WATCH: The fantastical new Thor: The Dark World trailer

The trailer: It's been less than a year since Thor graced the silver screen in The Avengers — and based on the first trailer for the upcoming sequel Thor: The Dark World, the Norse god's world-saving days are far from over. (Watch the trailer below.) "Some believe that before the universe, there was nothing," says Anthony Hopkins' Odin in a voice-over. "They're wrong. There was darkness, and it has survived." Thor: The Dark World, which hits theaters in November, is the Norse superhero's third cinematic outing, after 2011's Thor and last year's superhero team-up The Avengers, and this trailer sees the return of characters like Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) — as well as a certain sneering supervillain whose presence is sure to delight fans of The Avengers. Is Thor: The Dark World another promising outing for the most fantastical member of The Avengers, or will the studio get hammered for this out-there superhero film?

The reaction: By now, movie audiences have spent quite a bit of time with Thor, says Kevin P. Sullivan at MTV News — but this trailer heralds "a much different adventure for the Norse god." The first Thor film was set primarily on Earth. Thor: The Dark World spends the vast majority of its time in Thor's home world, with the full pantheon of Norse gods facing off against an ancient race of Dark Elves. And Thor: The Dark World looks to be "a big leap from its predecessor, which wasn't too shabby itself" says Jordan DeSaulnier at I Am Rogue: "The scale is bigger, the stakes higher, the emotions more wrenching." Yes, Thor: The Dark World is "bringing the epic," says Kevin Jagernauth at Indiewire, with a worlds-spanning plot that makes it clear that "the ante has been upped considerably" from the first Thor.

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