Rumor: Korg to have a bigger role in Thor 4 but is this a good idea?

The latest Thor 4 rumor says that Korg will be getting a bigger role.

The latest Thor 4 rumor states that Korg will be getting an expanded role – but is this really a good plan for the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

For those who need a refresher, Korg is a very polite rock monster from Thor: Ragnarok seen leading a revolution from the junkyard planet of Sakaar, voiced by that film’s director Taika Watiti, – who will also be directing Thor 4, technically titled Thor: Love and Thunder. 

Could Korg playing a larger role in Thor: Love and Thunder work?

The contrast of Korg’s meek personality with the status as a gladiator/slave was a large part of what made the character funny and because of that, he worked very well, but giving him more of a role risks doing the opposite. To borrow an example from the MCU’s corporate cousin Star Wars, it would be like making C-3PO a Jedi.

This Thor 4 rumor comes from We Got This Covered, which claims that Korg will specifically be paired in several scenes with the Guardians of the Galaxy’s Rocket Raccoon (Sean Gunn/Bradley Cooper). This doesn’t seem like it will work out too well, given Rocket’s history of brashness and emotional journey over the past few years as the only non-Snapped Guardians member (aside from new recruit Thor).

Stronger reliance on comedic characters doesn’t always work

As vast as the MCU is already, spanning around 85 years across multiple planets and several timelines through 23 films and 11 TV series (as of this writing), there’s only really been one example of a prominent comic relief character thrust into an expanded role in the Guardians’ Drax the Destroyer (played by Dave Bautista).

While Drax is one of the highlights of the original Guardians (“I am NOT a thesaurus!” is a particularly fun quote to say), he becomes one-dimensional in the sequel with an awkward relationship with Mantis, and “I have sensitive nipples!” being bellowed out in the middle of the opening fight scene has to be among the most cringey lines in recent superhero films – which is really saying something when movies like Green Lantern exist.

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In Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, due to the ensemble nature of those movies, Drax’s role is pretty minimal, particularly when it comes to comedy.

Since Watiti is also the director of Thor: Love and Thunder, another comparison to this rumor would be Jon Favreau playing Happy Hogan while directing the first two Iron Man movies and laying the initial groundwork for the MCU.

Happy’s role has grown dramatically from Tony Stark’s driver/assistant in the beginning, all the way up to becoming, essentially, second-in-command at Stark Industries as Pepper’s assistant, and in Spider-Man: Far From Home overseeing the move from Avengers Tower to the Avengers HQ in upstate New York, while on a personal level dating Aunt May and acting as a sort-of-mentor to Peter Parker (Tom Holland). But since most of Happy’s growth over the past 15 years (in MCU time) has happened offscreen, it doesn’t quite compare.

A lot of love and thunder for Thor to deal with

Furthermore, because Thor: Love and Thunder already has to juggle a lot in Jane Foster’s return (Natalie Portman) and promotion to hero, Valkyrie’s (Tessa Thompson) status as queen of the Asgardians, Christian Bale’s likely-villainous role, Thor’s position as a Guardian, and the fallout from Tony’s death, in addition to possibly laying the groundwork for much of the rest of Phase 4, it just doesn’t seem like there will be any room for an expanded role for Korg.

Thor: Love and Thunder is currently scheduled to release on February 11, 2022.

Do you believe this Thor 4 rumor? Would you like to see more of Korg in Thor: Love and Thunder? Let us know in the comments below!