While MCU’s Thor projects mainly narrate the stories outlining the God of Thunder and his estranged brother Loki, there is one particular Asgardian who keeps getting pushed aside from the franchise.
Balder the Brave is an essential and recurring character in Marvel comics who is portrayed as Thor and Loki’s half-brother. A loyal warrior and son of Odin, he is crucial to the overall story of the mythical realm that Asgard is. Despite the importance of the character though, the God of Light hasn’t been brought to life on screens in a single Marvel film or show yet, save for one animated project.
Talking about the subject, a Marvel costume designer recently revealed how Balder the Brave was slated to be a part of a number of MCU films. But unfortunately enough, he got cast out from the projects every single time.
How Balder the Brave Got Ostracized From MCU Projects
Speaking with ComicBook.com, Graham Churchyard, a UK-based costumed designer who has helped create some of the most iconic MCU superhero outfits, talked about the wretched fate of Balder the Brave in Marvel projects. Not only did they “get very far” with Balder’s costume design but they’d reached to a point where he was almost about to be cast. He remarked how the character was supposed to be a part of not one but three Thor films, only to get removed towards the end.
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“We got very far designing Balder the Brave, and then we were waiting, and waiting, and waiting on casting. 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, and Thor 2, and Thor 3, if I can simplify that. Then, it’s just like, ‘Yay! He’s gonna get an appearance!’ Poor guy.”
Churchyard also recalled how certain designs from the studio’s “archive book of Balder’s helmet” ultimately ended up going to Kenneth Branagh’s Thor (2011). “So, he’s been a long time waiting,” the 63-year-old costume designer said. “And I don’t think he’s gonna make an appearance any time soon.”
Doctor Strange 2 Almost Featured Balder the Brave
Avid comic book readers must be aware of just how imperative Balder Odinson is as a character. Also known as the ‘All-Seeing Eye of Odin,’ Balder is one of the three sons of the Protector of the Nine Realms and an ally to the Warriors Three. Simply put, he’s a half-sibling to both the Prince of Asgard and the God of Mischief.
Out of the varied projects that Balder the Brave missed out on, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was one of them. The character was all set to make his MCU debut as a part of The Illuminati, a clandestine society of some of the most powerful Marvel superheroes that were introduced in Sam Raimi‘s 2022 movie. There were even rumors circling during the time about how the studio had its eye on Spectre star Daniel Craig to play Balder the Brave in the movie. But like every other time, the character never made it to the big screens.
Churchyard remarked one of the major reasons why this didn’t happen was because of the chaos caused by COVID-19; the travel ban that followed all the tumult, they weren’t able to bring together all the characters in “one room at the same time.”
“This sort of dream of getting the Illuminati all in one room at the same time didn’t happen in London. It just about happened in LA over something like a six-month time span which is an extraordinary thing. It’s like, the Illuminati, when I got those pages, it’s just like, ‘This is like a whole movie in itself because it could just expand so much.'”
While he did say it’s unlikely that Balder would be integrated into the MCU anytime soon, there are plenty of other projects just waiting to be graced with his presence. Perhaps one day in the future.
Source: ComicBook.com
