Collider ace Jeff Sneider is reporting that Academy Award-winner Christian Bale (
Ford v Ferrari) is currently in talks to join the cast of Marvel Studios'
Thor: Love and Thunder in an undisclosed role.
It's still very early in the casting process, but if his deal closes, this would be a very unexpected - but welcome - return to the world of comic book movies for Bale, after he famously starred in Christopher Nolan's acclaimed
Dark Knight trilogy as the titular hero of Gotham.
Thor: Love and Thunder is headlined by Chris Hemsworth, who will reprise his role as the God of Thunder for the ninth time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with a supporting cast that will feature the fan-favorite Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Natalie Portman as Jane Foster and Taika Waititi as Korg.
Taika Waititi will also return to the director's chair with a screenplay he wrote.
Production is set to begin in August.
Thor: Love and Thunder hammers its way into theaters November 5, 2021.