Jeff Goldblum on role of Grandmaster in 'Ragnarok:' 'He's a hedonist'

LONDON, June 7 (UPI) -- Jeff Goldblum will appear in the third Thor film, Ragnarok, as the Grandmaster, a classic Marvel character whom he describes as a "hedonist."

As the Independence Day actor returns to the big screen and steps into the Marvel universe, he told Empire Magazine he is absorbing as much as he can in order to bring the character to life.

"He's a hedonist, a pleasure-seeker, an enjoyer of life and tastes and smells," Goldblum said about the Grandmaster. "I thought, 'I can do that, I'll bet!' I'm working on my part every day. I'm a sponge, researching."

Goldblum added Ragnarok director Taika Waititi is giving him freedom to add his own flare to the "eccentric" character.

"[Waititi] is encouraging me to improvise and make it my own, and that's what I'm trying to do," he said ahead of filming in Brisbane. "I hope he doesn't throw me out on the first day!"

In May, it was announced Goldblum would be joining the Thor threequel alongside Cate Blanchett, who is set to play the film's villain, Hela. The two joined Tessa Thomspson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba and Anthony Hopkins.

Thor: Ragnarok opens in theaters Nov. 3, 2017. The first two movies, Thor (2011) and Thor: The Dark World (2013), earned a combined $1.09 billion at the box office.