‘Thor: Ragnarok’ is about to gain some major star power!  Academy Award-winner Cate Blanchett (for last year’s ‘Blue Jasmine’) is in final negotiations to join Taika Waititi‘s next Marvel blockbuster.

It has not been revealed what role she would be taking on, but recently it was rumored that the film would introduce a new female villain.  Considering that it’s ‘Thor’, that could mean The Enchantress or Hela.

She could potentially also play Frigga, Thor’s mother, who was played by Rene Russo in the first movie.  (It certainly wouldn’t be the first recasting in Marvel movie history.)  Frigga has taken on a high-profile role in the current ongoing ‘Thor’ comic book which features a cancer-stricken Jane Foster as the titular adventurer.

And it is rumored that the film will see the introduction of Valkyrie, a warrior woman whose job is ferrying the souls of dead warriors to Valhalla.  Blanchett may seem a bit mature to take on the role of an action hero, but you never know.

And keep in mind that in ‘Doctor Strange’, they gender swapped a male character, The Ancient One, into a female played by Tilda Swinton.  There’s a possibility that a similar action could be taken with this movie.

‘Thor: Ragnarok’ is said to be a superhero buddy road trip, co-starring Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk, set during the same time frame as ‘Captain America: Civil War’.  Stephany Folsom was recently hired to re-write the script which had previously been penned by Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost.

‘Ragnarok’ refers to the legendary destruction of Asgard and the death of the gods.  It hasn’t been announced how this ominous tale will influence the film of the same name, but certain dark events were teased in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ when Thor suffered a precognitive hallucination thanks to the Scarlet Witch’s chaos magic spell.

Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston (Loki) and Jaimie Alexander (Lady Sif) are all expected to return for this third ‘Thor’ installment.

Cate Blanchett was just announced as a Golden Globe nominee but her lead role in the 1950s period drama ‘Carol’.

More info as it is released!  How do you think Blanchett will factor into ‘Thor: Ragnarok’?

Source: The Hollywood Reporter