The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has brought a plethora of gripping storylines, plot twists, and cliffhangers to viewers’ screens, embodying the most loved aspects of timeless comics and canon installations. One of the most iconic Marvel characters is Thor, the powerful Norse god, and the upcoming movie has ignited a flurry of excitement amongst avid fans.
Thor: Love and Thunder is about to show just how far this hero has come, leaving anticipating fans on the very edge of their seats. But, with so many events occurring in past installations, there is no shortage of questions concerning which characters will star beside Thor in his adventures and battles.
- Chris Hemsworth as Thor
- Natalie Portman as Doctor Jane Foster/The Goddess of Thunder
- Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie
- Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher
- Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord
- Dave Bautista as Drax
- Zoe Saldana as ‘Alternate Timeline’ Gamora
- Vin Diesel as Groot
- Bradley Cooper as Rocket
- Jeff Goldblum as The Grandmaster
- Jaime Alexander as Sif
- Taika Waititi as Korg
- Karen Gillan as Nebula
- Sean Gunn as Kraglin
- Pom Klementieff as Mantis
- Russell Crowe as Zeus
- Matt Damon as actor Loki
- Liam Hemsworth as actor Thor
- Sam Neill as actor Odin
- Melissa McCarthy as actor Hela
The character and cast lineup for Thor Love and Thunder features plenty of MCU classics, as well as some well-known faces that are new to the MCU world. Stick around to find out everything you need to know about the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder movie, as well as which of your favorite Marvel heroes and heroines are expected on screen.
Every Confirmed Thor: Love and Thunder Character
Thor: Love and Thunder was initially set for release on November 5th, 2021, but it is now scheduled to be released on July 8th, 2022, and there have been quite a few teaser snippets and an awesome trailer.
But, fans are begging to know what to expect as there hasn’t been much in terms of official sneak-peaks and behind-the-scenes information.
Without further adieu, below are all of the confirmed characters appearing in Thor: Love and Thunder so far, as well as what fans can expect from each character.
Thor (Chris Hemsworth)
The iconic Asgardian God of Thunder, Thor, will of course be played by Chris Hemsworth. Thor had seen better days throughout the last few MCU installations, but he’s set for a new style and weapon in Thor: Love and Thunder.
There has been a flood of concept art regarding his new look and feel, and it’s known that he’ll be more powerful than ever before – ‘Fat Thor’ will not be taking the stage this time. A possible leak from Marvel Studios showed Thor flaunting armor in new colors – blue, silver, and golden yellow, as well as a well-need helmet.
But, in reality, his new getup in Thor: Love and Thunder flaunts armor similar to previous installations in combination with this concept style, featuring his classic red cape and a blend of the new colors throughout his new armor.
Thor has also been seen sporting a new casual look throughout sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes footage during shoots, dressed in a reddish leather jacket, blue jeans, and white t-shirt. He is set to now wield the Stormbreaker, a powerful axe-type weapon that’s far heftier than his infamous hammer.
Doctor Jane Foster/The Goddess of Thunder (Natalie Portman)
One of the biggest factors of Thor: Love and Thunder is the prospect of seeing Jane in her new form, empowered with god-like energy and forces topped with an amazing new look. Jane Foster, soon to be known as The Mighty Goddess of Thunder, is being played by the one and only Natalie Portman.
She agreed to return to the Thor saga after a single meeting with the director, where she requested her role and character to be reinvented. Thankfully, fans have been itching to see ‘Lady Thor, the Goddess of Thunder’ for ages, and we’re all excited to see what her new form has in store.
Fans have flocked to the drawing boards and come up with concepts based on the comic version. However, an apparent Marvel Studios leak discussed on Reddit displayed a poster that details the potential for her new aesthetic. It appears she will flaunt a look very similar to comic versions, with a red cape, blonde-ish hair, and legendary helmet.
It is known that she will wield Thor’s magical hammer, Mjolnir, as Jane reveals herself as Mjolnir’s new wielder, the Goddess of Thunder, after she catches the repaired variant, previously crushed by Hela’s bare hands. She will also be far more buffed up than her Doctor Jane Foster form, with Natalie Portman stating that she’s gaining surprising strength with her new training regimen.
The official teaser trailer does feature a very brief glimpse of Thor and a new love interest. But, there’s no denying that Jane has always held the most precious place in Thor’s heart. Fans are simply dying to see what type of dynamic Jane’s new look will bring, as well as whether it may pose the prospect of a rekindled romance between Jane and Thor – Let’s hope, Thor and the Goddess of Thunder would be an epic Marvel power couple!
Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson)
Valkyrie has been an iconic addition to the Thor saga for ages, and she will be starring in Thor: Love and Thunder as well. This character is the new ruler of Asgard, and also happens to be one of Thor’s best lifelong friends.
The role will still be played by Tessa Thompson, with the potential for a new look and style. Tessa Thomspon revealed some details about the upcoming movie, stating that it is set to take place following the events of Avengers: Endgame.
