RUMOR: Heimdall (Idris Elba) to Return to the MCU?

by Rebecca Kaplan · Published December 22, 2021 · Updated December 22, 2021

In an article posted to the website Giant Freaking Robot, it was reported that Idris Elba will be returning to the role of Heimdall in the Marvel Cinematic Universe!

Return of Heimdall?

According to the article, clandestine sources have confirmed to Giant Freaking Robot that Elba will be reprising the role of Heimdall in future MCU projects.

Heimdall in Thor (2011). Photo Credit: Marvel Studios.

The actor first played the role in 2011’s Thor, in which the character was revealed to be responsible for the operation of the Bifrost, the “magic bridge” that allows Asgardians to travel throughout the Nine Realms.

Elba reappeared in both 2013’s Thor: The Dark World, and then reprised the role for a brief (and confusing) scene in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Heimdall in Ragnarok. Photo Credit: Marvel Studios.

Heimdall appeared once again in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, in which his ability to see throughout the universe came in handy as Thor was stranded on Sakaar.

However, in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, Heimdall managed to use the Bifrost to send Hulk to the Sanctum Santorium in order to warn Earth of the impending arrival of Thanos! The Asgardian was murdered by Mad Titan shortly thereafter.

Heimdall falls to Thanos. Photo Credit: Marvel Studios.

However, the fact that we saw Heimdall die on screen in Infinity War does not rule out his return! For one thing, the story could simply take place at an earlier point on the timeline. This technique is sometimes used in the panels of Marvel Comics to tell a story that would not be possible given the current circumstances of the continuity.

It’s also possible that Heimdall will come back from the dead. Characters coming back from the dead takes place so often in Marvel Comics stories that it is a running joke that “no one stays dead.” See events like The Death of Wolverine or the ongoing Death of Doctor Strange for more on this.

Double your Loki, double your trouble. Photo Credit: Marvel Studios.

And finally, with the Sacred Timeline having been compromised by Loki Variant Sylvie at the climax of the first season of Loki on Disney+, it’s possible that we will see Heimdall on a branching timeline where he was not killed by Thanos. In fact, this could even mean that Elba will reprise the role of Heimdall on a future season of Loki – the character was even mentioned by name in the first episode of that series.