Thor 4: Who Matt Damon Could Be Playing In Love & Thunder

Who could Matt Damon play in Thor: Love & Thunder? One of the more intriguing propositions set for Marvel's Phase 4 cinematic slate (whenever that may happen), Thor: Love & Thunder reunites Chris Hemsworth's God of Thunder with Natalie Portman's Jane Foster, this time under the direction of Taika Waititi. Adapting an acclaimed storyline from the Marvel comics, the returning Foster is facing a cancer diagnosis when she's imbued with the Asgardian powers of her ex-boyfriend, turning into the Mighty Thor. In the villain stakes, Thor: Love & Thunder will introduce Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher who, as the title implies, probably isn't planning to invite Thor for a beer.

With Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie, Jaimie Alexander's Sif, and the Guardians of the Galaxy also lined up, Thor: Love & Thunder is already a star-studded event, but if reports are to be believed, the cast will gain another big name - Matt Damon. Having already made an uncredited cameo in Thor: Ragnarok, Damon's return is certainly plausible, but there's no word yet on who he might play. It's also not clear whether Waititi has recruited the Jason Bourne actor for another brief in-joke, or whether Damon has a more substantial part to play in Thor's future.

From reprising a past role to bringing a long-rumored comic character to life, the possibilities for Matt Damon in the MCU are packed with intrigue. Here are the characters Damon is most likely to play in Thor: Love & Thunder.

The Ragnarok Loki Actor

The obvious role for Matt Damon in Thor: Love & Thunder would surely be his existing MCU character. In Thor: Ragnarok, Chris Hemsworth finds Loki on Asgard disguised as Odin. The imposter king is watching a delightfully hammy stage play based on Thor and Loki's past misadventures, with Westworld's Luke Hemsworth (brother of Chris) playing Thor, and a game Matt Damon chewing the scenery as Loki. This glorious cameo proved to be Thor: Ragnarok's best kept secret, and one of the funniest moments in a comically-rich movie, but fans were left to assume that these two thespians either died during the destruction of Asgard, or were slaughtered by Thanos.

Thankfully, a scant few Asgardians survived both tragedies and are currently settled in Norway with Valkyrie as their leader. Of all the random Asgardians populating the MCU, Matt Damon's amateur dramatist is the one fans will be most eager to see again. Perhaps Love & Thunder finds Thor needing someone to impersonate his deceased brother and, recalling the play he endured on Asgard several years prior, Damon's character is recruited as a stand-in Loki.

Thor: Love & Thunder's Matt Damon rumors began when the actor was reported landing in Australia, but New Asgard scenes are filmed in Scotland. This suggests that should Damon reprise his existing MCU character, it won't just be as a New Asgardian fisherman regaling passers-by with his theatrical accomplishments.

The Real Loki (Disguised As The Ragnarok Actor)

Sticking to the actor's own MCU canon, Matt Damon could potentially play the real-deal Loki in Thor: Love & Thunder. Tom Hiddleston's mischievous antihero hasn't been announced for the next Thor installment, and 2012-era Loki now has a Disney+ solo series to worry about, but there's still a place for Thor's adopted brother in Love & Thunder. In the MCU's present day, Loki is presumed dead courtesy of Thanos. Fortunately, the troublemaker has a long history of wriggling free from deadly situations and faking his own demise, maintaining his freedom by magically masquerading as someone else. After the events of Avengers: Infinity War, Loki might've escaped (again) and ran as far as possible from Thanos and his big colorful glove.

As crazy as it might sound, Loki could've chosen the face of Matt Damon as his latest disguise. It makes perfect sense that if Loki wanted to remain inconspicuous, he would adopt the appearance of the unknown Asgardian actor who played him during Thor: Ragnarok's theater production. That way, he has a ready-made excuse should anyone accuse him of being "Loki." Effectively, this would mean MCU fans are treated to the sight of Damon channeling Tom Hiddleston.

Casting Matt Damon as Loki would differentiate Thor: Love & Thunder's version from Hiddleston's on Disney+, but also ensure that Thor's brother continues to have a presence in the series after appearing in all 3 of the God of Thunder's solo movies to date.

