THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER Star Tessa Thompson Confirms Christian Bale Is Playing The Movie's Villain

We've heard rumours that The Dark Knight star Christian Bale will play an "intergalactic villain" in Thor: Love and Thunder, and Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie) has now confirmed that is indeed the case...

By JoshWilding - Mar 06, 2020 05:03 PM EST

Filed Under: Thor: Love and Thunder

Thor: Love and Thunder is still a long way off, but a lot of details have already been revealed about Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok sequel. We know that Natalie Portman is going to reprise the role of Jane Foster to become the Mighty Thor, while Valkyrie is going to find her Queen after the God of Thunder appointed her the "King" of New Asgard.

Now, actress Tessa Thompson has revealed that she's read the screenplay for Love and Thunder, and confirms that Ford v Ferrari and former Batman Christian Bale is the film's big bad.

"Christian Bale's gonna play our villain, which is gonna be fantastic," she confirms in the video below. "Yeah, it's gonna be good." There's still no word on which comic book baddie Bale is playing, but it's previously been reported that his character will be "intergalactic" in nature.

That doesn't exactly narrow things down, of course, and the prevailing theory among fans thus far is that he must be playing the monstrous Dario Agger (who was a huge part of Jason Aaron's The Mighty Thor, a comic book series that's clearly inspired Waititi's return to the MCU).

Hear more from Thompson in the player below:

To find out who we think the actor could be playing in
Thor: Love and Thunder, hit the "Next" button below!

Cul, God Of Fear

Introduced in the disappointing Fear Itself storyline as "The Serpent," Cul is Odin's brother and was locked away by the King of Asgard eons ago to protect the world. Jason Aaron gave him something of a makeover, though, and as Asgard's de facto ruler, he proved to be a real thorn in the side to Jane Foster's Thor.

While Asgard was destroyed in Thor: Ragnarok, Cul being able to return now Odin is dead does make sense and he would make a formidable first foe for Jane and a legitimate challenger to Valkyrie's rule. It's easy to imagine Bale having fun with a character like this one as he would nail Cul's eccentricities, while also getting to take on a comic book role vastly different to Bruce Wayne.

Balder

Balder has been overlooked in the MCU from the very start, but it's about time Thor's half-brother gets the chance to shine. He's another character who could challenge Valkyrie's claim to the throne and exploring his dynamic with the God of Thunder would make for a fun subplot as the main spotlight is shifted to Jane Foster.

If you're looking for someone capable of more than holding their own alongside Chris Hemsworth and chewing the scenery in the process, then Bale is a perfect choice to inject some life into a character who would definitely need to be fleshed out and freshened up for the big screen.

Beta Ray Bill

Following the news that Bale is potentially going to join the cast of Thor: Love and Thunder, Beta Ray Bill started trending, and that's because fans are desperate to see this hero in a live-action setting. The actor taking on a mo-cap role like this one wouldn't be a bad thing, and this would definitely be a casting decision no one would have ever considered.

Whether Taika Waititi can find room for Bill in Thor: Love and Thunder is another matter, but it would be a lot of fun seeing this alien butt heads with the new and old Gods of Thunder. Sure, he's a pretty weird character, but that's part of his charm and he's definitely worthy of an MCU debut.

Minotaur

Of all the characters listed here, Bale playing Dario Agger seems most likely. The CEO of the Roxxon Energy Corporation, Agger also has the ability to transform into the Minotaur and is a truly despicable individual who didn't shy away from doing whatever he damn well pleases to increase his wealth (including making a bargain with Malekith the Accursed).

One of the main villains during Jason Aaron's Thor run, Bale would be able to channel his American Psycho character for this role and play a vicious and hateful bad guy who is a far cry from the Caped Crusader. He also happens to look the part - the human part, that is - so don't be shocked if this does end up happening in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Hercules

There were rumours that Hercules would be introduced in Eternals as the MCU's first openly gay superhero, but there have been no indications that there are any plans for the character there. Plus, it's always going to be tricky using an established mythological figure like Hercules, especially when we've seen so many iterations of the Greek demigod on film over the years.

It's admittedly a little difficult to picture Bale rocking a "costume" similar to the one above, but Marvel Studios frequently reinvents characters and we could see the actor get to really stretch his comedic chops with Hercules. Plus, he'd get to kick a lot of butt alongside the God of Thunder!

Galactus

How cool would this be? We know that the X-Men don't factor into Marvel Studios' current five-year plan, but concepts and characters from both that world and that of the Fantastic Four are clearly going to show up before then. That leaves plenty of room for the Eater of Worlds to make his presence felt in the MCU, starting with Thor: Love and Thunder.

It's hard to say exactly what role he could play in the proceedings, but putting Bale in that suit would be no bad thing, particularly as it would mean he's playing the MCU's next big villain. Replacing Josh Brolin as Thanos will be no easy feat, but Bale as Galactus would be worth getting excited about.

Gorr The God Butcher

As powerful as Galactus, Gorr's sole purpose in life is to destroy all Gods across the Multiverse as he believes they are inherently cruel and not worthy to rule. Taika Waititi gave some of his powers to Hela in Thor: Ragnarok (to an extent, anyway), but there's really no reason he couldn't show up here to terrorise the God of Thunder and try to finish Asgard once and for all.

You need someone as talented as Bale to play a character such as this, as he has to be more than just another destroyer looking to take down Thor because he feels wronged in some way (just look at how underwhelming Malekith was for that very reason).

Mephisto

While it's definitely surprising that Mephisto has yet to make an appearance in the MCU, it's also hard to imagine where he could have shown up before now. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is one possibility, of course, but Nightmare seems a far more likely candidate for that film and so Thor: Love and Thunder is perhaps the next best place for him.