She highlighted an important yet unexpected aspect of the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder in an interview with TheWrap, stating that the MCU is about to touch on some well-needed topics. While MCU character sexuality has only included minor references to LGBTQ+ to date, the Valkyrie character is bisexual, and Thomspon highlighted Thor: Love and Thunder‘s details as follows:
We talk so much about representation and obviously, in terms of the LGBTQIA community, there’s still so much work to be done. But if you look at the comics in the canon, there are so many queer characters! It’s hard because Taika and I would’ve even liked to go further, but in the context of the movies, there’s only so much we can do. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of time invested in love stories in Marvel movies in general. I think that will be a little different on the new Thor, which is exciting. And getting to play a character that historically is not written for somebody that looks like me, all of that felt exciting.
Gorr the God Butcher( Christian Bale)
Gorr the God Butcher, the villain of Thor: Love and Thunder, is being played by Christian Bale, the former Batman star. Gorr ends up gaining divine powers due to a series of unfortunate events in the comics, and he then embarks on a mission to rid the universe of all gods.
However, there have been some issues regarding Gorr’s appearance on screen, as the MCU does not always match up with the details outlined in canon comics. Gorr the God Butcher will still be going after Thor and other gods in Thor: Love and Thunder, but his motives will be adapted to revolve around Celestials.
Some on-set images of Gorr were leaked, showing Christian Bale in his new menacing silver ensemble. He is known for his love of transforming himself into each of his roles, so it will be interesting to see him as Gorr on screen.
Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt)
Avengers: Endgame concluded with Thor being in the company of the MCU’s most well-loved misfits, The Guardians of the Galaxy. Chris Pratt has confirmed that he will be playing Peter Quill, the Star-Lord, in Thor: Love and Thunder.
In addition, Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt were spotted on the Thor: Love and Thunder set in Sydney, which were shared on Twitter thanks to Daily Mail. They were seen in full costumes for the first time since filming commenced, with Star-Lord sporting his classic Guardian getup.
Drax (Dave Bautista)
Dave Bautista has been quite comical about his ‘potential’ return to the MCU, with very strong hints that he will indeed be playing Drax in Thor: Love and Thunder. However, since he has been unsure if confirmation is actually allowed, he chose to neither confirm nor deny – with a sly chuckle.
Bautista also stated “…Well, assuming that I went to Australia to shoot for Thor 4…”, which is rather obvious, but he did not want to upset anyone at Disney. Although he hasn’t given us a definitive confirmation in words, there is over enough evidence to suggest that he will be playing Drax in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Gamora (Zoe Saldana)
It may come as a surprise to know that Gamora will be appearing in Thor: Love and Thunder. But, it does come with a twist since Gamora from the known MCU timeline was killed in the events of Avengers: Infinity War, at the hands of Thanos.
The Gamora in Thor: Love and Thunder is from a different timeline, but is still being played by Zoe Saldana. Having come from a different timeline, this Gamora is unfamiliar with the rest of the Guardians team, aside from Nebula, her sister.
Gamora’s fate is still unclear, and Zoe Saldana opened up about her bittersweet return in an interview with Empire Magazine via Slashfilm. She referenced Gamora’s complex story in the MCU, and she outlined that the character will have much to unravel and understand along with Thor: Love and Thunder‘s audience.
Groot (Vin Diesel)
Vin Diesel is returning as Groot in Thor: Love and Thunder, notably taking the role of Teen Groot. The loveable character can be seen standing beside the other returning Guardians of the Galaxy in the new teaser trailer.
But, Diesel informed USA Today that fans can expect a very different version compared to previously witnessed counterparts. Groot has taken on many forms throughout his lifecycle, and many fans are now wondering what could possibly come next.
Apparently, the Groot being featured in Thor: Love and Thunder is in fact known as ‘Alpha Groot‘, and Diesel promised that fans are going to lose their marbles over the new and improved version. While Vin Diesel predominantly does the voice acting for the CGI character, it was revealed that he’ll also be doing the motion capture performance for Groot in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Considering Vin Diesel’s buff, rough, and tough build and physical stature, this new role says quite a lot. If his physicality is necessary for embodying ‘Alpha Groot’s’ new structure and power, then Marvel fans are definitely in for quite a surprise.
Rocket (Bradley Cooper)
Rocket Raccoon has been adored by nearly all Marvel fans ever since he first hit screens worldwide. This fluffy but not-so-friendly hero has been virtually attached to Groot for ages, and while there hasn’t been any official word on Bradley Cooper’s Rocket, it’s expected that he’ll star in Thor: Love and Thunder alongside the other Guardians of the Galaxy characters.
Sean Gunn shared a picture of himself in front of the Sydney Opera House around the same time as the Thor: Love and Thunder shoot in Australia. This has been taken as confirmation that he’ll be doing the motion capture work for the Rocket role, with Bradley Cooper providing the character’s voice.
The Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum)
It is expected that the Grandmaster from Ragnarok will be played as Jeff Goldblum. However, the actor informed TechRadar that he “couldn’t say anything about anything” back in November 2021.
Similar to Bautista’s stance, this may be due to the fear of upsetting the higher-ups, as it’s been assumed that most actors can only reveal their involvement in Thor: Love and Thunder as a result of a leaked image or on-set photographs. Although, it is assumed that he will return to this role.
