Working in the world of superhero franchises isn’t for everyone, and there’s a good number of folks that have turned down offers from even the like of Marvel Studios when asked to render their unique services. Sometimes even those who are working in that industry sound like they don’t want to be in it anymore, as was what seemed to be the case with Idris Elba and his role as Heimdall in the Thor series of films.
At least, that’s what it felt like until a recent interview saw Idris Elba clarifying that not only is that not true, but he’s optimistic that he could come back from his character’s fate in Avengers: Infinity War to make it happen. When asked if he’d reprise this particular performance, Idris Elba gave this very specific answer:
Of course. Listen, Heimdall is essentially part of the god family. So you know, he essentially could be alive. I'm just saying! I'm just putting it out there. The Heimdall character goes way back into, you know, the Thor mythology, And I'm sure there will be an interesting way to bring that alive. Of course I would. Yes.
Last seen in the opening to Avengers: Infinity War, Josh Brolin’s Thanos murdered Heimdall after the guardian of the Bifrost used his powers to send Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk to Earth. He was then pierced through the heart, via a weapon wielded by Thanos, thus ending the life of Elba’s character.
Though despite not having seen Avengers: Endgame, as he told an ABC Radio station in an interview, Idris Elba is confident that bringing back the Asgardian gatekeeper is a solid move in the future. Which to some may seem to fly in the face of previous press opportunities the star had taken to highlight what he was not particularly happy with in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
While Idris Elba has previously gone on record as complaining about previous MCU shoots, he’s never said that he wouldn’t want to be a part of the Thor or Marvel experience altogether. In fact, his complaints were more limited to specific moments of his time filming Thor: The Dark World, which if it filmed as well as it was watched by fans, was probably a living nightmare.
Furthermore, the Hobbs and Shaw star has even said that he’d like more action to engage in when it pertains to Heimdall’s specific role.
Even if Idris Elba somehow found himself so upset with Marvel Studios that he’d even dreamed of leaving it all behind, this is apparently the era where those sorts of hatchets are being buried. Just ask Natalie Portman, who participated in Thor and Thor: The Dark World, but didn't return for Thor: Ragnarok. And yet, six years after her last substantial appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she’s returned and ready to be a new Thor herself in director Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love And Thunder, as well as lent her likeness to this year’s Avengers: Endgame.
That scenario right there is proof that anything is possible, so long as Marvel and the stars align in an arrangement that works for everyone. So don’t be surprised if Idris Elba’s Heimdall returns to Asgard in the future. However, it's worth remembering that Elba does still have a book in the comic book movie realm, as he's set to appear in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad.
In the meantime, you can enjoy Avengers: Endgame on Digital HD, 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD. Idris Elba fans can also take part in his latest non-Marvel antics, with Hobbs & Shaw currently in theaters.
