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Christian Bale’s role as Gorr, the God Butcher in Thor: Love and Thunder, had everyone buzzing—until it didn’t. As soon as Bale was cast as the iconic MCU villain, fans expected a show-stealer. After all, this guy gave us one of the most unforgettable performances as Batman. But when the movie dropped, it quickly became clear: while Bale did elevate the character, his experience playing Gorr was much less thrilling than we might have imagined.
Bale’s first hurdle? The costume. “I did have a look briefly and said, ‘He’s got a G-string on. Nobody wants to see me like that,’” Bale recalled, sounding as mortified as anyone would if faced with a Gorr-like wardrobe choice. Add to that the fact that Gorr in the comics was a muscle-bound powerhouse, and Bale—who was shooting a film where he was pretty skinny—wasn’t exactly keen to rock those muscles. “You can’t compete with Chris (Hemsworth) when it comes to being muscular anyway,” he added, likely imagining the monstrous Hemsworth on-screen and thinking, “Yeah, no contest.”
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But Bale wasn’t about to let that stop him. He worked with director Taika Waititi to take Gorr’s look differently. Instead of the typical muscle monster, they envisioned him as a more Nosferatu-style menace, with a sinister, supernatural vibe. Bale wanted Gorr to resemble Nosferatu or the terrifying monster in Aphex Twin’s Come to Daddy video. Sure, it was an unconventional take, but who doesn’t love a little weirdness when it comes to villains?
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Then came the real kicker: the material. While Bale’s portrayal of Gorr was undoubtedly chilling, the film didn’t give him nearly enough screen time to let his character fully breathe. Gorr was meant to be a complex figure—a man whose faith was shattered, leading him to become a vengeful force of nature. But instead of diving deep into that tragedy, the film chose to focus on a more whimsical tone, overshadowing Gorr’s darker, more nuanced journey.
Despite the potential, Bale felt underwhelmed. The fans who did appreciate his performance were left longing for more, especially when Gorr’s grand, emotional arc barely had room to unfold. In fact, Bale admitted that his decision to join the MCU wasn’t entirely his own. “This is the only film that my entire family has said I have to do,” he revealed. It turns out it was his kids who pushed him into the role. And honestly, as fans, we can’t be mad about that one.
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But no matter how hard Bale tried, Thor: Love and Thunder couldn’t give Gorr the space he needed. What should have been an intense, tragic villain arc became just another side plot lost in the chaos of the movie’s over-the-top tone. Bale delivered a chilling, multifaceted Gorr, but the MCU, unfortunately, couldn’t quite make him the centerpiece he deserved to be.
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