Beta Ray Bill Had A Cameo In Thor: Ragnarok And You Never Noticed
On the pages of Walter Simonson's "Thor" #337 from 1983, the titular Avenger is trapped on Earth without his godly abilities and trusty hammer, Mjolnir, rendering him the average human, Dr. Donald Blake. In his stead, a Korbinite cyborg known as Beta Ray Bill took up the Thor mantle and proved his worthiness in short order, eventually being given his own hammer, Stormbreaker, from Odin himself. Ever since, Bill has become one of Marvel Comics' most recognizable entities in the "Thor" series and beyond — playing a key role in the "Secret Invasion" storyline, spending some time with the Guardians of the Galaxy, and cultivating a substantial fanbase all the while.
For as prolific and popular as Beta Ray Bill is, it's astounding that Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige and his team still have yet to integrate the character into the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though he has appeared in animated projects like "Planet Hulk" and "The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes," fans are still waiting patiently for a proper, live-action introduction. With "Thor: Love and Thunder" on the horizon, and its focus on Jane Foster's (Natalie Portman) adoption of the Thor mantle, could the fourquel finally bring him to the forefront of the MCU as a third take on the God of Thunder?
All things considered, the prospect of Beta Ray Bill's MCU arrival isn't totally far-fetched, as he's already an active presence in the cinematic canon. In fact, he has a technical cameo in 2017's "Thor Ragnarok" that likely slipped right past you.
Beta Ray Bill's likeness graces Sakaar's skyline
"Thor: Ragnarok" was a radical departure from the previous two "Thor" installments, most notably through its visual elements. Much of the film stayed away from the polished, shining halls of Asgard, focusing instead on the neon colors of the intergalactic garbage heap, Sakaar. The planet was ruled by the eccentric yet merciless Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), who organized gladiatorial battles between unconsenting participants for his entertainment. His latest favorite was none other than Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), who wound up on the planet after jettisoning himself into space at the end of "Avengers: Age of Ultron."
Having forced his Bruce Banner alter-ego to stay dormant, Hulk quickly built a reputation as Sakaar's biggest and toughest competitor. He was so good that a statue of his head was under construction on the Grandmaster's tower in his honor. Of course, he's not alone on this monument of champions, sharing the glory with the short-lived Hulk villain Bi-Beast and, equally as surprising, the horse-headed Beta Ray Bill. How the Korbinite wound up fighting for the Grandmaster, how long ago he did so, and whether he escaped or survived remains a mystery for the time being.
On the subject of Beta Ray Bill's possible MCU debut in "Thor: Love and Thunder," director Taika Waititi was quick to shoot the idea down. Although, he could always be playing coy with the fans to avoid any major spoilers for the movie ahead of its release in May of 2022. All we can do is hope that Bill's "Ragnarok" cameo won't exist in a vacuum forever.