Christian Bale may be returning to the comic book movie fold, this time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's come to light that the Oscar-winning actor is in talks to join the cast of Thor: Love and Thunder. Bale, should the deal make, would star alongside Chris Hemsworth, who is returning as the God of Thunder once more following last year's Avengers: Endgame. If this does come to pass, it would make for an impressive addition to an already impressive cast.

According to a new report, Christian Bale is in negotiations to star in Thor: Love and Thunder. Details regarding his possible role are being kept under wraps at this time. Though, there is no word yet on who will play the villain and that would be something new for Bale. Natalie Portman is also set to reprise her role as Jane Foster in the upcoming MCU entry. We haven't seen Portman in the MCU since Thor: The Dark World. Jane did appear briefly in Avengers: Endgame, but Portman didn't shoot any new scenes. Tessa Thompson will also be reprising her role as Valkyrie.

Previously, Christian Bale played Batman in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy. The actor last played the part in 2012's The Dark Knight Rises before leaving the franchise, paving the way for Ben Affleck to take over as Bruce Wayne. In the years since, Bale has avoided franchise movies, so this would be quite a surprising turn. Especially since he would be making the jump from DC to Marvel. Taika Waititi, who previously helmed Thor: Ragnarok, is returning to write and direct. Waititi is also known for his work on movies such as What We Do In the Shadows and this last year's Jojo Rabbit. It's entirely possible that working with a respected director like Waititi could be enough to entice Bale to jump back into the franchise arena.

The 45-year-old has been amongst the most respected actor in the business for the better part of two decades. Bale has been nominated for four Oscars for his roles in American Hustle, The Big Short and Vice, winning one for Best Supporting Actor for his work in The Fighter. Some of his other credits include The Prestige, American Psycho, 3:10 to Yuma and Terminator: Salvation. Most recently, Bale starred in Ford vs. Ferrari, which is expected to be a major contender at the Academy Awards this year and could see the actor earn his fifth Oscar nomination.

Plot details are currently being kept under wraps. We know that Natalie Portman will take up the mantle of Thor, which was revealed last summer when the movie was announced at San Diego Comic-Con. Production is set to begin in August. We'll be sure to keep you posted as any further details are made available. Thor: Love and Thunder is set to hit theaters on November 5, 2021. This news comes to us via Collider. The topper art comes from Nina Strieder on Deviant Art.