Following Variety’s scoop that seems to have outed the villains of next year’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, Marvel themselves have now made a major announcement regarding one of their blockbuster movie releases next year, Thor: Ragnarok. Issuing a press release today, Marvel Studios confirmed the lead actors for next year’s third Thor movie, some of which were leaked in advance, though some are also a complete surprise that Marvel somehow managed to sneak around nosy reporters and scoopers!
Alongside the inevitable return of Chris Hemsworth as the title character, and the previously-confirmed Mark Ruffalo reprising his role as Bruce Banner/The Hulk (thus explaining why Thor and Hulk are absent in the current Marvel movie release, Captain America: Civil War, as it’s confirmed that Thor: Ragnarok takes place around the same time as that movie), Marvel confirmed that Cate Blanchett, as rumoured, will be portraying the movie’s villain, the first-ever female lead villain in a Marvel Studios movie (excluding supporting villains like Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy and Ellen Brandt in Iron Man 3), and that she will indeed be portraying Hela, the Marvel Universe’s goddess of the dead. Marvel also confirmed reports that Tessa Thompson will be portraying Valkyrie, a warrior maiden and a potential new love interest for Thor, while also re-affirming that Natalie Portman will not be returning as Jane Foster, due to very little of the movie taking place on Earth. Previously, it was also reported that Stellan Skarsgard and Kat Dennings will not return as Dr. Erik Selvig or Darcy, respectively either.
The complete surprises for Thor: Ragnarok’s lead cast come in the form of Jeff Goldblum and Karl Urban, joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the first time as two familiar personalities from various Thor comics. Goldblum will portray The Grandmaster, a mysterious and comical being that is one of the oldest beings in the entire Marvel Universe, and is considered to be a master of all games and strategy. Urban, meanwhile, will portray Skurge, better known as the Marvel Comics character, Executioner, a long-time Thor villain who eventually reformed and became a hero of sorts. While it’s likely that he will be a villain and an enforcer for Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, it’s unknown exactly which moral affinity Urban’s Skurge will fall on for now.
Finally, Marvel confirmed that Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins and Idris Elba will reprise their roles as Loki, Odin and Heimdall, respectively. Curiously, Jaimie Alexander wasn’t included in the press release, despite being expected to return as Sif in the movie. Fortunately, Alexander appeared to suggest on Twitter that Sif will have some sort of role in Thor: Ragnarok, even if her exact role in the movie, along with most of the returning actors, has yet to be established.
Thor: Ragnarok will hit theatres on November 3rd, 2017.
Keep smashing Eggplante for all major news and updates on Thor: Ragnarok, and other movie projects in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.