Thor: Love and Thunder will feature a terrifying villain in the form of Gorr the God Butcher. The character is set to be portrayed on screen by Christian Bale, an actor who is best known for his roles in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, Vice, Rescue Dawn, and American Hustle. The anticipation surrounding Bale's Marvel debut has been sky-high, especially after director Taika Waititi revealed that Gorr is the studio's best villain ever according to test audiences.
While Gorr is expected to unleash his wrath over different Gods in the film, Love and Thunder lead star Chris Hemsworth noted that the villain "has a truthful motivation" and that audiences will be able to "understand why he's been tipped over the edge and why he's gone down this path."
Marketing for Thor 4 has been hyping up Bale's MCU arrival through promo images and concept art ahead of his first on-screen appearance. Ultimately, the film's second trailer officially unveiled the first footage of the villain, giving fans a peek at the character's impressive yet terrifying design.
Now, ahead of the film's premiere, the process behind Bale's transformation into the bald villain has been revealed.
Thor 4 Photos Unveil Christian Bale's 'Bald' Process
Thor: Love and Thunder makeup artist Bart Mixon shared a new batch of behind-the-scenes photos from the movie, showcasing the process of how Christian Bale went bald for his role as Gorr the God Butcher.
Mixon first confirmed that Bale was unable to shave his head for the sequel's reshoots, unlike during principal photography. As a result, a bald cap was required for the actor:
As Mixon revealed, Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi expressed excitement upon seeing Bale's bald prosthetic, saying “that looks great - now we no longer need bald people!”
The veteran makeup artist also mentioned that Odd Studios created Bale's prosthetic that allowed the actor to turn into the menacing Gorr:
The prosthetic is a realistic recreation of someone's head, making it more believable that Bale is actually bald:
In his Instagram post, Mixon said that the crew "mostly worked" on Bale's stunt double while also revealing that the actor had "two days worth of shooting" during reshoots.
Of course, Bale is no stranger to prosthetics since the actor already spent four to eight hours a day in the makeup chair on the Vice set to portray Dick Cheney. It seems that his transformation into Gorr is not a problem for the Batman Begins actor:
Christian Bale's Dedication to Thor 4 Villain Role
Christian Bale's rigorous transformation into Gorr the God Butcher is a welcome sight for Marvel fans, mainly because it exemplifies the actor's dedication to the role. The fact that Bale also shaved his head for the role during principal photography also cements his love for the character.
Similar to Bale's Gorr, there are other MCU stars who have had experience in lengthy makeup chair sessions.
Dave Bautista, who portrays Drax of the Guardians of the Galaxy, initially spent three to five hours of makeup on the first film before trimming it down to 90 minutes by using a "shirt" for his arms and upper body. Meanwhile, Zoe Saldana, who plays Gamora, transforms into her green-skinned character for three hours through intensely detailed work from two makeup artists.
Based on previous reports about Bale's portrayal of Gorr, signs indicate that the character is set to have a strong MCU debut. It is unknown if Gorr will return after the events of Thor: Love and Thunder, but the villain is poised to have a memorable performance that should be enough to leave a mark in the eyes of many Marvel fans.
Thor: Love and Thunder is set to premiere in theaters on July 8.
