Christian Bale's role in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder has been revealed: He'll be playing Gorr the God Butcher. Chris Hemsworth's Thor will return for a fourth solo adventure (an MCU first) in Love and Thunder, which is currently set for release on May 6, 2022. Production is slated to begin in January 2021, and Thor: Ragnarok helmer Taika Waititi will be back to direct once more. Plot specifics are still being kept under wraps, but Love and Thunder has so far amassed quite the supporting cast.
In addition to Hemsworth and Waititi (who will reprise his lovable Korg), Love and Thunder will bring back Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie and Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, marking her first MCU installment since 2013's Thor: The Dark World (Avengers: Endgame cameo nonwithstanding). Plus, Chris Pratt is confirmed to bring his Star Lord to the film, and Bale will join the MCU as the movie's villain. Up until now, Bale's Love and Thunder role has been kept tightly under wraps, but the mystery has finally been solved.
During Disney's Investor Day event, Marvel head Kevin Feige confirmed Bale's place as Love and Thunder's villain. He then went a step further to reveal which villain he'll play: Gorr the God Butcher. Fans theorized Bale would be playing Beta Ray Bill when he was first cast, but that is clearly not the case.
Created by Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic, Gorr made his comics debut in Thor: God of Thunder #2. As an alien growing up on an unnamed barren planet, Gorr frequently prayed to the gods to help him and his loved ones survive their harsh living conditions. Tragically, he lost his entire family and assumed gods were not real, as they did nothing to help. However, Gorr soon learned they did exist, thus leading him on a quest for vengeance where he seeks to kill every single godly being. As always, there's a chance Marvel will give Gorr's backstory a twist for Love and Thunder, but as a starting point, this is a pretty compelling one.
Seeing as Aaron's comics storyline involving Jane becoming Thor is a major part of Love and Thunder, it's no surprise that a character he created will serve as the villain. Gorr's presence in Love and Thunder opens up many story opportunities and tees up an epic battle between him and Thor. As Thor is the MCU's biggest god, Gorr will certainly be setting his eyes on him. Hemsworth said Love and Thunder won't be his last MCU film, so Gorr probably won't be getting the best of Thor. Still, it'll be thrilling to see the two go head to head, particularly if Jane's Thor gets involved too. Love and Thunder is shaping up to be a massive MCU film, so it's only fitting that the villain is an actual god slayer. Thor better watch out.
Source: Marvel