The last of 2017’s Marvel movies, Thor: Ragnarok was recently confirmed to be 130 minutes long, which effectively debunked earlier rumors that had dubbed it the shortest Marvel Cinematic Universe film ever. We took this as great news, since the movie draws inspiration from multiple sources (such as Planet Hulk) and introduces numerous characters.

While we’d love to know more about Valkyrie’s role, and whether Hela has bigger plans than the takeover of Asgard, no one commands our attention more than Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum). It’s already been confirmed that Grandmaster is the Collector's brother, and it’s been rumored that another immortal of the same race (Sam Neill's secret character) will make an appearance in Thor: Ragnarok.

So what’s The Grandmaster’s role? As his brother controls Knowhere, Goldblum's character rules Sakaar. As an immortal, he looks for new ways to entertain himself, and his latest diversion is to organize fights between various super-powered beings. This is where Hulk and Thor come in. Obviously, it’s quite a change from the Planet Hulk storyline, but it’s a welcome one.

According to Goldblum, the comics’ Grandmaster is the brother of the Collector and a very powerful being. We already knew this, but the actor added that Grandmaster even managed to defeat Death during one of his games:

If you followed the comic books, he's one of the Elders in the Universe. His brother is the Collector, immortal, has fought and beaten death, has superpowers galore, and his games are a playful, playful sort (Comic Book).

This confirms that he organizes the battles to entertain himself. By why did he mention that Grandmaster won a game against Death? Could this be a hint that Goldblum will have an even greater role in the MCU than expected?

Thor: Ragnarok is set to be released on November 3, 2017.