Back From The 'Dad': Latest Poster From 'Thor: Ragnarok' Sees The Return Of Odin

Can anyone blame the MCU for milking Anthony Hopkins' role as Odin in the Thor movies for all its worth? When you cast someone with the gravitas of Hopkins, you want to at least make sure you've got your pound of Oscar-winning flesh, and it looks like the upcoming #ThorRagnarok will be no different. Odin may be the eye-patched ruler of Asgard, but 2013's Thor: The Dark World ended with the bombshell reveal that Odin wasn't who he claimed to be. That trickster Loki had faked his own death — worst twist ever — and usurped Odin to sit on the throne disguised as his father.

While fans were left frankly perplexed by Odin's disappearance, the issue was briefly addressed in the post-credit scene for Doctor Strange. Our hammer-wielding hunk was chatting to the good doctor and discussing the arrival of the Asgardians to Earth. Thor and Loki had come to look for their father, and presuming that Odin is kicking around the third rock from the sun, expect Ragnarok to pick up this plotline later this year.

Daddy Issues

Now we have the first proper look at Odin's return and can see Hopkins back in action. Released just after the Japanese trailer for Ragnarok, Marvel's Instagram account has showcased a colorful new poster for the movie:

The last we heard, Odin was alive and kicking, seemingly living as an exiled hobo on Earth. Quite how Loki managed to get rid of the old man remains to be seen, but expect the third #Thor film to shed some light on the situation. We have already seen a dishevelled Odin in a behind-the-scenes shot of Hopkins from Ragnarok, but he is returned to his former glory in the film's latest artwork.

While Odin may be returning at some point, it is thought that the absence of Thor's father is what allows the villainous Hela to overthrow Asgard. However, if the Odin scenes come after Hela destroys Mjolnir, it could be that Thor, Odin, and Loki all find themselves trapped on Earth. It doesn't quite fit with the Grandmaster/Hulk/arena battle timeline, but we expect that our fan-favorites will be spending at least some time on this little planet we call home.

The other option is that Ragnarok could be a dramatic farewell to the protector of the Nine Realms. With The Dark World dramatically offing Rene Russo as Thor's mother Frigga, Ragnarok could interlude its neon and jokes with the death of another big player. Odin may feature on the posters, but he is conspicuously missing from the trailers. So, is Odin on Hela's death list and set to perish in that explosive defeat of Asgard we see in the trailers? Ragnarok is a undoubtedly a light-hearted feature, but nothing would give more a somber twist than Thor becoming orphaned during the movie's runtime.

While we will have to wait and see what happens, at least Hopkins is back in his golden armor and upping the X-factor of the Ragnarok cast. Although #TaikaWaititi's film may be the shortest MCU movie to date, there seems like there is plenty to swing our hammers at when Thor: Ragnarok hits cinemas on October 27.