Sif (Jaime Alexander)
Lady Sif had been absent from the Thor saga for quite some time, although she was responsible for various heroic deeds and iconic victories throughout the MCU’s timeline. But, she is set to take the stage in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Actress Jaime Alexander has teased her return as Lady Sif in Thor: Love and Thunder. She posted a few images of herself on Instagram, sporting her lady Sif attire from previous Thor movies, further sparking the already bubbling hype for the upcoming movie.
Korg (Taika Waititi) (and Miek!)
After Korg’s initial appearance in Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame, he’s become a favorite amongst countless MCU fans. To everyone’s relief, Taika Waititi has confirmed that he will be taking on the role of Korg in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Waititi did also mention that Thor: Love and Thunder will delve into Korg’s background and history, stating the following:
We do touch on Korg’s culture. Where he’s from… if you look in the comics about Kronans, it’s an interesting thing about where they come from.
Miek will be standing beside Korg, as the two were last seen in Avengers: Endgame spending time with Thor in New Asgard. There hasn’t been much information on Miek’s casting and character plans for Thor: Love and Thunder, but the director has teased some surprising developments for Miek.
Nebula (Karen Gillan)
Nebula, the villain turned Guardian, will appear in Thor: Love and Thunder, being played by Karen Gillan. She is the only familiar accompaniment to Gamora in Thor: Love and Thunder, making her incredibly important for the character’s development and personal journey.
Karen Gillan arrived in Australia around the same time as the Thor: Love and Thunder shoot, seeming to confirm that she was a part of the shoot as well. She was also seen on set with behind-the-scenes leaked photographs, amongst other characters.
Kraglin (Sean Gunn)
Kraglin started off as a supportive second-in-command for Yondu in Guardians of the Galaxy, after which he transformed into an ally for these loveable misfits. It has been confirmed that Kraglin will be returning in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Nebula and Kraglin behind the scenes of Thor: Love and Thunder
— Thor: Love and Thunder News (@lovethundernews) February 1, 2021
(via Daily Mail) pic.twitter.com/2QRDzED5uf
Kraglin will be played by Sean Gunn in Thor: Love and Thunder, sporting a dark red and black getup. Both Kraglin and Nebula were spotted in some behind-the-scenes images of a Thor: Love and Thunder shoot via Daily Mail, which were posted on Twitter.
Mantis (Pom Klementieff)
Mantis will be appearing in Thor: Love and Thunder and will be played by Pom Klementieff. Although it’s expected that the character will not be as prominent as others.
Alongside Nebula, Mantis is expected to have a lesser role in the upcoming movie. This suspicion is based on the fact that both Pom Klementieff and Karen Gillan left Australia after only a short time shooting, while actors like Chris Pratt, Sean Gunn, and other Guardians of the Galaxy actors remained on set.
Zeus (Russell Crowe)
A new addition to the MCU is Russel Crowe, who (according to Entertainment Weekly) revealed that he will be playing Zeus in Thor: Love and Thunder. The world of the Norse will finally coincide with Greek mythology for the first time on screen.
The character’s background story has fascinating implications for the heroes in the MCU, but incorporating additional deities from Olympus has been somewhat inevitable. Zeus made his debut in Marvel Comics back in 1949, taking the stage in Venus #5 aka Zeus Panhellenios.
Including Zeus in Thor: Love and Thunder will open up a whole new world for the MCU, potentially opening the door to a barrage of cosmic beings, Olympian deities, and much more. With Gorr the God Butcher posing massive threats to all gods, Zeus will likely take the role as an ally in Thor: Love and Thunder.
‘Actor’ Marvel Characters in Thor: Love and Thunder
Although some characters are set to appear in Thor: Love and Thunder, a few of these roles will be cast in a different light. This is due to various events that occurred in past MCU installations, and although fans may be disappointed to watch a Thor movie without certain stars, the new cast members are sure to bring a comedic twist to an already promising premise.
Actor Loki, Thor, Odin, and Hela
To some MCU fans’ dismay, the mischievous yet loveable trickster died in Avengers: Infinity War. But, as it was shown in Endgame and Loki’s own TV show, Loki is still alive in the MCU Multiverse.
As a result, the classic Loki played by Tom Hiddleston will not be appearing in Thor: Love and Thunder. However, ‘Actor Loki’ will be played by the internationally adored Matt Damon, although he will not be embodying Loki’s role as one might expect.
Thor: Love and Thunder will feature some cameos for Luke Hemsworth as Thor, Sam Neill as Odin, Melissa McCarthy as Hela, and the abovementioned Matt Damon as Loki. Their casting will involve an in-movie play that retells the story of Asgard, making them more ‘Joke Actors’ rather than those actually playing the Marvel characters’ roles.
Fans have been pumped to see what Thor: Love and Thunder has in store ever since it was initially announced, and although more time has passed than expected, the hype only continues to build. We’ve been gifted with some useful insight into the upcoming movie’s cast and premise, and from what’s been revealed, Thor: Love and Thunder is set to be at the top of every MCU lover’s watchlist.
