Christian Bale is set to play a VILLAIN in Thor: Love And Thunder… as co-star Tessa Thompson gushes about Taika Waititi’s ‘exciting’ script
Christian Bale will play a villain opposite Chris Hemsworth’s God of Lightning in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Tessa Thompson, who plays Valkyrie in the Marvel flick, revealed the actor, 46, had been cast as a malevolent as-yet-unnamed character while she attended the season three premiere for Westworld on Thursday.
Speaking to ET, she explained: ‘Christian Bale is going to play our villain, which is going to be fantastic.
New role: Christian Bale is set to play a VILLAIN in Thor: Love And Thunder co-star Tessa Thompson revealed on Thursday, as she gushed about Taika Waititi’s ‘exciting’ script
‘I’ve read the script. I can’t tell you much. Lots of exciting text messages exchanged between Natalie [Portman] and I.’
Gushing about reuniting with Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi, she said they were ‘going to have fun’ and added: ‘Taika is writing [and] directing. Some familiar faces. Some new people coming into the mix.’
Although she kept a tight lip on who Christian would be playing, she did confirm that her character will be King Valkyrie, and teased that she would be in search of a Queen to be by her side.
![Happy: Tessa, who plays Valkyrie (pictured in Thor: Ragnarok), said: 'I've read the script. I can't tell you much. Lots of exciting text messages exchanged between Natalie [Portman] and I'](https://i1.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/03/07/15/25660380-8086113-image-m-103_1583594340212.jpg?resize=634%2C404&ssl=1)
Happy: Tessa, who plays Valkyrie (pictured in Thor: Ragnarok), said: ‘I’ve read the script. I can’t tell you much. Lots of exciting text messages exchanged between Natalie [Portman] and I’
This marks Christian’s debut in the MCU after famously playing caped crusader Bruce Wayne in DCU’s Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
It was revealed at San Diego Comic Con last year that Natalie would return as Jane Foster for the first time since Thor: Dark World in 2013.
The actress will pick up and wield Thor’s hammer Mjolnir, making her the God of Thunder of the Asgardian deity.
Iconic: This marks Christian’s debut in the MCU after famously playing caped crusader Bruce Wayne in DCU’s Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises
Confirming the news with dramatic effect during the convention panel, Natalie came out on stage and was given the Thor hammer, which got a rousing response from the adoring fans.
‘I’ve always had a little hammer envy,” she told the audience, as reported by Entertainment Weekly.
The fourth instalment in the franchise is based on Jason Aaron’s The Mighty Thor comics, which introduced readers to the female Thor.
He’s back! The film is being written and directed by Taika who revitalised the Thor franchise with his hilarious film Thor: Ragnarok (pictured on set, centre)
Natalie was last seen as Jane Foster in a cameo in Avengers: Endgame, though this was reused archival footage that had been cut from Thor: The Dark World which the actress dubbed over for the film.
The Jane Foster character was created by Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber and penciler Jack Kirby, and first appeared in the September 1962 Marvel Comics issue Journey Into Mystery.
Thor: Love and Thunder is expected to be released on November 5, 2021.
Passing the baton: Taika revealed at San Diego Comic Con last year that Natalie Portman will return, as he symbolically passed on Mjolnir hammer to mark her role as female Thor