Thor 4 Trailer Reveals First Look at Russell Crowe's Zeus (Photos)

By Richard Nebens Updated:
Thor, Russell Crowe

At long last, the wait is finally over for the trailer that’s been driving fans crazy. Setting the record for the shortest promotional tour in MCU history, Marvel Studios released the first full look at July’s Thor: Love and Thunder, bringing fans a thunderous glimpse into just what the Asgardian warrior is facing in his fourth solo movie.

Even with the trailer being only 89 seconds long, shorter than usual even for a first look, fans saw how wild this new movie will be as it largely featured Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy. The rivalry between two members of the MCU’s Chris trinity continues as Pratt’s Star-Lord brought his sense of humor, all before fans saw Natalie Portman wielding a repaired Mjolnir.

The rest of this movie's cast is as star-filled as any movie in the MCU, with fans still waiting for shots of other characters Christian Bale's Gorr the God Butcher and Jaimie Alexander's Lady Sif.

Also making his Marvel debut in Thor 4 is former DC supporting actor Russell Crowe, who showed just a tease of what he's up to in his move from blue to red.

Russell Crowe Makes MCU Debut

Marvel Studios released the first look at Russell Crowe as Zeus in Thor: Love and Thunder as a part of the movie's long-awaited first trailer.

Russell Crowe, Zeus, Thor: Love and Thunder
Marvel Studios

The trailer doesn't provide a look at Crowe's face, but he's seen holding one of his classic bolts of lightning in a quick shot from Olympus.

Zeus Lightning, Thor: Love and Thunder trailer
Marvel Studios

Before Zeus, the trailer also provided a look at the expansive streets of Olympus within the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the first time. The mythical location even includes an enormous statue of Zeus in the middle of town.

Olympus, Zeus statue
Marvel Studios

The shot then moves to Zeus' domain, which is adorned with gold as far as the eye can see. The camera slowly zooms in toward the entrance to Zeus' throne as fans get a look into how expansive Olympus truly is.

In the comics, Olympus exists in a pocket dimension outside of the MCU's home universe, similar to how the Egyptian gods do in Moon Knight.

Zeus Castle, Thor: Love and Thunder trailer
Marvel Studios

The full 89-second trailer can be seen below, with Crowe coming in at the 52-second mark:

 

The Mighty Zeus Arrives in the MCU

Russell Crowe is obviously no stranger to superhero projects, as he played an important role as Superman's father, Jor-El, in 2013's Man of Steel for the DCEU. He even has some notable history with similarly themed historical movies from his leading role in 2000's Gladiator, although this puts the actor into a role with a whole new kind of power.

At the moment, it's unclear how big Crowe's role will be in this movie, even considering how Marvel showed a tease for him in Thor 4's first trailer. It seems that fans will spend at least a chunk of the plot in Olympus with how expansive and lavish the area is in its first MCU screen time, meaning that Crowe may get to flex his new Marvel muscles for more than just a few minutes.

Of course, with Zeus being a God, his very existence is in real danger due to the fact that Thor 4's villain boasts the title of "God Butcher." But for now, fans wait to see more of what Crowe will bring to the table alongside this film's other major gods as he brings the lightning down alongside Thor's thunder.

Thor: Love and Thunder will debut in theaters on July 8.

- In This Article: Thor: Love and Thunder
- About The Author: Richard Nebens
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.