Thor: Ragnarok is a bright and breezy adventure teeming with big-name cameos, but if there’s one actor that arguably stole the show – the Asgardian stage show, that is – it’s Matt Damon.
The Jason Bourne actor had been linked with Ragnarok for months leading up to the film’s November release, though it was only when Taika Waititi’s rip-roaring adventure opened in the United Kingdom that we got confirmation: Damon plays the part of Loki, God of Mischief, in an Asgardian play.
Co-starring Luke Hemsworth (Thor) and Sam Neill (Odin), the scene in question is a hilarious stroke of genius from writer-director Taika Waititi, who spent just as much time poking fun at the Thor mythos and the overarching MCU as he did with the actual drama. But at least according to head honcho Kevin Feige, Marvel fans may not have seen the last of Matt Damon’s Asgardian superstar:
I think, as he said to me on the carpet last night, that look, there he is now a stock as an Asgardian player somewhere wandering the universe with, spoiler, Asgard gone. [On a potential return] Who knows? It could be the adventures of a hard-working actor, Asgardian actor, in the future.
Also in the interview, Feige outlined exactly how that Matt Damon cameo came to be, and it seems we have Chris Hemsworth to thank for securing Damon’s services:
There was a fun idea of ‘Let’s get Luke Hemsworth to play Thor,’ Taika had worked with Sam Neill in Hunt for the Wilderpeople. He was willing to come in and do Odin. So who could be Loki? Who could be Loki? Who could be Loki? We didn’t have any brilliant ideas. At one point, offhandedly, Mr. Hemsworth goes, ‘Well what if I ask my friend Matt?’ I said, ‘Matt who?’ He said, ‘My friend, Matt Damon.’ ‘Okay. Sure. Sure Chris, ask your friend Matt Damon. He’s not doing this. Oh he’s gonna do it. He’s flying down.’
The next thing I know, Matt Damon is on set in a full Loki costume, full Loki wig. We have pictures that maybe we’ll share some day of Tom Hiddleston in a full Loki outfit standing next to Matt Damon in full Loki outfit. It is very surreal and very amazing. What a testament to, I just met him for the first time, I wasn’t there when he shot this. I just met him for the first time last night. What an awesome thing, for him to come down here for his friend. It was purely based on his friendship with Hemsworth that he came and did this.
Thor: Ragnarok is now playing in theaters across the globe.