Jeff Goldblum and Karl Urban join the Thor Ragnarok cast…

Remember a few weeks ago we reported that Jeff Goldblum was teasing that he might be joining a comic book movie (here)?

Well, now we know which movie and as who…

Marvel have officially announced that Goldblum has signed on to star on Thor: Ragnarok as Grandmaster who, according to Marvel Wiki: “The Grandmaster’s origin is lost in early history of the universe. It is known that he is one of the oldest living beings in the universe. Like other Elders, he is the survivor of one of the intelligent races that evolved in one of the first galaxies to form after the “Big Bang”, the cataclysmic event in which the universe was created. Although his race became extinct and even his native galaxy died as the ages passed, the Grandmaster, like the other Elders, lived on, having become virtually immortal. As the relatively few survivors of the earliest period of the universe, the Elders regarded themselves as figuratively being brothers.”

He will be joined by Cate Blanchett as Hela (we first reported that here) who “was born ages ago to the being who would one day be called Loki and the sorceress giantess Angrboda. On the day of her maturity, Odin appointed her goddess and ruler of the northernmost realms of the dead. Her special dominion was over the souls of all who did not die in battle, while Odin himself built the palace Valhalla to house the souls of all of those who died as heroes. In recent years, when Odin’s attention had strayed from the maintenance of Valhalla, Hela tried to annex that realm to her own, hoping to consolidate her power over all Asgard’s dead.”

That’s concept art of Hela at the top of the page by the way…

Dredd himself, Karl Urban is confirmed as Skurge, described by the Marvel Database thusly: “Skurge the Executioner was one of Asgard’s greatest warriors. He was born the illegitimate son of a Frost Giant and a Asgardian from the realm of Skarnheim. Later became a warrior, gaining the name Executioner after fighting in a war against the Storm Giants.”

Tessa Thompson is officially on board as Valkyrie, “Otherwise known by her given name Brunnhilde, Valkyrie was created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema and first appeared in “The Avengers” #83 in 1970. This hero, ally and one-time love interest of Thor was appointed by Odin to lead the Valkyrior, the group of valkyries who spirit the souls of the fallen away to Valhalla”. She may also have control over Skurge. as we reported a while back.

They also confirmed that Mark Ruffalo will be in it as Bruce Banner and/or Hulk.

Two-time Oscar®-winner Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine,” “Carol, “Cinderella”) joins Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok” as the mysterious and powerful new villain Hela, along with Jeff Goldblum (the upcoming “Independence Day: Resurgence,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Jurassic Park”) who joins the cast as the eccentric Grandmaster, Tessa Thompson (“Creed,” “Selma”) who will bring the classic hero Valkyrie to life on the big screen, and Karl Urban (“Star Trek” trilogy, “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King”) who will add his might to the fray as Skurge. 

Rounding out the cast for the film is three-time Oscar®-nominee Mark Ruffalo (“Spotlight,” “The Kids Are All Right,” “Foxcatcher”), reprising his role of Bruce Banner/the Hulk from “Marvel’s The Avengers” and Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”
 
“The continuation of the epic Thor franchise will be powerful and unique, and with the additions of Cate, Jeff, Tessa, Karl, and Mark to the cast we have the makings of his most dangerous and heroic adventure yet,” said Producer Kevin Feige. “The sheer, raw talent each of these actors brings to the screen can’t be quantified. Having any one of them join the Marvel Cinematic Universe would be an honor, and having all of them is incredible.”
 
Thor’s new cast members join returning stars Chris Hemsworth (“Rush,” “In the Heart of the Sea,” “Ghostbusters”) in the title role for the fifth time; Tom Hiddleston (“Crimson Peak,” “The Night Manager,” “Kong: Skull Island”) as Thor’s adversarial, adopted brother, Loki; Golden Globe® and Screen Actors Guild Award winner Idris Elba (“The Dark Tower,” “Luther,” “Beasts of No Nation”) as the Asgardian sentry, Heimdall; and Academy Award®-winner Sir Anthony Hopkins (“Silence of the Lambs,” “Nixon,” “Hitchcock”) again portraying Odin, Ruler of Asgard.
 
“Thor: Ragnarok,” the third installment of Marvel’s popular Norse Super Hero, is directed by Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Taika Waititi (“Two Cars, One Night,” “What We Do in the Shadows,” “Hunt for the Wilderpeople”).  Kevin Feige will produce the film, joined by executive producers Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Victoria Alonso, Thomas M. Hammel and Stan Lee

Source: Marvel