Ben Affleck Playing Thor’s Best Villain?
Ben Affleck is rumored to be joining the MCU as Thor villain Dario Agger, Roxxon CEO who is also a Minotaur.
Ben Affleck could be back in the Marvel fold, not as The Man Without Fear this time, but instead as one of Thor’s most recent, and most successful, villains, Dario Agger. Murphy’s Multiverse brings the report, citing a well-known Marvel leaker, which is boosted by the fact that Agger was supposed to be Christian Bale’s role in Thor Love and Thunder before it was changed to Gor the God-Butcher. Another move that supports theories that Agger is coming to the MCU, whether played by Affleck or someone else, is the character’s fairly recent prominence in the comics.
Dario Agger, also known as The Minotaur, is the CEO of Roxxon Energy, one of many very large, very evil, very not-nice corporations in the Marvel universe. First appearing in Thor: God of Thunder # 19, back in 2014, Agger reacted to Thor blowing up Roxxon facilities by asking his lawyers how they could respond, and when the answer was a collective shrug, the CEO fed them to bears. While the pairing of Ben Affleck and Dario Agger may seem to be an odd choice for a fifth Thor movie, it’s more likely that he’ll assume the role in the wider MCU.
Dario Agger, in his vendetta against Thor, manipulated events to bring about the massive 2019 event, War of the Realms, uniting most of Thor’s foes in a massive war against Earth. While the event did not end well for Agger, it did increase the character’s standing in the Marvel universe, showing that he is as smart as he is strong. The Boston-born Ben Affleck could do a fantastic job bringing the cocky, super-powered businessman to life by tapping into some of his past villainous roles, perfect for a Thor villain turned planet-wide menace.
This sentence right here will be the first, and last time, that Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake, Thor, and Runner Runner are ever mentioned at the same time, but the forgotten box office bomb is a great template for bringing the God of Thunder’s craftiest foe (sorry Malekith) to life. Starring Timberlake as a college student gifted at online poker and Affleck as the slick entrepreneur running the game from his own private island, Runner Runner includes a scene mirroring Agger’s intro in the comics. Affleck’s Ivan Block, frustrated over his minions’ failure, feeds them to his pet alligators, with the Batman star’s mannerisms, vocalizations, and threateningly deliberate actions a perfect match for Dario Agger fantasy casting.
As the CEO of Roxxon, Ben Affleck’s Dario Agger doesn’t need Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, he could appear in anything, from Ironheart to Captain America: New World Order, or even season 2 of Ms. Marvel. The character is incredibly flexible, as an evil industrialist that specifically wants to exploit the environment fits against nearly every MCU hero, even Moon Knight. Now that Affleck is no longer working for the distinguished competition as Batman, does the actor have the time, energy, or desire to be a hero again?
Perhaps not, as Ben Affleck’s last few attempts did not end well, but as a villain hamming it up opposite Thor, Sam Wilson, or Riri Williams? That could be fun and the exact sort of change of scenery that would appeal to the veteran Hollywood star.
