Christian Bale has confessed to not knowing what the abbreviation 'MCU' meant after taking a role within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The Brit is set to play the part of 'Gorr the God Butcher' in the upcoming MCU blockbuster, Thor: Love and Thunder.
There, he will feature alongside fellow A-listers Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman, for what could be the final Thor movie for some time - if reports are to be believed.
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While Bale is naturally excited to be in the movie, he did reveal in a recent conversation with Total Film that the term 'MCU' initially went straight over his head.
Bale's role Gorr the God Butcher will mark his return to the superhero film genre after previously starring as Batman in the Dark Night trilogy.
The 48-year-old bowed out of that role in 2012, and has since denied that he was reluctant to feature in another superhero movie 10 years on from his seminal performance as Batman.
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“I'd read that [MCU], and people would go, 'Oh, look at this! He's entered the MCU!' And I'd go, 'I've done what? I haven't entered s**t, thank you very much'," Bale joked [via The Independent].
"I'm like, 'The MCU?' I had to ask what that was.”
This may not be the only time that Bale gets to reprieve his new role in the MCU, either.
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Earlier this week, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige hinted that there are 'clues' which point towards the next MCU multi-film story arc in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Some fans on social media believe they have already spotted such clues in the trailer for the July release, which many speculate could be in reference to a post-Avengers: Endgame plot twist.
Whether Bale and Hemsworth (who plays Thor) will return for such a star-studded film remains to be seen, as the Australian star has been giving fans mixed signals about his future in the MCU of late.
However, one thing that could make him stay on for future projects is Taika Waititi's direction.
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The New Zealander directed both Thor: Ragnarok and Love and Thunder - the former to great acclaim.
“I don't know that I would've done another [Thor movie] if Taika [Waititi] hadn't said yes, he was going to do it,” Hemsworth told Vanity Fair of his involvement in Love and Thunder.
“He had written this beautiful script which was a wacky, crazy, romantic comedy set in space and that I hadn't seen before."
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The latest instalment in the Thor franchise is set for release on the 8th July, and will initially be available in theatres only.
Topics: Batman, Celebrity, Film and TV, Marvel
Tom Fenton