Last month, Marvel announced that Russell Crowe would be joining the cast of Thor: Love and Thunder. The role was not specified, but we may now know for sure which character Crowe will be playing.

Crowe casually leaked the news himself in an interview with the Australian radio program "Joy Breakfast with the Murphys". This is surprising, given Marvel's willingness to keep a lid on such things. Spoiler alert.

There were rumors that Crowe would play an Asgardian actor playing Thanos. Just as Matt Damon played the fictional Loki in Thor: Ragnarok and will return in the next film. According to Crowe, however, he will play the Greek god Zeus.

If you jump to the last part of the interview, you will hear those words directly from the actor's mouth. Crowe said, unprompted: "I'm going to ride my bike. I'm going to ride my bike to Disney Fox Studios and be Zeus at about 9:15! It's for Thor. It's my last day to be Zeus, so I'm going to have fun."

It is odd to hear a Marvel star reveal so casually who he will be playing without some sort of official announcement. Usually studios keep a tight lid on things, and we've had actors deny their participation in a project, only to have Marvel officially confirm it a few weeks later.

Then again, this is not the first time a big-name actor has casually spilled Marvel casting secrets in an interview. Just last week, Alfred Molina admitted that he will return as Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Assuming Crowe isn't lying, it's unclear what role Zeus will actually play in "Thor 4"; when his casting was announced at the end of March, Deadline described the role as a "fun little cameo" to surprise fans.

In other words, Crowe's role is likely not particularly significant. Furthermore, given that Christian Bale will be playing a character called "Gorr the God Butcher," it seems unlikely that Crowe will last long. In fact, his role is intended to showcase just how dangerous Thor's latest adversary is.

But even if Crowe's Zeus is killed off soon, there is some good news. Although not as well known as the Asgardians, the pantheon of Greek mythology plays a major role in Marvel Comics. Hercules, the son of Zeus, has been a member of many superhero teams over the decades. In other words, there may be a classic Marvel hero somewhere down the road.

"Thor: Love and Thunder" is scheduled for release on May 6, 2022 and stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Natalie Portman as Jane Foster/Thor, and Crucian Bale as the slaughter god Gaul. Other returning characters include the Guardians of the Galaxy, Grandmaster Meek played by Jeff Goldblum, and Korg played by Taika Waititi.