Beta Ray Bill was at one point set to be included in Thor: Ragnarok, according to Kevin Feige. Marvel Studios is in the earliest of days of having another Marvel Cinematic Universe installment in theaters. Ragnarok has just debuted domestically, but has already had a week to breathe in most international markets. The early results are very favorable for the god of thunder, with Ragnarok on pace to top $400 million globally by tomorrow. Audiences are not only turning out in droves to see the return of Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), and Tom Hiddleston (Loki), but also to meet some fun and long-awaited characters.
One of the biggest newcomers is Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, thanks to her major supporting role in the film, but right behind her is the main villain Hela – played by Cate Blanchett. Valkyrie is introduced on Sakarr along with fellow newcomer and ruler of the games, Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum). Included on Sakarr is also a new fan-favorite in Korg, a character fans hoped would be included considering his role in the Planet Hulk comic story.
Many were also hoping Thor: Ragnarok would be the introduction of Korbonite warrior, Beta Ray Bill. Those with such hopes will be let down as he is nowhere to be found in Ragnarok – outside of an Easter egg alluding to him being a former champion of the Grandmaster’s games. Kevin Feige told Crave Online that he was at one point included, but ultimately left on the cutting room floor (and had too small of a role).
There was a Beta Ray Bill, but it was so quick that you would have the same complaints that you have now. He was in it a little bit more and it just didn’t do justice. And the feeling is, if you can’t do it justice, do it later.
The exclusion of Beta Ray Bill is ultimately disappointing, but completely understandable with Feige’s reasoning. He may not go into great detail over what role Beta Ray Bill would’ve had if he made the final cut, but it clearly wouldn’t be big – and could’ve just been part of explaining the history of the Contest of Champions. His face (or that of another Korbonite) is featured on the champion tower, so any other actual role may not have had importance to the story.
Ragnarok may not have been Beta Ray Bill’s time, but this does show he is a character Marvel Studios is considering to bring in. He’s mostly likely not going to be a character that goes on to lead a franchise, but would further populate the cosmos with powerful heroes. In the comics, Beta Ray Bill is proven to be worthy to hold Mjolnir during a fight with Thor and gains the powers that come with that. Odin eventually intervenes and pits the two against each other again to find the rightful wielder of Mjolnir, and the results don’t change. Beta Ray Bill does spare Thor’s life however, so Odin returns Mjolnir to Thor and bestows a new hammer, called Stormbreaker, to their new ally.
Marvel used Ragnarok to introduce and spotlight key characters from Thor’s mythology like Hela, Valkyrie, and even Skurge (Karl Urban), so Beta Ray Bill may just need to wait for Thor 4 – or Thor: Ragnarok 2 as Taika Waititi would prefer it to be – to be brought in. Feige clearly wants Beta Ray Bill to have a role of some substance when he gets introduced, so it may be for the best he was left out of Ragnarok.
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