In the comics, Jane Foster becomes Thor after the Odinson is deemed unworthy of wielding Mjolnir. What if, in the MCU, she makes a deal with Mephisto to save herself from the cancer that's killing her and steals Thor's powers in the process? That sounds a lot like a devil's bargain, and you just know that Bale would steal the show as this delightfully weird version of the devil.

Mister Hyde

We're betting you weren't expecting to see this guy here, right? Inspired by the famous Jekyll & Hyde novel, Calvin Zabo concocted a similar formula. Repeated use of that destroyed his sanity and turned him into a savage schizophrenic creature and he's fought everyone from Thor to The Avengers over the years (he also served as a member of the Thunderbolts for a time).

On the one hand, Bale would be wasted on a character like this one, but on the other, he could do something really different and unique with this quirky villain. Don't get us wrong, this probably wouldn't be our first choice, but as left field suggestions go, you have to admit that it could work.

Thunderstrike

In the comics, Eric Masterson was an architect bonded with Thor after the hero was punished for killing Loki. While Thor was eventually freed, Eric was given an enchanted mace by Odin as thanks for his service and took on the mantle of Thunderstrike. That would all likely have to be changed for the big screen, but this is a character with some potential.

After all, while he's not exactly an overwhelmingly popular character, he was a member of the Thor Corps alongside Beta Ray Bill and seeing that group on screen could be awesome. Bale playing a rival Thor isn't necessarily the most exciting possibility for this movie but it's one which could work if it's handled correctly.

What are your thoughts on these suggestions for Christian Bale's possible role in Thor: Love and Thunder? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below.

THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER Concept Art Reveals Comic-Accurate Version Of Christian Bale's Gorr The God Butcher

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66 Comments

1 2

WeaponXCII - 3/6/2020, 5:05 PM

SonOfAGif - 3/6/2020, 6:02 PM

@WeaponXCII - Mephistopheles?

WeaponXCII - 3/6/2020, 6:30 PM

@SonOfAGif -

Ronan3Accuser - 3/6/2020, 6:38 PM

LongMayHeReign - 3/6/2020, 5:06 PM

So many fanboys said he would never degrade himself by joining the MCU, just as they did with Raimi. Their pain pleases me!

MCUKnight11 - 3/6/2020, 5:13 PM

@LongMayHeReign - Don't they ever get tired of being wrong?

LongMayHeReign - 3/6/2020, 5:21 PM

@MCUKnight11 -

OmegaDaGrodd - 3/6/2020, 5:31 PM

@LongMayHeReign -

Eternal mood

LongMayHeReign - 3/6/2020, 5:39 PM

@OmegaDaGrodd - A more perfect gif there is not! Well done sir!

manofillintent1 - 3/6/2020, 5:10 PM

HeavyMetal4Life - 3/6/2020, 5:10 PM

Ronan3Accuser - 3/6/2020, 6:36 PM

Spidey91 - 3/6/2020, 5:11 PM

I guess he lived long enough to become the villain 😬

L0RDbuckethead - 3/6/2020, 5:12 PM

@Spidey91 - underrated comment

Spidey91 - 3/6/2020, 5:14 PM

@L0RDbuckethead - I'm surprised to be the first to make the reference to be honest 😅

GhostDog - 3/6/2020, 5:15 PM

@Spidey91 -

Henri Ducard: When you lived among the criminals, did you start to pity them?

Bruce Wayne: The first time I stole so that I wouldn't starve, yes. I lost many assumptions about the simple nature of right and wrong. And when I traveled, I learned the fear before a crime and the thrill of success. But I never became one of them.

MyCoolYoung - 3/6/2020, 7:39 PM

@BlackBeltJones - amazing. I loved this movie. My personal favorite in the trilogy

Doomsday8888 - 3/7/2020, 12:02 AM

@Spidey91
Based.
Hehehe came here to say this! :P

GhostDog - 3/6/2020, 5:11 PM

Please Gorr.

But Dario would be fire too

L0RDbuckethead - 3/6/2020, 5:12 PM

The Cosmic Wonder channel is speculating Warlock or Silver Surfer. But who knows.

ThorArms - 3/6/2020, 5:38 PM

@L0RDbuckethead - Warlock could make sense as I think they'd want Bale's face front and center for most of the time.

JonC - 3/6/2020, 6:22 PM

@L0RDbuckethead - The Cosmic Wonder makes up stuff just to get clicks on YouTube... you should look over his track record.

L0RDbuckethead - 3/6/2020, 6:28 PM

@JonC - Will do, thank you for the info! New to his YT channel

MosquitoFarmer - 3/6/2020, 5:12 PM

F*** yes!

Ronan3Accuser - 3/6/2020, 6:40 PM

Reeds2Much - 3/6/2020, 5:14 PM

Forget speculation, Bale is the kind of actor that has so much range that he could show up as Enchantress and it'd be believable.

GhostDog - 3/6/2020, 5:18 PM

@Reeds2Much - Odinson, we are meant to be

Luigi - 3/6/2020, 5:16 PM

I hope he's Galactus.

ThorArms - 3/6/2020, 5:37 PM

@Luigi - Yeah I'm thinking something like this. I think we'll be seeing him in more than just one film

RegularPoochie - 3/7/2020, 3:50 AM

@Luigi - galactus will never be a one movie villain. He should be like thanos and build up 3-4 phases

1 2

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THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER Star Tessa Thompson Confirms Christian Bale Is Playing The Movie's Villain

We've heard rumours that The Dark Knight star Christian Bale will play an "intergalactic villain" in Thor: Love and Thunder, and Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie) has now confirmed that is indeed the case...

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