'Thor: Love And Thunder' Will Feature Russell Crowe

The Thor: Love and Thunder cast now includes Russell Crowe. Crowe's role is being kept secret, and it's assumed that it won't amount to more than a cameo. Still, the actor has been confirmed to appear in the Taika Waititi-directed Marvel Studios sequel, which stars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Chris Pratt, Jaimie Alexander, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, and maybe even Jeff Goldblum, too.

Chris Hemsworth recently posted a pic of himself at the NRL derby at Sydney Olympic Park, and in the post, he offered special thanks to Russell Crowe. The Australian news source News.com.au confirmed that Hemsworth was using Crowe's private box at Stadium Australia. This immediately led people to start speculating that Crowe might be involved with Thor: Love and Thunder, which is currently shooting in Australia.

Now, Deadline has confirmed that Crowe is indeed in the movie. We have no idea who Crowe is playing, and Deadline stresses his role is a "cameo," but there you have it. Love and Thunder is shaping up to have a series of cameos – Melissa McCarthy was also recently spotted on set, filming what seems to be a scene that recreates events for Thor: Ragnarok. That Thor film featured actors in a play recreating elements of the Thor franchise, and it's a good bet that this film will follow suit. Does this mean Crowe will pop up in the play scene? Perhaps! Feel free to speculate wildly! It's also worth noting that Jeff Goldblum, who played the Grandmaster in Ragnarok, was also spotted at the game with Hemsworth and director Taika Waititi, which could imply that Goldblum is coming back for the sequel as well.

We don't have all the plot details for Thor: Love and Thunder, but we know the story will involve characters from the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, as Chris Pratt, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, and Sean Gunn are appearing in the film. We also know that Natalie Portman's Jane Foster will become the new Thor at some point, approximating a storyline that appeared in the Thor comics. And Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie, as the new King of Asgard, is going to go in search of a queen.

While I kind of want Crowe to have a bigger role here beyond a cameo, I'm digging the idea of having him show up in the film in some form. The Thor series has turned into a surprisingly fun saga thanks to Waititi's work and Hemsworth's considerable comedic timing, and Love and Thunder looks like it's shaping up to be something special.

Thor: Love and Thunder arrives on May 6, 2022.