The MCU’s Nordic God of Thunder is finally meeting up with his Greek counterpart in Thor: Love and Thunder, but some comic book fans seem to be of the opinion that Zack Snyder did a much better job of portraying him in live-action through Justice League.
The latest trailer for Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder has just given us our first look at Russell Crowe’s Zeus. Much in the same way as almost every other facet of a Waititi-led movie, this version of Zeus will be silly to the bone, most probably quipping his entire way through his supposedly limited screen time and serving as just another comic relief tool in Love and Thunder‘s long list of cameo and surprise appearances that have been tailored towards the same sense of lighthearted and waggish fun.
Alas, it seems that a lot of folks are taking issue with this version of the Olympian thunder god, and the debate once again boils down to a rather nonsensical comparison between the DCEU and the MCU. More specifically, fans are comparing Zack Snyder’s Zeus to Russell Crowe’s fully fleshed-out character, unhappy with the fact that they turned him into a “joke.”
In case you missed it, Taika Waititi’s Ragnarok became as successful as it was due to the very same demystification of Thor and leaning into comic elements. Love and Thunder is only the continuation of the character arc that started in 2017, so we should hardly be surprised that the movie is going down that same path, tonally speaking.
Besides all of that, it’d be hardly fair to compare Russell Crowe’s fully-fledged side character to Sergi Constance’s extremely brief cameo role in Justice League now, wouldn’t it?
Thor: Love and Thunder, the next movie in the MCU’s Phase Four lineup, is making its way to theaters on July 8.