Beta Ray Bill

Before Christian Bale was announced as Gorr the God Butcher, many MCU fans had him pegged as a live-action Beta Ray Bill. A popular figure from the Marvel comics, Beta Ray Bill is an alien warrior from the planet Korbin, and has long been rumored to appear in Thor: Love & Thunder. Bill and Thor come to blows when the God of Thunder becomes unworthy, and loses Mjolnir to his opponent. After proving himself in battle, Mjolnir is returned to Thor and Bill is granted Stormbreaker, going on to become a noble defender of the galaxy in his own right. Since Jane Foster is confirmed to be wielding Mjolnir in Thor: Love & Thunder, another character could inherit Stormbreaker, assuming this is the final chapter in Chris Hemsworth's MCU story.

A far cry from his Thor: Ragnarok role, Beta Ray Bill would represent a major addition to the MCU - potentially even a long-term replacement for Thor alongside Jane Foster. Matt Damon's A-list status is certainly befitting of such an important character, and this is a spoiler Marvel will desperately want to guard until at least a trailer release. On the other hand, Thor: Love & Thunder is already packed with stars, and Matt Damon as Beta Ray Bill might be one big name too many for a non-Avengers movie. Given the direction Spider-Man 3 seems to heading in, however, anything is possible.

Jane Foster's New Partner

Chris O'Dowd as Richard in Thor Dark World

In Thor: The Dark World, Jane Foster's romantic life after the God of Thunder is a catalog of disappointments. The physicist is dating Chris O'Dowd's Richard when the film begins - a funny and pleasant enough human but, crucially, not a golden-maned member of the Avengers. Thor: Love & Thunder could pull a similar gag. Jane Foster has been absent from the MCU for over a decade (in timeline terms) and undoubtedly would've moved on romantically in Thor's absence. Because Thor and Jane are destined to reunite, any current boyfriend will be limited to a fleeting presence in Thor: Love & Thunder, and rather than introduce a sympathetic guy the audience feel a little bit sorry for (like Richard), Jane's latest lover could be played for laughs.

Matt Damon would be perfect in this role, and playing "Jane Foster's ex" continues the theme of Damon making ridiculous cameos in Taika Waititi's Thor movies. The character could ditch Jane at the beginning of the movie, making way for the God of Thunder to come crashing back into her life before resurfacing near the end to beg for forgiveness... only to find an Asgardian in his place.

Balder The Brave (Thor's Brother)

A character from the Marvel comics, Balder the Brave is an Asgardian introduced as Thor's friend, but ultimately revealed as his secret biological brother. Originally set to debut in Thor: The Dark World, Balder was cut from the much-maligned sequel and is now rumored to feature in Thor: Love & Thunder instead. With Loki seemingly absent for Chris Hemsworth's fourth MCU solo venture, adding another member to the Odinson family would fill that sibling void, but also allow Thor to explore his lingering grief over Loki's death - an affirmation that there's more to brotherhood than blood and heritage. Since Matt Damon already played one of Thor's brothers (in a fashion), being cast as Balder would continue that joke, and while the role would be more than a cameo this time, Balder doesn't necessary have to be a leading character in Thor: Love & Thunder.

Zeus/Hercules

Before Gorr the God Butcher was confirmed as the main villain of Thor: Love & Thunder, fans speculated that Taika Waititi might introduce Marvel's pantheon of Greek Gods to battle their Norse counterparts in the MCU. Though Bale's character is now confirmed, the Greeks could still appear, as Gorr's butchering presumably doesn't discriminate between the different types of God scattered across the Nine Realms. The likes of Zeus and Hercules have yet to debut in the MCU, and Thor: Love & Thunder could be Phase 4's best chance to bring those Greek deities into live-action. Playing an overblown character like Zeus or Hercules would mark another comedic performance for Matt Damon in the MCU, and he can once again hide underneath a big wig and makeup, forcing the audience to repeat what they uttered when seeing Thor: Ragnarok for the very first time - "hang on, is that Matt Damon?!"

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