Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson recall Christian Bale's intense presence as Gorr the God Butcher on the set of Thor: Love and Thunder. Director Taika Waititi follows up Sam Raimi's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness with the MCU's second big-screen offering for 2022. Thor: Love and Thunder will continue the God of Thunder's personal story in the franchise post-Infinity Saga, but it will also see the return of Natalie Portman's Jane Foster, who now assumes a new superhero persona as the Mighty Thor.

Love and Thunder will find Hemsworth's Thor taking a step back from the superhero life in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame. However, his quest for inner peace will be short-lived thanks to the emergence of Gorr the God Butcher. Bale makes his MCU debut in Thor: Love and Thunder, and his role as Gorr is one of the most anticipated elements of the film. Aiding in this excitement are the stories that have begun to emerge about Bale's work on set, as revealed by his Love and Thunder co-stars Hemsworth and Thompson.

In an interview for D23 Magazine's Spring 2022 issue (via The Direct), the MCU vets talk about how Bale conducted himself while working on Thor: Love and Thunder. Hemsworth cites how the Gorr actor's presence would be palpable when he walked on set. Meanwhile, Thompson teases how Bale found the balance between playing a really frightening villain in a fairly lighthearted film. Read both of their full comments below:

Hemsworth: The rest of us would be in our world of improvisation, comedy, and fun - then he’d walk on set, and we’d all look at each other and say ‘Oh, my God! This is really intense. This is really scary.''

Thompson: (Bale) toed this really great line, because he needs to be terrifying, but he also needs to work in the context of our colorful, snappy, irreverent world.

Details about Gorr's role in Thor: Love and Thunder are still scant at the moment. However, based on what's revealed thus far in terms of official marketing, it appears as if Marvel Studios and Waititi are sticking closely to his comic book motivations. For the uninitiated, he harbors a grudge against the gods after suffering a personal tragedy, and he makes it his life's mission to exact revenge against them. Bale is known for his dedication when it comes to taking a role, whatever it may be. So when it was first announced that he was joining Thor: Love and Thunder, many got excited about what he can bring to the film and the MCU as a whole. So far, much of the conversation around the character is focused on Gorr the God Butcher's appearance, but that makes sense Marvel Studios is keeping specific information about him under wraps.

Waititi previously said that Bale's Gorr is the best MCU villain for him. That's a pretty bold claim considering that the franchise has seen the likes of Thanos, Killmonger, and even Loki. But it isn't that farfetched to think that this may be the case given Bale's acting prowess. Based on Hemsworth and Thompson's respective quotes, it seems like the actor fully embraced his villainous role and delivered on that front. If he indeed turns out to be one of the great MCU bad guys, hopefully fans will see more of him beyond his debut in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Thor: Love And Thunder (2022)
Release Date: Jul 08, 2022