Some might be surprised by this news, while others might see it as an inevitability. But nevertheless, we’re here to inform you that a new report exists that says Christian Bale is in talks to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the upcoming “Thor: Love & Thunder.”
Yep, the man who many believe is the greatest actor to ever put on the cape and cowl as Batman is on the precipice of joining the biggest superhero universe to ever exist on film.
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According to Collider (confirmed by THR), Bale is in talks to join Taika Waititi’s upcoming ‘Thor’ sequel, which is likely going to begin filming at the end of the summer. The exact role is yet to be revealed, but Bale is set to star opposite returning actors Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Tessa Thompson in the film.
As mentioned, Bale is probably best known, at least to comic book fans, as the actor who played Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, in the three Christopher Nolan films. However, he’s also one of the very best, most highly-decorated actors working today. He is just the latest acclaimed actor to join the MCU, following in the footsteps of people such as Angelina Jolie (“Eternals”), Jake Gyllenhaal (“Spider-Man: Far From Home”), Jude Law (“Captain Marvel”), and many more.
In fact, when you just look at the ‘Thor’ franchise alone, we’ve seen actors like Anthony Hopkins, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgard, and the aforementioned Portman join the franchise over the years. So, the addition of Bale is, at once, surprising but also not, given the pedigree that has come before him.
As for the role, obviously we can speculate. The common-sense answer is that Bale is likely going to be the villain of the film, whomever that eventually becomes. That seems to be the way that many of these A-listers join the MCU. Show up for a film, do an incredible villain performance, and walk away a fan-favorite.
“Thor: Love & Thunder” arrives in theaters on November 5, 2021.