The Suicide Squad has taken the world by storm and has brought Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn back to the public eye for quotes, theories, and soundbites. Gunn, however, is not the only MCU vet on that press tour making waves in the MCU news cycle.
Idris Elba plays Bloodsport in the new DCEU flick and deepens his resume with even more comic book movie experience. Despite being a character in the Thor franchise for over 10 years, The Suicide Squad holds Elba's first lead role in the superhero realm.
Elba does not forget his roots. After five brief appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Heimdall is a fan-favorite supporting character who is often labeled as a name that deserves more MCU screen time.
After addressing the Asgardian gatekeeper's "death" in Avengers: Infinity War in a previous interview, Elba now gives fans a sliver of hope for a possible Heimdall return.
IDRIS ELBA IS A SUPERHERO
In a recent interview with Ash Crossan of Entertainment Tonight, Idris Elba joined The Suicide Squad co-star Daniela Melchior and was asked if he had been paying attention to the multiversal work being done in the MCU. Crossan pointed out that Elba joined director James Gunn in working for both the red and blue brands, and she is starting to believe that we haven't seen the last of the all-seeing Heimdall.
Elba's response shows he is aware that the door in the comic book movie world is never really closed, emphasizing that Heimdall "still exists" in the multiverse of the MCU:
"I mean, you know, I think that the constraints of the superhero universe are none, so everything is possible. And I think that, you know, Heimdall is an amazing character, and still exists."
It appears that Elba is very open to returning to his tenured MCU role and perhaps has even been part of discussions to reprise the character. The only question - will Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios construct a way to bring Heimdall back?
SEEING EVERYTHING THROUGHOUT THE MULTIVERSE
When Thor was first announced in 2010, there was a slew of unknown actors attached to the role that raised the eyebrows of movie critics of the time. Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman drew a sizable crowd, but Idris Elba joined Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston as relatively unknown faces in major roles for the film.
Since then, Elba's star has shined as bright as anyone with roles ranging from "black Superman" in Hobbs & Shaw to portraying civil rights hero Nelson Mendela. This is all despite being a side-character at best in his involvement with his most lucrative franchise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Even though his character did not receive as much screen time as the actor's name may suggest, Elba delivered memorable performances as Thor's best friend and the gatekeeper of Asgard. Either in stoic monologues or powerful action scenes, Heimdall is vital to the Thor franchise and plays an important role in every installment.
This led to an emotional and impactful death at the hands of Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. Sacrificing himself, Heimdall uses the last of his power to send Hulk back to Earth to warn of the Mad Titan's arrival.
Bringing a character with such an important death back into the fold has proven to be a less-than-favorable move in the eyes of the fans. But, with shows like Loki and movies like Black Widow, Marvel Studios has not only shown they are capable of posthumous stories being told, but that they aren't afraid to make it happen.
The lore of Asgard has left a lot to be desired in the MCU, and a Heimdall Disney+ series would be an interesting way to tell those stories. If something like that every comes to fruition, Idris Elba seems to be down to strap on the 'ol gold contacts for more galactic adventures.
