Credit: WB Studios / Man of SteelFan anticipation for director Taika Waititi’s follow-up to Thor: Ragnarok (2018) is reaching critical levels. The director is credited with saving the Thor franchise after the dismal performance of Thor: The Dark World (2013) and Marvel fans are holding their breath for every detail about Thor: Love and Thunder (2022).
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The plot has been a tightly kept secret, even though photos from the Australian set have been leaking left and right. And, the leaks have gotten it again, forcing the Marvel movie to confirm that Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind) has been cast in an unnamed role after the Oscar winner and his girlfriend Britney Theriot were spotted in recent photos hanging out with the cast a few days ago.
Thor: Love and Thunder is thankfully not one of the films that were delayed yet again after Black Widow was pushed back to July 9th, 2021. Thor is set to hit theaters on February 11, 2022, and has been in production for some time now.
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Chris Hemsworth will return as the god of thunder, alongside much of the cast from Guardians of the Galaxy, including Karen Gillen (Nebula) and Chris Pratt (Peter Quill/ Star-Lord). Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) was confirmed to become the Mighty Thor at 2019’s San Diego Comic-Con.
And, Taika Waititi said Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie may find her queen (rumored to be Lena Headley of Game of Thrones fame), but nothing has been confirmed. Christian Bale (Batman Begins) is also confirmed to make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as the villain Gorr the God Butcher.
Who could Russell Crowe be?
Not much is known about what role the Man of Steel actor could play in Thor: Love and Thunder. One rumor is that he could be playing the fake version of Odin, who was previously played by Sam Neill (Jurassic Park). This rumor stems from the fact that Matt Damon, who played fake Loki, was already spotted on set.
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Another possibility making the rounds is that Crowe will be playing Jane Foster’s father. In The Mighty Thor comic, Jane develops cancer, and it is only by picking up Thor’s hammer, Mjölnir, that she is able to mitigate the symptoms by becoming the female Thor. Since the newest Marvel movie will be delving more deeply into her character, it makes sense that they would choose to introduce some of her extended family.
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One of the best theories out there is that Crowe will play fan-favorite character, Beta Ray Bill. Marvel fans have been begging for Beta Ray Bill to make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut since he may have been spotted in the Collector (Benicio del Toro)’s showroom back in Guardians of the Galaxy (2018) — plus, his head was carved into the Grandmaster (Jess Goldblum)’s tower in Ragnarok.
Crowe’s background in the Academy Award-winning film The Gladiator would make him a perfect Beta-Ray Bill, at least as a voice actor.
Let us know in the comments below you think Russell Crowe could be the MCU?