'Thor: The Dark World' trailer

Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Tom Hiddleston are back as Thor, Jane Foster, and Loki in the first trailer for Thor: The Dark World.

The sequel picks up after the events of The Avengers with Thor (Hemsworth) having returned home to Asgard. The stakes are set up nicely in a voiceover from Odin (Anthony Hopkins). “Some believe that before the universe there was nothing. They’re wrong,” he warns. “There was darkness, and it has survived.”

After an old threat from an ancient race, led by Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), returns, Thor turns to his enemy brother Loki (Hiddleston) for help defending the Nine Realms.

Alan Taylor, best known for his work on Game of Thrones, takes the reigns as director for the sequel from Kenneth Branaugh, whose own next turn behind the camera comes with December’s franchise reboot Jack Ryan, starring Chris Pine and Keira Knightley.

Thor: The Dark World hammers its way into theaters on Nov. 8. Check out the first trailer below.

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