Thor: Love and Thunder is gearing up to introduce a ton of new characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and director Taika Waititi is touting the film’s villain as the best yet.
The MCU has played host to a ton of iconic villains over the years including arguably the most popular to date, Thanos. While speaking to AP News, Waititi shared that he believes among these characters, MCU newcomer Gorr the God Butcher — who will be played by Christian Bale — stands above them all.
“It’s a great, really fun, weird little group of heroes, a new team for Thor with Korg, Valkyrie and The Mighty Thor. And, in my humble opinion, we have probably the best villain that Marvel’s ever had in Christian Bale.”
This won’t be the first time that Bale has taken on a role in the superhero movie world, though it will be his first as a villain. The star previously played Batman in DC’s Dark Knight trilogy of films and is believed to have been one of the best to don the suit.
Outside of superheroes, Bale has an impressive acting resume including an Oscar-winning performance in 2010s The Fighter. The star is also known for his roles in American Psycho, The Big Short, and Vice.
While the anticipation is building, fans will have to wait before they can see how Bale performs in this integral role. Thor: Love and Thunder is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on July 8.