid- and end-credit scenes. (Yes, it's been confirmed that there are two after-credits scenes in Thor 4. Apparently, they're both "story-related.") Of course, that won't stop our curiosity from running wild and conjuring story beats that could unfold after the credits roll. Let the guessing game begin.
Where You Been, Bill?
Though it's long been confirmed that there will be two Thors in this film (Hemsworth's Odinson and Natalie Portman's Jane Foster), there's a chance that this film will be the swansong for one of them. Odinson might retire for good, while Jane Foster might sadly succumb to the debilitating disease that had plagued her in the comics. Either way, the loss would leave a void; it would be a waste if Stormbreaker or the newly repaired Mjolnir had to retire, too.
That's where Beta Ray Bill can finally step in. In the comics, Bill has wielded both Mjolnir and Stormbreaker, so there's a chance that he'll be the next man (or, perhaps, Korbinite) up. Bill can certainly show up during the film itself, but with so many protagonists on deck (the two Thors, Valkyrie, and the Guardians), it might be better to save his reveal after the credits.
A Peek Into Volume Three
After the events of Love and Thunder, what exactly will Starlord and company be up to? No promotional material has been released for Guardians of the Galaxy 3, but we might get an idea of their next adventures in an after-credits scene for Thor 4.
Could we get a glimpse of Will Poulter's Adam Warlock? Will Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finally get a lead on the whereabouts of variant Gamora (Zoe Saldana)? No matter which Guardians sub-plot finds its way to the Love and Thunder after-credits scene, MCU fans are sure to get even more hyped for Volume 3's May 5, 2023 release.
A New Team For The New Thor
Let's get back to Jane for a second. The smart money is on Dr. Foster not only surviving the events of the film but also going off on new adventures afterward. It's not hard to imagine, then, that she could show up in the after-credits scene to join a burgeoning team.
As far as teams go, there are two distinct possibilities for Jane. First, she could bolster the ranks of the MCU's version of the A-Force. (Will she get along with the likes of Carol Danvers and Jennifer Walters? Only time will tell!) Second, as the new Thor, she can rightfully take her place among the ranks of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Perhaps an OG avenger—like, say, a certain doctorate degree holder—has Dr. Foster's number?
The Wrath Of A Demi-God
The maniacal Gorr (Christian Bale) has a pretty straightforward mission: to decimate as many gods as he can. While Gorr doesn't look like he fears any sort of repercussions, he could use a heads-up on the emergence of one Olympian. Why? Because, when pissed off, that Olympian might hurl the God Butcher halfway across the universe.
That Olympian is none other than the mighty Hercules. An after-credits scene might show Herc mournfully walking along the ruins of his once majestic realm. Wrecked with guilt for not warding off the threat to his home, Hercules might choose to depart that realm to do some soul-searching. Perhaps, one day, he'll set foot on Midgard?
Spotlight On The King
Ever since she made her big-screen debut in 2017's Thor: Ragnarok, Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) has blessed the Thor franchise with her sly charm and cool confidence. Nobody batted an eyelid when Thor relinquished Asgard's throne to her at the end of Avengers: Endgame. As such, maybe it's time to shine the spotlight squarely on the King Valkyrie?
An after-credits scene in Love and Thunder can be the catalyst for a plotline that will take full form in a Disney+ series. With all the world-building going on in Phase 4 (see: Moon Knight's Egypt and Ms. Marvel's Pakistan), Valkyrie's kingdom in Norway sure sounds like fertile ground for fresh narratives.
And Now, A Word From Our Cersei
As Phase 4 goes full steam ahead, more and more storylines are unfolding across the MCU's cosmos. The team of Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) has to deal with the Skrull and the Kree; the Guardians have a certain Warlock to contend with, and a silver-skinned herald can come swooping in at any moment. Before all this goes down, however, let's not forget that three Eternals have already been summoned to their trial.
At the end of 2021's Eternals, Cersei (Gemma Chan), Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry), and Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani) are whisked off by an irate Arishem. If the trio's memories can prove that humans are worth living, Arishem claims that he won't punish humanity for the death of the Celestial Tiamut. If there's any chance that this trial (or, at least, the Eternals' detention cell) is taking place near the setting of Love and Thunder, we might glimpse Cersei and her companions at the conclusion of Thor 4.
"I Like This One"
Speaking of Carol Danvers, she might be the MCU's busiest bee. Remember her comment in Avengers: Endgame about "covering a lot of territory...on thousands of planets"? It's possible, then, that the ramifications of Love and Thunder will have an impact on some major situation that Captain Marvel is dealing with.
Any link between Love and Thunder and The Marvels makes sense, as there is "only" a twelve-month gap between these flicks. Consider, also, that Thor gave Carol her blessing in Endgame with the comment "I like this one." With Thor's retirement, Carol can make her own claim as the strongest Avenger.
Kang Again? Kang Again.
Gorr's path of destruction will surely leave hundreds, if not thousands, of civilizations struggling to recover from the loss of their divine protectors. Only a heartless megalomaniac would find any reason to revel amidst all this chaos. Unfortunately, there's one of those in the MCU, and he may capitalize on the God Butcher's rampage to further his plans.
If the Loki finale was any indication, Kang (Jonathan Majors) has benefited from just about every major development in the entire Multiverse thus far. For the hell of it, he might pop up in a Love and Thunder after-credits scene just to have a good chuckle at all the pandemonium.
Warning: Major Implications Ahead
Kang isn't the only MCU entity who's had his likeness sculpted into a colossal monument. The trailers for Love and Thunder show a dark chamber with some pretty imposing figures. Whatever this chamber is, there's a reason for the massive scale of these austere faces.
These faces belong to The Living Tribunal, Uatu the Watcher, Death, Eon, and Infinity. If any one of them shows up in an after-credits scene, expect nothing less than game-changing implications for all characters in the MCU.
Will The Sun Shine On Them Again?
On the one hand, the dramatic opening scene of Avengers: Infinity War serves as the conclusion of the Thor-Loki arc that started back in Phase 1. On the other hand...are we really about to see the first Thor solo film without Tom Hiddleston's God of Mischief?
616 Loki may have met his demise at the hands of Thanos, but somewhere out there, a reformed Loki could use some brotherly aid as he deals with the Multiverse's Conqueror. Now that's one Loki that won't ever stab Thor in the back. (Right?)