Actor-producer Russell Crowe has been roped in to star in Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder. According to Deadline, the 56-year-old star is joining Chris Hemsworth, who is reprising his role as the God of Thunder; Natalie Portman; and Christian Bale, who will be playing the villain.

The Gladiator star’s role is being kept under wraps and the hope was to surprise fans with this fun cameo when the film was released, but following recent photos of Crowe hanging out with the cast all over Australia, Deadline has confirmed he is in the movie.

Insiders say Crowe is one of many surprises to come out of the film, with Matt Damon also confirmed to reprise his cameo from Thor: Ragnarok. As reported by Deadline, Taika Waititi is back as director of the movie with plot details being kept under wraps. The film is set to be released on May 6, 2022.

Earlier during an interaction with Fatherly, Natalie dished out a few details about her role as Jane Foster in the upcoming Thor film. She said, “I can’t tell you that much. I’m really excited. I’m starting to train, to get muscles. If there can be all these female superheroes, the more of them they are, the better it is. I’m trying to think — it’s based on the graphic novel of the Mighty Thor. She’s going through cancer treatment and is a superhero on the side.”

Meanwhile, Crowe was recently tapped to star opposite Zac Efron in Peter Farrelly’s The Greatest Beer Run Ever, which was just acquired. On top of that, he was most recently seen in the Solstice Studios thriller Unhinged.

(Inputs from ANI)