Thor 3 wants Cate Blanchett, could she be playing Valkyrie?

Marvel's casting process grows more and more unexpected with every phase of its cinematic universe. According to a new report from Variety, Cate Blanchett is now in talks for a leading role in Thor: Ragnarok. This latest addition to the MCU might strike fans as an unusual choice for the realm of comic book movies, but then again, she did don the pointy ears more than once for Peter Jackson's Middle Earth sagas.

Oscar-winner Blanchett is currently riding a wave of critical acclaim for her turn in Todd Haynes' Carol, for which she's expected to land an Oscar nomination. It wouldn't be the first time Marvel has sought actors typically associated with 'prestige' movies - after all, Thor's previous two outings included Anthony Hopkins, Idris Elba and Christopher Eccleston. Likewise, Doctor Strange has snagged a raft of actors whose names regularly appear on awards ballots - Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Rachel McAdams.

As for Blanchett's involvement in Thor 3, the details are thin on the ground as she's still in the process of hammering out a deal. Earlier rumors claim that Marvel is looking to cast Valkyrie in the movie, an old pal of Thor's from the comics. With THR adding that the studio is after "a bad-ass female", it could be that the Aussie actor is gearing up for a super-powered, kick-ass role.

Directed by Taika Waititi, written by Stephany Folsom and starring Chris Hemsworth as the Norse God of Thunder, Thor: Ragnarok opens in the UK on October 27, 2017 and in the US on November 3.

Images: New Line Cinema, Marvel

Gem Seddon is GamesRadar+'s west coast Entertainment News Reporter, working to keep all of you updated on all of the latest and greatest movies and shows on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. Outside of entertainment journalism, Gem can frequently be found writing about the alternative health and wellness industry, and obsessing over all things Aliens and Terminator on Twitter.