Thor: Love and Thunder is only a few months away and there is still very little that fans know for certain about the fourth of the god of thunder's solo franchise within the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. With only one trailer released, fans have been left to do plenty of theorizing regarding the film's possible twists and surprises.
Because Marvel Studios has been so tight-lipped about the film as a whole, many fans believe that there may be plenty of fun surprises therein, including possible cameos from Marvel characters other than those already confirmed. As such, there are several characters that make perfect sense to show up in this latest Thor film.
The Grandmaster
Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster stole the show amidst his limited scenes in Thor: Ragnarok, which introduced him as a powerful gamesman with an appetite for gambling and a lofty ego. The character hasn't been seen since his first appearance, other than in a cameo appearance in an episode of What If...?
A character as important as the Grandmaster is certainly intended for far more than a one-off appearance, and if any upcoming MCU film is the best candidate for his long-awaited return, it is certainly Love and Thunder. Returning for more scenes with the same cast and director that first brought him to the big screen seems like the very best bet for Grandmaster's next appearance.
Surtur
Surtur, though a relatively minor character in comparison, is one of the few successful villains in the MCU, whose fate was to destroy Asgard when the day of Ragnarok finally came. As such, the finale of Thor: Ragnarok included the mighty fire demon destroying the Asgardians' home as they watched from a refugee vessel.
Surtur is one of the very small number of antagonists that have not yet been defeated or in some way incapacitated, meaning that he is still free to wreak his chaos throughout the universe. However, given that Love and Thunder's main villain has been revealed to be Gorr the God Butcher, it seems more than likely that the deity will be among one of the early victims of the antagonist, with his death perhaps bringing Gorr to Thor's attention in the first place.
Dr. Darcy Lewis
After a lengthy sabbatical, Kat Dennings returned to the MCU as Darcy Lewis in WandaVision. The character, now sporting a doctorate, had been missing since The Dark World, but now seems to be back to stay.
With Darcy finally back in the franchise, many have wondered if she could reunite with Thor in Love and Thunder after nearly a decade apart. Dennings herself has affirmed that she has already filmed her next MCU project after WandaVision and, though she claims it is not Thor 4, she wouldn't be the first Marvel actor to lie about their inclusion in a highly-anticipated chapter of the Marvel film series.
Dr. Erik Selvig
Stellan Skarsgård's Dr. Erik Selvig was a major contributor to the MCU in its early years, appearing in the first two Thor films as well as the first two Avengers team-ups. Other than a pictorial cameo in Spider-Man: Far From Home, the brilliant scientist has been largely absent from the MCU for quite some time.
Skarsgård's affiliation with the MCU seemed to have come to an end after Avengers: Age of Ultron, as the character has yet to make a return since. However, given Natalie Portman's return as Jane Foster, it wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility for her trusty partner to appear alongside her, reuniting the original Team Thor.
Amora The Enchantress
One major comic character that has yet to be adapted for the MCU is very important in the larger mythology of Thor's life. Amora the Enchantress is a frequent villain of Thor's comics who also happens to be an Asgardian goddess. The character has been a longtime hopeful for fans, some of whom already have some opinions on which actress should bring the Enchantress to life.
The Enchantress is perhaps the most high-profile Thor villain that has thus far been ignored by the MCU. While certain themes regarding the character are evident in the character of Sylvie in the Loki series, fans are still anxious to see Amora herself make her live-action debut. Given that Love and Thunder will evidently deal more heavily with the many gods of various pantheons, perhaps the Asgardian goddess will finally find her place in this franchise.
Khonshu
The Egyptian moon god Khonshu is a new arrival to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, introducing fans to the Egyptian pantheon of gods in the currently airing Moon Knight Disney+ series. Voiced by F. Murray Abraham, Khonshu gives Marc Spector and Steven Grant their powers as Moon Knight and Mr. Knight, respectively.
Moon Knight has opened the door to various other religious pantheons in the MCU in its first few episodes, with Love and Thunder promising to do so to an even greater extent when it finally hits theaters in July. With Christian Bale's villain seemingly hunting down anything that labels itself as a god, many fans have taken to wondering if Khonshu might find himself in Gorr's crosshairs.
Gamora
Zoe Saldaña's Gamora was tragically killed off amidst her father Thanos's search for the Infinity Stones in Avengers: Infinity War. However, with an alternate-reality version of the Guardian left stranded in the MCU following the events of Avengers: Endgame, many fans have been left to wonder when Gamora will be seen next.
Gamora seems like a likely inclusion for Love and Thunder given the involvement of her fellow Guardians of the Galaxy in the film. When they were last seen, Thor and the Guardians were embarking on a mission to locate the missing Gamora, making it seem inevitable that the character will appear in some fashion in their next appearance, even if it is only in a post-credit scene.
Hercules
Hercules is one frequently used Avenger in the comics that has yet to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As both a friend and rival of Thor himself, the character seems like an inevitability in the franchise, with some fans going so far as to begin theorizing about who could play the Hercules for the MCU.
The first trailer for Love and Thunder confirmed the longstanding rumor that the film would be introducing the Greek gods to the MCU, beginning with Russell Crowe's Zeus. However, given the inherent connection between Zeus and his child Hercules, it seems likely, if not certain, that the Avenger will also be making his debut here.
Beta Ray Bill
Beta Ray Bill is perhaps one character from the 90s Marvel comics that fans are most desperate to see join the MCU. The Korbinite superhero is a frequent companion of Thor in the comics and the typical wielder of Stormbreaker. Other than a cameo appearance as one of the heads on the Grandmaster's palace in Thor: Ragnarok, Beta Ray Bill has yet to make his MCU debut.
Fans have been clamoring for Beta Ray Bill to be included in the franchise for some time, and have had to make do with slight references to the character's existence. However, with a director like Taika Waititi at the helm, it seems possible that this bizarre and beloved hero could be on his way.
Loki
Tom Hiddleston's Loki has been a staple of the MCU and the Thor franchise from the very beginning, acting as the perfect foil to his brother. Since the character's death in the opening scene of Avengers: Infinity War, many assumed that the god of mischief would be absent from the fourth Thor film, but this isn't necessarily the case.
To have a Thor film without Loki seems almost like heresy in the MCU. As one of the franchise's biggest breakout stars, Loki is one character that fans cannot get enough of. With the god of mischief resurrected in another timeline, it certainly isn't impossible that he will show up at one point or other in Love and Thunder, even if it ends up being only a minor cameo.