Warning: SPOILERS lie ahead for Thor: Love and Thunder.

After having made a surprise appearance in the film, Idris Elba has commented on Heimdall's Marvel Cinematic Universe future after Thor: Love and Thunder. Elba made his MCU debut in 2011's Thor as the sole protector of the Bifröst, the gateway to the various reaches of the universe, and as the closest ally and friend to Chris Hemsworth's titular character in Asgard. The Golden Globe winner would reprise his role in five other films, including 2018's Avengers: Infinity War, in which he was killed by Thanos after successfully sending Mark Ruffalo's Hulk back to Earth to warn the titular superhero team, and in the Disney+ animated series What If...? as a variant of himself.

Hemsworth returned to lead the cast of Thor: Love and Thunder as the God of Thunder in his quest to find inner peace, only for it to be upended when Gorr the God Butcher sets out on his own journey to eliminate all gods in the universe. Alongside Hemsworth, the film saw the MCU returns of Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Jaimie Alexander as Sif, Natalie Portman as Jane Foster and Taika Waititi as Korg, as well as co-writer and director, and marked the franchise debuts of Christian Bale as Gorr and Russell Crowe as Zeus. Though receiving mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike, Thor: Love and Thunder paved the way for a number of new paths for the MCU and one star is sharing their thoughts on what the future may hold for them.

Related: Marvel’s Valhalla Explained: Can [SPOILER] Return?

While speaking with Collider for his upcoming action-thriller Beast, Idris Elba opened up about his possible MCU future. The Heimdall actor confirmed his interest in returning to the fold following his surprise appearance in Thor: Love and Thunder and teased how he could appear in the future. See what Elba shared below:

“Pretty much his whole sort of like arsenal of gifts have been tapped into one way or another. He’s all-seeing, you know. But he’s quite a warrior. We’ve seen him as a warrior as well, and he has an immortality around him and that would be something that we haven’t really explored so that I think may be interesting. Hey, listen, you know, the Marvel world is ever-expanding. You just never know.”

Idris Elba as Heimdall in Avengers: Infinity War

Despite his death in Avengers: Infinity War, Elba returned in Thor: Love and Thunder's post-credits scene, greeting Portman's Jane Foster to Valhalla after she succumbed to her cancer after taking up the Mighty Thor mantle for the final fight against Gorr. Not only did this leave many audiences reeling at the happy-sad nature of her fate, but those familiar with the comics understood how it left the door open for Jane to return and opened the door back up for Heimdall to also come back from the dead. In the comics, Jane was resurrected with the help of Thor, Mjolnir and Odin after being greeted by the latter upon arriving in Valhalla and though Heimdall greets her instead in the Thor: Love and Thunder post-credits scene, Anthony Hopkins' Odin did ascend to Valhalla in Thor: Ragnarok, creating the possibility for him to assist his son in reviving his love.

With Elba hinting at Heimdall possessing some form of immortality within the MCU, it seems likely that the character could further return following his appearance in Thor: Love and Thunder, especially given the credits confirmed Hemsworth's hero would be back, much to the surprise of the star and Waititi. Outside of Heimdall and Foster, audiences are also eager to see what could come from the introduction of Brett Goldstein's Hercules and the teased fight between him and Thor in the future. In the meantime, audiences can catch up with Elba's Heimdall return as Thor: Love and Thunder is still in theaters.

Source: Collider

Key Release Dates