Spoilers: Kevin Feige on how those special Thor: Ragnarok cameos came about

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

If you haven't seen THOR: RAGNAROK yet, beware of SPOILERS. The latest Marvel Cinematic Universe movie is now playing in theaters and the immensely entertaining THOR: RAGNAROK has earned the praise of many a fan, with plenty of stand-out sequences and characters to enjoy. As with most Marvel flicks, the THOR sequel comes packed with special easter eggs and cameos. A handful of cameos arrive early on in the film, when Thor (Chris Hemsworth) returns to Asgard and finds Loki (Tom Hiddleston), posing as Odin (Anthony Hopkins), watching a play reenacting his "heroic sacrifice" during the events of THOR: THE DARK WORLD.

In the play, Thor is played by Liam Hemsworth, Odin by Sam Neill, and Loki by Matt Damon, and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige spoke with Collider about how those cameos came about.

There was an idea in the script phase. I don’t remember if it was our writer, Eric Pearson’s or if it was Taika [Waititi]’s or if it was our executive producer, Brad Winderbaum to bring the audience up to speed on the fact that everybody thinks Loki is dead. So that when it was revealed that he was Odin, it would make some semblance of sense to people who weren’t following along from all the films. There was this idea to do it in this funny sort of stage play which Loki/Odin had put on to celebrate himself. We then watched whatever was the season before last Game of Thrones. They did a similar thing where they had a stage play with some events from other episodes, not that we were like, “Oh crap.” But then it’s different enough.

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, off handedly, 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.

Assuming he survived the events of THOR: RAGNAROK, it's incredibly amusing to imagine a struggling Asgardian actor making his way throughout the universe, and Kevin Feige joked that Matt Damon could even return in future for further "adventures of a hard-working actor." At the very least, and as Collider themselves pointed out, it sounds ripe for a Marvel One-Shot.

THOR: RAGNAROK is now playing in theaters, so be sure to check out our own Chris Bumbray's review as well as let us know what YOU thought of the film!