At San Diego Comic-Con this summer, Marvel Studios heavily teased that the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok would feature some ties to the famous comics storyline Planet Hulk - specifically by putting the green monster's gladiator armor on display on the convention's main floor. Now we have yet another significant hint that the 2017 blockbuster will be taking a page from that famous arc, as director Taika Waititi has teased the introduction of a key Planet Hulk character:
Taika Waititi recently posted on Instagram what appears on the surface to be a random photo of a rainbow colored keyboard - but the four letter word printed on the pedal should mean a lot to comic book fans. In addition to being a notable music equipment brand, Korg is also the name of an alien character in Marvel Comics who was first introduced during Greg Pak, Carlo Pagulayan and Aaron Lopresti's Planet Hulk event series. And this seems to confirm that he will be brought into the live-action realm for Thor: Ragnarok.
A member of the Kronan race, Korg basically looks like a giant rock monster - and that's not super far from the truth, as his body is composed of an alien silicon-based substance that makes him incredibly strong and durable. When he is introduced, he is like Hulk in that he is kept as a prisoner on a world that is not his own, and forced to fight as a gladiator for entertainment. He winds up becoming a very important ally to Hulk, and ultimately helps him conquer the planet Sakaar.
If you've been paying attention to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you may also recognize that Korg's appearance in Thor: Ragnarok won't be the the first time that a member of the Kronan race has appeared on the big screen. Those of you will remember that the God of Thunder squared off with one of these aliens in the opening battle scene of Thor: The Dark World (and won quite easily thanks to the power of Mjolnir).
The fact that Taika Waititi's Korg tease suggests that fans keep an eye on the director's Instagram page suggests that it may not be too long before we learn more about the character's part in Thor: Ragnarok. Maybe we can expect a casting announcement soon? Whatever it winds up being, you can be sure that we will have the news for you as soon as it breaks.
Thor: Ragnarok is now in production in Australia, and will be in theaters on November 3, 2017.
