Thor: Love and Thunder may see the return of a dead MCU character

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Will Idris Elba return for Thor 4?

Thor 2
(Image credit: Walt Disney Studios)

Could Idris Elba make an appearance in Thor: Love and Thunder? A recent Instagram post from director Taika Waititi suggests so.

Waititi posted pics on Instagram of himself and Elba with the All Blacks rugby team in New Zealand. Due to Covid-19, New Zealand currently has tight border restrictions, so it seems unlikely that Elba is just there for a quick trip – so could he be working with the Thor: Ragnarok director?

Elba played Heimdall, who seemed to die in Avengers: Infinity War – but resurrection would hardly be the most outlandish thing to happen in the MCU. Plus, Valhalla is a big thing in Norse mythology, so we may see him in the afterlife or in a flashback. 

“Listen, Heimdall is essentially part of the god family. So you know, he essentially could be alive. I’m just saying! I’m just putting it out there,” Elba said in an interview last year. “The Heimdall character goes way back into, you know, the Thor mythology. And I’m sure there will be an interesting way to bring that alive. Of course I would [return]. Yes.”

Thor 4 will reportedly have an Avengers-style ensemble set-up, so we’re sure we can expect plenty of old (and new) faces. We know Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson and Natalie Portman are definitely back in their respective roles of Thor, Valkyrie and Jane Foster, while Christian Bale will also feature in a mysterious new role and Chris Pratt will reprise his MCU role of Star-Lord. 

Thor: Love and Thunder is due to hit cinemas on February 11 2022. In the meantime, you can catch up with the MCU on Disney Plus – here’s how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

Emily Garbutt
Emily Garbutt
Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related. I help bring you all the latest news, features, and reviews, as well as helming our Big Screen Spotlight column. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.