The Ankler‘s very own Jeff Sneider himself sits down to discuss some marvelous subjects (pun intended) as he dishes about Daniel Craig, those incredibly blue eyes, and his optimistic Marvel future. After the Bond actor’s retirement, there has been a lot of talk about what he intends to pick up next on his career trajectory and one of the reports that seemed to hold some water is a role as one of Marvel comics’ most beloved characters and Thor’s half-brother — Balder the Brave.
Even though rarely any progress has been made on that front between the studio and the actor, talk of Daniel Craig joining the MCU is something that is hardly likely to die a silent death.
Daniel Craig’s Potential Role in MCU as Balder the Brave
After months of talking about the potential Balder cameo, the rumors have escalated to include Daniel Craig‘s Marvel debut in a series rather than a sad multiversal Illuminati massacre. With that being said, the potential arcs that can allow for the actor to appear are manifold in magnitude. According to John Rocha, if the MCU is intent on staying close to its source, then Balder could very well become the next King of New Asgard. Given Valkyrie’s distaste for the throne and the mundane task of governance, the shift of power could also occur without the threat of war, bloodshed, and usurpation.
While talking about Daniel Craig’s position as Balder in the MCU, Sneider iterates:
“[Daniel Craig] is done with Bond, he’s in another Knives Out movie but that’s gonna be ways away because Rian Johnson still has to write that thing. So he has some time on his hands… I’ll be very curious to see what Daniel Craig does next and if he goes right back into something big as a ‘Balder the Brave’ series… But I do think that ‘Balder the Brave’ is something different, it’s a new character whereas all these Marvel shows are all people that you’ve seen.”
If a Balder series is indeed being considered by Marvel, Daniel Craig’s role will extend far beyond a cameo role. He will become a mainstay, considering how universally loved the Prince of Asgard is in the comics. On the other hand, considering MCU has already dealt with Ragnarok, an event that Balder is intricately linked with, it sets the precedent for the Asgardian god to come after Thor for destroying their world, deem him unworthy in the process, and take over the throne of New Asgard.
Marvel also then allows Hercules to play into the narrative, granted how the Greek god was bent on revenge by the end of Thor: Love and Thunder. If Hercules unleashes his wrath upon Asgard and Balder stands up to defend his people, it might provide him with the redemption arc for being absent from the MCU’s mainstream narrative and bring him closer to his brother, Thor.
Also read: Hercules vs Thor: Who’s Physically Stronger?
The Ebb and Flow of Balder the Brave’s Arc in the MCU
In the Marvel comics, Balder the Brave is often found beside Thor, fighting by his side on battlefields across the Nine Realms, and serving the Asgardians with unfaltering dedication. Like his mythological arc, Marvel’s Balder is a key element that sets off Ragnarök, the cyclical event of the ending and rebirth of Asgard. However, the cinematic universe not only excludes him from his potential narrative but does not grant him a place within the MCU at all.
All of that was hopefully about to be changed when Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness had rumored to debut the Norse god as the seventh member of the Illuminati. After that too turned out to be a bust, the film’s concept artist, Darrell Warner finally revealed a watercolor painting that clearly depicted Daniel Craig’s Balder in full Asgardian garb. The costume designer of Doctor Strange 2, Graham Churchyard had also revealed to the Phase Zero podcast early in July how the character of Balder had gotten along really far into designing —
“I took it to a prototype stage, we were kind of in that design thing, getting fabrics together and ideas and waiting for an actor. Poor Balder the Brave, he almost made Thor 1, Thor 2, and Thor 3.”
Also read: Daniel Craig Becomes Asgardian Superhero Balder the Brave in Doctor Strange 2 Concept Photo
Marvel was expected to finally hire Daniel Craig as Balder after months of buzzing rumors. But considering the scrapped cameo and Churchyard’s resounding opinion that the character is not making an appearance anytime soon, it seems like MCU is intent on making Balder stew in his perpetual limbo.
Source: The Hot Mic
