‘Thor: Ragnarok’ cast, release date, spoilers & updates: actress Cate Blanchett to join the movie; role not yet specified

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"Thor: Ragnarok" is literally one and a half years away, but fresh casting news has arisen amidst the excitement of big franchise holiday releases. Both The Hollywood Reporter and Variety reveal that Academy Award winning actress Cate Blanchett is in final negotiations to star in the third and final installment of Marvel's "Thor" series, where she will star alongside Chris Hemsworth, who reprises his role as the Asgardian god of thunder, and Mark Ruffalo, who previously appeared in two "Avengers" films and will reprise his role as Dr. Bruce Banner and The Hulk. Tom Hiddleston will also return to play the mischievous Loki, who we last saw sitting on the Asgard palace throne masquerading as King Odin.

Variety reports that Blanchett is no stranger to big budget franchises, as the 46-year-old actress has worked on Peter Jackson's The "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and in "The Hobbit" as Lady Galadriel. While the role Blanchett would play in the third "Thor" film has not yet been disclosed, The Hollywood Reporter claims that Marvel has been looking to cast a "bad-ass female."

Fans will have to keep checking back for any news or developments on Blanchett's new Marvel role. Meanwhile, CBS News reports that the actress has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award in the category "Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture—Drama" for her role in "Carol". In the Todd Haynes-directed film, Blanchett plays the titular character who falls in love with Rooney Mara's character, Therese Belivet. The film is set in the 1950s and is based on Patricia Highsmith's novel, "The Price of Salt."

In talking about the film's plot, Blanchett told Deadline, "What’s interesting about the film that Todd’s made, and also about Patricia Highsmith’s novel, is that in the end it’s about falling in love. And it’s as much about the age gap between the women as it is about the outsider nature of their love. And so he’s made a beautiful film about falling in love and heartbreak and maturity."

Blanchett also praised Haynes, saying that "Todd is like no other director I’ve ever worked with. He’s a master making a student film, in the sense that he has that sort of danger and hunger that a student filmmaker has but this incredible finesse and expertise and facility and insight that an auteur has. And the intersection of those two atmospheres is really unique."

Blanchett was also recently seen in September's "Truth", written and directed by James Vanderbilt. "Thor: Ragnarok" is set to be released on July 28, 2017.