The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a behemoth force in the entertainment world, with acclaimed projects on both the small and silver screens. One of the most hotly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is Chris Hemsworth’s upcoming fourth Thor movie. And Thor: Love and Thunder filmmaker Taika Waititi had a very on brand response to Russell Crowe on set.
Thor: Love and Thunder has a lot going for it, including the Guardians of the Galaxy, Natalie Portman’s (jacked) Mighty Thor, and some new characters. One of those newcomers is the great Russell Crowe, who is going to have a role as Zeus in the upcoming blockbuster. And while speaking with EW about the upcoming Marvel flick, Taika Waititi hilariously revealed his reaction to seeing the Gladiator star at work. In his words,
I consider Russell a friend, and I forget that there are some friends I have who are really incredible at what they do. When I was on set with Russell, I was like, 'Oh shit, that's right! You're Russell Crowe! You're a really amazing actor!'
Sometimes an actor’s reputation precedes them. But other times they can catch directors off guard with their talent. The latter is what happened with Taika Waitti and Russell Crowe while on the mysterious set of Thor: Love and Thunder. It’s unclear how significant of a role Crowe will have as Zeus, but fans were delighted to see a glimpse of the actor in the movie’s first teaser trailer.
With every new story from the set, it’s more clear that Thor: Love and Thunder truly had a star-studded set. It’s already exciting that Natalie Portman returned as Jane Foster and the Guardians of the Galaxy had a role, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg to what Taika Watiti has up his sleeve. There’s also a role from Russell Crowe, as well as appearances by Melissa McCarthy, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neill.
The cast and crew of Thor: Love and Thunder have been keeping their cards close to the chest, but more information should presumably come as the blockbuster gets closer to its release this summer. It seems like the story could go seemingly anywhere, with Chris Hemsworth’s title character exploring the cosmos while also seemingly connecting with his Asgardian roots. Enter the OG God of Thunder, Russell Crowe’s Zeus.
As a reminder, you can check out the first teaser for Thor: Love and Thunder below. While Russell Crowe’s face isn’t visible, there’s a brief shot that seemingly shows off Zeus. Although whether it’s a flashback or in the current timeline remains a mystery.
One possible reason for Zeus’ inclusion is related to Thor: Love and Thunder’s mysterious villain. Christian Bale is playing Gorr the God Butcher, and his name pretty much says it all. Unfortunately, Bale was noticeably absent throughout the movie’s first teaser trailer. Taika Waititi and Kevin Feige are definitely making the fandom earn any future of the upcoming sequel.
Thor: Love and Thunder is currently expected to arrive in theaters on July 8th, 2022. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
