Thor: Love And Thunder Slammed For ‘Offensive’ Jane Cancer Storyline

Warning: Contains spoilers for Thor: Love and Thunder

The God of Thunder returned to the big screen with the highly anticipated release of Thor: Love and Thunder this week, but Marvel fans are now criticising the film over its handling of a cancer storyline involving Jane Foster.

Chris Hemsworth is back under the direction of Taika Waititi for the latest Marvel film, which arrived in cinemas on 7 July and sees Thor recruit the help of Valkyrie, Korg and Jane to fight a villain, aptly dubbed Gorr the God Butcher, who wants to make the gods extinct.

Natalie Portman returns to her role of Jane after last appearing as the character in 2013's Thor: The Dark World, with her return catching the superhero off guard after so many years.

After it was confirmed Jane would be appearing in Thor: Love and Thunder, fans began to wonder whether the storyline of her breast cancer diagnosis told in the Marvel Comics would come in to play.

In the series, the character is struggling with the diagnosis and constantly has her progress hindered by her transformation into the Mighty Thor.

Each time she wielded the magical hammer Mjölnir and became the hero, Jane would have the chemotherapy chemicals pulled from her body and her recovery would go back to square one.

After watching the storyline play out in the film, many fans have been left unimpressed with the way it was approached.

One viewer wrote on Twitter: "I think the most disgusting thing about #ThorLoveAndThunder is the way they handled Jane Foster’s cancer. Specifically the chemo scene.

"It’s a delicate thing to deal with, especially in a super hero movie for kids, but holy damn if you can’t do it with respect don’t do it at all."

I think the most disgusting thing about #ThorLoveAndThunder is the way they handled Jane Foster’s cancer. Specifically the chemo scene. It’s a delicate thing to deal with, especially in a super hero movie for kids, but holy damn if you can’t do it with respect don’t do it at all

— Josh Davenport (@JDavenport98) July 8, 2022

Another wrote: "I’m so p*ssed about the way they handled Jane’s cancer."

In the film, Jane and Thor realise Thor's hammer is sucking the life from Jane as she undergoes chemotherapy to treat Stage 4 cancer.

Despite Thor's pleas for her to give up the power in a bid to live longer, Jane continues to transform into the Mighty Thor to take on the threats being faced by the heroes.

Jane Foster’s storyline had insane emotional resonance for me. Both my mother & a close friend battled cancer a couple years ago. Thor’s desire to protect Jane & Jane’s struggle to keep fighting really hit home. I think we all needed to hear a story like this. pic.twitter.com/o8qS2rpKtj

— Lunwi is on Vacation!!! (@Lunwi88) July 10, 2022

Though not everyone was happy with the way her story played out, some Twitter users have praised the film for its presentation of cancer, with one person saying the plot had an 'insane emotional resonance' for them and expressing belief 'we all needed to hear a story like this'.