A lot has gone on since we last saw Thor (Chris Hemsworth). Towards the end of Doctor Strange, it was revealed that he was seeking help from the Sorcerer Supreme to find his father.

How all of this happened is unclear, but we do know Loki had something to do with it. And now more is being revealed about the film’s plot, plus some of the other films that have inspired Thor: Ragnarok, including Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. More below.

Entertainment Weekly has released their second bit of news about the upcoming sequel, which is set for release this fall. While we know that Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has assumed the title of King – rather forcefully – of Asgard, it seems his carelessness has led to Hela (Cate Blanchett) breaking free from her imprisonment. Thor attempts to bring her back to her prison to no avail, as Hela sends him to the gladiator planet known as Sakaar.

It is there that he meets some new friends and some old ones as well. One of those new friends is Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), who EW describes as “a tough, hard-drinking warrior hiding out on Sakaar brings the god to the Grandmaster.” Hemsworth says, “Thor is a bit of a fanboy for the Valkyrie, the elite women warriors.”

It’s still not clear how Thor lost his hammer, but he replaced it with two swords – which were seen on the cover yesterday – and trimmed out facial hair. Also, it is on Sakaar that Thor is reunited with Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), who is champion on this planet. However, Hulk seems a bit more human now than he was previously on Earth. “He’s much more of a character than the green rage machine you’ve seen in the Avengers movies,“ Ruffalo says of this new Hulk. “He’s got a swagger. He’s like a god.“

We’ve heard that the film will have a buddy road trip vibe for quite some time, and now director Taika Waititi says Thor: Ragnarok draws inspiration from movies like 48 HRS., Withnail and I, and even Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Previous reports said the film will have a tone unlike any other Marvel Studios film we’ve seen in the past. Part of the reason for that is Waititi wanted to show off Hemsworth’s comedic skills, something that we saw a lot of in Vacation and Ghostbusters.

While Thor does pay a visit to Doctor Strange to ask for help to find his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), a majority of the film does not take place on Earth. “There’s not a whole lot that takes place on Earth in this film, and that’s one of the things that does,” says Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige.

Finally, Waititi says:

Thor: Ragnarok arrives on November 3, 2017.

[Source: EW]