The Terrifying Thor: Love And Thunder Scene You Might Never Get To See
While it might be impossible for any remaining Phase Four Marvel movie to stir the same kind of hype as what came before, simply on the merit that there's no decade of thematic tension built into the cumulative narrative (see: three Spider-Men all coming together) it does seem like "Thor: Love and Thunder" is rousing quite a bit of attention. Unlike the last sequel for a long-established Marvel hero, which garnered viewership with the promise of packing in the cameos, the pull for "Thor" mostly comes from the stylistic direction of Taika Waititi, who reshaped the titular Norse god in "Thor: Ragnarok" so entirely that fans all but forgot that they'd previously the character off after "Thor: The Dark World."
Now, with Thor (Chris Hemsworth) moving into his fourth solo installment (new territory for the MCU, although Spider-Man is set to follow suit), Waititi is bringing more than just comedy to the table — he's bringing fear. The movie's primary antagonist is Gorr the God Butcher – who, in name alone, is a far cry more gruesome than the God of Mischief. Everything that the studio has shared about the deific assassin so far cautions viewers to brace for a new breed of villain, not the least because he will be portrayed by Christian Bale, who's given his talent to a fair share of murderous psychopaths over the years.
Apparently, though, Bale's efforts to strike terror into our hearts was curbed by a studio unwilling to cross one specific boundary.
Christian Bale wanted to reference a haunting music video
In an interview with Screen Rant, Christian Bale shared that he'd requested that "Thor: Love and Thunder" contain a reference which he believed would not only fit his character but intensify the film.
"I only had absolutely one request, which was that I had referenced the 'Come to Daddy' video by Aphex Twin," said Bale. "There's a character in it that inspired me regarding Gorr, and I did say to Taika, 'Here's the deal, I want to have the scream.' And if you see the video, you'll understand what I mean." For the curious, Aphex Twin is an Irish-born British musician, and the music video that Bale is referencing is ... well, it fits Gorr the God Butcher, but it might've been a bit much for Marvel.
"And I do understand, but that deal wasn't kept," continued Bale. "Because it was, again, something which was just a little too extreme perhaps for the PG-13. Might have had people running for the exits. But we did do it, and it's on the cutting room floor somewhere."
Genuinely, though, it's a shame that the moment was cut, because it seems that Bale is pulling his inspiration from the same vein as Taika Waititi, who clearly formulates his Marvel work around music, a pattern that continues with the "Love and Thunder" soundtrack. Now, is the scream from Aphex Twin's video particularly musical? No, but it is deeply haunting, and the idea that there's footage of Bale imitating it (probably too well, knowing him) floating around the ether is enough to justify purchasing a nightlight. Just in case.