That said, we’re also a little annoyed to have learned about it before seeing the movie. The surprise value would have definitely gotten a pop from yours truly (though it’s not quite on par with that one big Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness cameo). So, consider this your SPOILER WARNING for Thor: Love and Thunder casting. The upcoming Marvel movie is almost here, and if we weren’t excited before this news, we’re plenty eager now.
Thor: Love and Thunder’s Hercules is played by…
When I heard who’s playing Hercules in Thor: Love and Thunder, I practically screamed aloud. I found out about this through a post from a friend (opens in new tab) in Australia (where the movie is already out), who posted their review online. As my friend put it (with some asterisks that I’ve added), “Also ROY F**KING KENT IS HERCULES!!” After a little poking around, I’ve seen enough reporting to confirm what my friend has said: Brett Goldstein, the actor, comedian and writer who broke out on Ted Lasso as Roy Kent, the gruff but lovable (he’d hate that description) footballer, is apparently the MCU’s Hercules. Giant Freakin Robot (opens in new tab) posted this news as an exclusive scoop six days ago. We won’t go into the starkest details of how this happens, but all signs point to audiences meeting Roy Kent’s Hercules through Russell Crowe’s Zeus. We can only hope, though, that Hercules shouts “OI, THICK-HEAD! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, YOU SILLY MOPPET!” at Thor at some point in the movie. This is a fantastic bit of casting, because Goldstein’s already a proven genius at comedic timing and being a sort of brute. And now, if Goldstein is acting with a script from the hilarious Taika Waititi? We’re more excited than we were when we’d seen the first Thor: Love and Thunder reviews (which made it sound like this film won’t make our best movies on Disney Plus list).
Outlook: How is this going to work?
It’s unclear if Goldstein will have a continued presence in the MCU, but since he could be leaving his current show soon (Ted Lasso season 3 has long reported to be the end of a trilogy of sorts), his schedule should be opening up. There’s also the important matter of “is this a good fit?” Goldstein’s great as Kent, but outside of that one very particular role? You could say he’s a slightly unproven talent. Either way, this feels like a clever way to keep the Marvel Cinematic Universe fresh by adding new talent (and it’s more exciting than the addition from the Doctor Strange 2 post-credits scene).
