The second full trailer for Marvel Studios’ 29th film, Thor: Love and Thunder, was released just over a month after the start of the MCU’s shortest promotional tour ever. While Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman’s return was much anticipated, Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher seemed to steal the show.
Even before it was announced that he would play the main villain in Thor 4, there was a lot of anticipation surrounding Bale’s MCU debut as Bruce Wayne and Batman in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. It was only through merchandise like Funko Pops! that fans could get a glimpse of his Gorr the God Butcher persona, and the excitement was building exponentially.
There were also nods to Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor and The Watcher from What If…? in this second Thor 4 trailer, which fully fleshed out Bale’s terrifying villain, making him one of the MCU’s most fearsome new characters. Now that the latest MCU antagonist has been revealed, fans are expressing their reactions on social media, and it doesn’t appear that anyone is disappointed in the least.
Reviews of Christian Bale’s First MCU Appearance
First, look at Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher in Thor: Love and Thunder’s second full-length trailer. Following the premiere of the trailer, fans took to Twitter to express their feelings, the majority of which were positive.
@KadenChevatewa described Thor 4 as “an absolute blast!” and is excited to watch Christian Bale take on his villainous role.
THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER looks like an absolute blast!
The new trailer gave it a feel akin to 80’s high fantasy.
I can’t wait to see Christian Bale wreak havoc as Gorr the God Butcher. pic.twitter.com/DpPYJGhQXH
— Kaden (@KadenChevatewa) May 24, 2022
Meanwhile, @KhameekJ03 calls Bale’s look “fucking insane”
https://twitter.com/KhameekJ03/status/1528916864654614528?s=20&t=IKHG1aAJ02B5_hkKLmFJyg
Another fan @ManofTomorrow22 feels Gorr The God Butcher “really is a terrifying villain.”
I take it all back. Christian Bale's Gorr the God Butcher really is a terrifying villain. #ThorLoveAndThunder #gorrthegodbutcher pic.twitter.com/c5sdP6Ox9T
— Kristopher Cornileus👑 (@ManofTomorrow22) May 24, 2022
We are not sure if the next comment is a positive or negative one, but @JasonGuy89 compares Christian Bale’s character look to Marilyn Manson.
Christian Bale's Gorr looks like Marilyn Manson pic.twitter.com/Gc8OBuuXRZ
— Jason The Knight (@JasonGuy89) May 24, 2022
In a response to a Tweet asking about personal opinions on Gorr’s design, @Nordicnerdy expresses his disappointment.
Biggest dissapointment ever :/ he shouldn't look like a dude. I wanted big, scary, god killing alien. Not Bale with some white fave paint. Bale is amazing casting but I don't think he can out act such a poor design
— ~Nordicnerdy~ (@Nordicnerdy) May 24, 2022
On the same thread, @Shanetdevans titles Bale’s look as “Dollar Store Voldemort”
Dollar Store Voldemort
— NerdyCraftsmith 🤓 (@Shanetdevans) May 24, 2022
Another negative reaction came from @kingmonke215.
I’m honestly not excited. Thor not seeming to take Gorr seriously is a very bad sign. Even Christian Bale can’t save a disrespectful portrayal lmao
— D (@kingmonke215) May 24, 2022
Christian Bale Makes a Big First Impression
Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi previously described Gorr the God Butcher as Marvel’s best villain to date. Even if that’s a tall order, the first look at Christian Bale certainly gives him a shot at that title.
When Thor 4 premieres in full in a few weeks, he’ll be sporting his comics-inspired look, even though his head and body are currently missing the classic tendrils. In the meantime, Marvel’s latest trailer shows one of the most terrifying villains the company has ever depicted, especially in black and white.
Despite the fact that this isn’t the last time fans will see Bale’s Gorr, it gives them a taste of what they can expect from the MCU’s fourth Thor villain, following Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, Christopher Eccleston’s Malekith, and Cate Blanchett’s Hela. Bale’s new role, if the early reaction is any indication, has a lot of fans eager to see what he does.
