With Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness just around the corner, it's easy to forget that there's another big Marvel Studios blockbuster right after it: Thor: Love & Thunder. After all, there hasn't even been a trailer yet, so general audiences might not even know it exists. But, it does, and with it, not only will it bring a new Thor to the table in Natalie Portman's Jane Foster, but also a terrifying new villain in Gorr the God Butcher, portrayed by Academy Award winner Christian Bale.
In the comics, Gorr is an alien with a personal vendetta against Gods, claiming them to be useless, and accusing them of never actually listening to, or caring about, those who pray to them. Armed with a sword with connections to the Venom symbiote, the God Butcher lives up to his name, crossing names off his hit list.
For his live-action debut, Christian Bale will bring Gorr to life. The only look at the character fans have received to date has been photos of Bale from afar on set. While many thought the look could have been unfinished, with CGI to be added in later, it seems that isn't the case—at least according to some newly leaked images of the upcoming Marvel Legends wave for the project.
Christian Bale's Gorr Revealed
Thanks to leaked pictures of upcoming figures for Thor: Love and Thunder, uncovered by Murphy's Multiverse, fans now have their first official look at Christian Bale's Gorr the God Butcher.
The bundle of Marvel Legends toys showcases characters such as Ravager Thor, King Valkyrie, and Star-Lord. One of the seven boxes shows Gorr, the villain of the piece.
The MCU's adaptation of the big bad is fairly different than his comic counterpart. While he has sunken eyes and has a black sword, the similarities all but start there.
A higher resolution image (via Instagram account stark_collections) shows off the figure's likeness to Christian Bale.
The side of the packaging features promotional imagery of the best look at what Bale's villain will look like when he terrorizes Thor on the big screen.
There's no head tentacle in sight, and all of the black coloring in Gorr's outfit in the comics is absent.
Gorr's Questionable Look
Right off the bat, many fans are likely now scratching their heads in regards to some of the design choices which were made. It doesn't seem all that faithful to comics, with the biggest exclusion being the head tentacles—a rather important distinguishing factor. Bale's villain even has robes on; why not make them black? He almost looks like a marble statue come to life.
However, it's important to keep in mind that these photos aren't the highest of quality, and are of a Marvel Legends figure. The final product on screen could look dramatically different, especially when it is in motion.
The all-white look is certainly a choice. Hopefully, despite some probable hesitancy with the design amongst fans, Christian Bale does more than enough to convince audiences that Gorr will be a villain worth remembering.
There's a very disturbed and cult-like look to him. This adds up to who the character is, even if it leans in a slightly different direction than the source material. Hopefully, his sword, All-Black the Necrosword, will be just as powerful and important as it was in its original appearances; one might even dream that it'll even tease Knull, God of the Symbiotes.
Thor: Love and Thunder releases on July 8.
