The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always growing, and Phase Four looks like it’s going to be a wild one. One of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder, which marks the first time a superhero has been given a fourth solo movie in-universe. And a Thor comic writer has some assuring words about Christian Bale’s Gorr The God Butcher in Love and Thunder.
Gorr will seemingly be the main antagonist in Thor 4, marking Christian Bale’s return to the comic book genre. He was noticeably missing from the first teaser trailer for the movie, but comic book purists are already having concerns over how the actor’s appearance after seeing his look via merchandise. Thor comic writer Jason Aaron recently addressed concerns on his website, specifically the fact that Bale will seemingly have a more human nose than the comic book counterparts. As he put it,
And we haven’t even gotten the first official look at the movie version of Gorr the God Butcher yet. I’ve seen some concerns online about Gorr’s design, based off glimpses of the character’s action figure. As the guy who co-created him, along with Esad, I’ll just say that it wasn’t Gorr’s nose (or lack thereof) that made him the tragic and deeply disturbed God Butcher that he was. Trust in the face of Christian Bale. Need I remind you, it’s a pretty goddamn talented face.
Well, there you have it. While comic book purists often juge superhero movies based on how closely they resemble the source material, Jason Aaron doesn’t seem quite as precious about his work being adapted for film. And he doesn’t mind if said adaptation puts a spin on the Gorr the God Butcher’s appearance– especially with the great Christian Bale in the role.
The MCU is known for taking liberties with its innumerable characters, especially related to how comic book costumes/appearances are brought to life in live-action. Thor and Guardians of the Galaxy usually have the wildest designs, and smart money says Gorr will be no exception. Even if the VFX artists didn’t have to edit Christian Bale’s nose out of every shot ala Voldemort in Harry Potter.
While Christian Bale might not have a non-human nose in Thor: Love and Thunder, the merchandise revealing his look shows that he’ll still have Gorr’s signature white skin and monstrous appearance. His name definitely carries some weight, and I can’t wait to see just how powerful the new villain is, and what type of threat he’ll be to Chris Hemsworth’s title character.
While Gorr was absent, the first trailer for Thor: Love and Thunder still piqued the interest of the fans. This is especially true thanks to the footage of the Guardians of the Galaxy, as well as the first reveal of Natalie Portman’s Mighty Thor. In the meantime, the next installment in the MCU is Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which is already selling well at the box office.
Thor: Love and Thunder is currently expected to arrive in theaters on July 8th, 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
