Part of the magic of Thor: Ragnarok is the amount of silly fun director Taika Waititi manages to imbue into the superhero film. From a rock monster who’s revolution fizzled and failed because he “didn’t print enough pamphlets” (Korg), to Jeff Goldblum coyly playing a slave-owning, war-mongering Grandmaster, to the deliberate overuse of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Immigrant Song’, the 17th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe offers non-stop hilarity. But, the silliest and most memorable part of the movie happens within the first ten minutes: the film’s parody of its own predecessor, Thor: The Dark World.
Canonically a theater production written by and for Loki (disguised as his father Odin), the parody pokes fun at the melodrama of that previous Thor film. Suitably, then, the pastiche’s key characters are portrayed by some outstanding cameos: Matt Damon as Loki, Sam Neill as Odin, and Luke Hemsworth (the real-life brother of Chris Hemsworth) as Thor. Somehow Marvel and Waititi managed to convince these A-list actors to appear in these tiny joke parts, surprising movie audiences with their involvement. Moreover, it would seem Marvel convinced them so well that they were up another round: last week it was revealed that Matt Damon would be returning in the film’s upcoming sequel, Thor: Love and Thunder.
Related: Chris Hemsworth Wants to Stay in the MCU after Thor: Love and Thunder
This announcement, although met positively by fans, did also spark a flurry of concerns and questions. Currently filming in Sydney, Australia, Love and Thunder is once again written and directed by Waititi, and will follow the God of Thunder as he journeys with the Guardians of the Galaxy through the cosmos. Because of this, the cast for the film is already stacked: Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, and Jamie Alexander are all currently slated to feature alongside Chris Hemsworth in the upcoming sequel. With a cast this packed already, how will they make room for Damon?
Furthermore, will Damon be returning in the same role? Indeed, the Asgardian people have had a rough few years: their homeworld was destroyed by Surtur at the end of Ragnarok, the majority of their people were killed by Thanos at the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War, and the survivors languished under Thor’s weak leadership (in their new home, New Asgard, in Norway) in Avengers: Endgame. As a member of the Asgardian population, if Damon is still around to cameo in Love and Thunder, that means he was lucky enough to weather this unlucky onslaught. Equally, Damon’s character was an actor the first time around – does New Asgard have the infrastructure or population size to warrant the creative arts? Will he still be an actor, or must he be a fisherman now?
Additionally, filming is more complicated for Love and Thunder. Whilst, for Ragnarok, all Damon had to do was fly to set, film for a day, and then fly back, the global pandemic has obfuscated this process. Now, to appear, Damon has to fly to Sydney, self-isolate for two weeks, film his parts, fly back, and then self-isolate for another two weeks, to mitigate the chance he will catch and spread Covid-19. With these hoops to jump through just to cameo on-screen, it raises questions of validity; is it worth for it Marvel and Damon to go through all these extra (expensive) steps, just so audiences can go “oh look there’s Matt Damon again”?
Needless to say, there are still plenty of questions surrounding Damon’s involvement that fans want to be answered. However, with this uncertainty, they’ve begun to theorise. Considering all the extra work it will take to not only get Damon to set but also to justify his presence in the film, many are predicting that he’s playing a much bigger role than before; that he’s actually playing quite a crucial role. What role in particular? Frog Thor.
An amphibious version of Thor from the comic universe Earth-976161, Frog Thor (affectionately known as Throg) was a human turned into a frog by a witch, who gains the God of Thunder’s powers after lifting Mjolnir. The character goes on many wacky adventures before returning the mighty hammer back to Thor, who thanks Throg for his selflessness. A beloved but largely unimportant part of comic history, some fans are hoping Damon will portray Throg in Love and Thunder.
Indeed, there’s some credence to these rumors. A plot-point this weird not only fits into Waititi’s directorial style, but with Lady Thor (played by Natalie Portman) being confirmed to appear in the film and Beta Ray Bill (another comics character that gains Thor’s powers) also rumored to appear, it’s not too much of stretch to imagine Throg appearing as well. With Damon not being afraid to make fun of himself, as seen in Ragnarok, this a pitch-perfect casting from Marvel: Oscar-winner Matt Damon playing a frog with lightning powers. Whether this rumor actually pans out or not, that image alone justifies Damon’s involvement in Love and Thunder.
More: Marvel Changes MCU Movie Release Dates for Thor and Doctor Strange