Friday, November 20

• Thor Update: Casting, Set Report, and Stan Lee's Cameo

  Thor, which starts production in mid-January, seems to be on the fast track to complete its casting. Earlier this week, director Kenneth Branagh and Marvel cast the Warriors Three, and today, THR reports that Idris Elba has joined the cast as Heimdall, the guardian of Asgard.

  While the cast is coming together, the cameo role for Stan Lee isn't. Lee Told MTV that he has met with Branagh, but a cameo role has not been chosen yet.

  I had lunch with Branagh, [who's] the nicest guy in the world as well as the most talented. Months ago, when he was first starting on the movie, he said he would get a cameo for me. When we had lunch, I was sure he had asked me to lunch because he wanted me to play Odin, [Thor's father, a role Anthony Hopkins will be playing] but it was a big disappointment. I figure I'll end up carrying his spear.

  Once Lee does get his cameo lined up, he'll get to visit the set like Marvel comics writer Brian Michael Bendis did. He used his Twitter account to tell fans about his on set experience.

  Broadcasting live from marvel west. Thor movie meeting with Ken branagh was over the top amazing. Visited the sets! I was in Odin's chamber!

  
  

  Posted 11/20/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Stan Lee | Idris Elba | Kenneth Branagh | Thor

Friday, November 13

• Thor Begins Production in January

  ProductionWeekly used its Twitter account to announce that Thor was heading in front of the cameras early next year.

  Filming on Marvel's Thor is scheduled to begin in LA mid-January, then move to Santa Fe, New Mexico from March till late-April.

  Ending the shoot in late April gives Kenneth Branagh and company a full year of post-production to make sure Thor is ready for its current May 20, 2011, release date. (Originally, it was set for a July 16, 2010 release.)

  Thor follows the god of thunder as he is banished to Earth when his reckless behavior re-ignites an ancient war. Once on Earth, he must learn the true meaning of a hero as he fights the dark forces of Asgard that have invaded his new planet. Thor, along with Iron Man 2 and Captain America: The First Avenger will help set the table for Marvel's 2011 production, The Avengers.

  
  

  Posted 11/13/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Kenneth Branagh | Thor

Wednesday, October 14

• Comic Scribe Says Thor Script Is "Very, Very Good"

  In the past, comic book writers were the last people Hollywood would go to for advice about their adaptations. That's changing, though. With many of the top-grossing films of the past decade based on comic book characters, the writers are gaining a little more cred.

  At the recent Baltimore Comic-Con, prolific comic book scribe Brian Michael Bendis revealed that he is one of those rare comic creators afforded access in Hollywood, at least on the Kenneth Branagh-directed Thor movie currently in development at Marvel Studios. Bendis, one of the designers of the "Ultimate" universe, a modern retelling of classic Marvel characters designed to appeal to new readers, confirmed that Thor would precede the release of Captain America: The First Avenger, and that he had read the script. Bendis joked:

  I'm Thor. A Jewy Thor. I was reading the new script just last night. Very, very good.

  Thor is currently in pre-production, with an expected January 2010 start, and will feature Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Natalie Portman as Thor's human love interest, Jane Foster.

  
  
  Next Showing: Thor is scheduled for a May 20, 2011 release

  Posted 10/14/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Natalie Portman | Kenneth Branagh | Chris Hemsworth | First Avenger: Captain America | Thor

Monday, October 12

• Thor Seeks Warriors and A College Student

  After recently adding Stellan Skarsgård, the Thor cast continues to grow. SpoilerTV found a casting notice for the upcoming comic book adaptation regarding a role as a college student named Marcy Lewis.

  [MARCY LEWIS] (20) Is a college student. Aloof, jaded beyond her years, she thought her internship with scientist Kate Spelling would be an easy 6 college credits. However, she's been stuck for months in this small New Mexico town and relegated to a wide range of unglamorous activities. Kate has been particularly hard on Marcy, making it her personal project to see that Marcy lives up to her potential. Marcy deals with her situation both by using subtle irony and by being an overt wiseass.

  The two characters of Lewis and Spelling may be related to Natalie Portman's Jane Foster, a nurse. The casting of more human characters seems to confirm a plot synopsis that revealed the movie will spend significant time on Earth. Thor should still spend plenty of time on Asgard, though, as another casting notice revealed.

  [WARRIORS] A fearless warrior race, where size, strength and ferocity define a member's rank in both the social and military hierarchy. Warriors born in this society face the harshest ecological conditions imaginable and thrive in environments where lesser creatures, including humans, quickly perishes.

  Theirs is a world created to cull weakness from the universe to ensure their supreme sovereignty spreads across the stars. MUST BE 6'2 OR TALLER, NO BODYBUILDER TYPES. SAG ROLE BUT NO LINES. MUST BE COMFORTABLE WEARING PROSTHETICS.

  While it seems logical to assume these "warriors" would be Asgard extras, the lack of dialogue and "prosthetics" required imply that these are trolls or some other kind of beast that Thor will battle. Or perhaps we're reading too much into "theirs is a world created to cull weakness from the universe"? In any case, it doesn't sound like a place where Norse gods like to hang out.

  In other Thor news, Marvel comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis told MTV that Thor will be the biggest surprise of the current Marvel slate, having witnessed a live performance of the movie's plot by director Kenneth Branagh.

  Thor is an extravaganza. The artwork is unbelievable... They flew us all here because Kenneth Branagh wanted to tell us his Thor' movie and he pitched it live. It was Shakespearean and went on for hours.

  He wasn't high selling it. He is an actor and he just sold it. I looked to [Marvel Comic Editor-in-Chief] Joe [Quesada] and went "Isn't this fun?" When he was done, we were like "Great! You should do that!"

  
  
  Next Showing: Thor opens May 20, 2011

  Posted 10/12/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Kenneth Branagh | Thor

Thursday, August 20

• Diora Baird Auditions for Thor

  

  Twitter is fast becoming the best source for the latest movie news. Like Clifton Collins Jr. before her, Diora Baird, the model who transitioned into acting with Wedding Crashers and the upcoming Night of the Demons, used her Twitter feed to announce her audition for Kenneth Branagh's Thor:

  Had an audition for the movie Thor today. Character description was "pretty, but sturdy with muscle". Damn type casting.

  When asked by Chud what role she was auditioning for, Baird said she was sworn to secrecy:

  I cant say. I'll go to jail. For real. Had to sign my soul away.

  A good guess would be that Baird is up for the role of Asgardian sorceress The Enchantress, considering that Natalie Portman will play Thor's love interest, though it's possible Baird is auditioning for Sif, another love interest of Thor's.

  
  

  Posted 08/20/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Diora Baird | Kenneth Branagh | Thor

Tuesday, August 11

• Louis Leterrier Talks About His Avengers "Dream"

  The LA Times caught up with Louis Leterrier on the set of his upcoming Clash of the Titans, where The Incredible Hulk director talked about The Avengers and the upcoming Marvel movies. The French director revealed that he wants to make another Marvel movie, but Leterrier seemed uncommitted to making The Incredible Hulk 2.

  Well, so far, no. I am contracted to do one more film with Marvel so when I'm done here with [Titans] I will go back to say to them, "Guys you need me? Is there something I can do?"

  Leterrier explained that making The Incredible Hulk took its toll on him.

  Hulk was such a challenge. It was to reboot something and follow [the Ang Lee-directed 2003 Hulk] movie that was absolutely adored by part of the fan population and then absolutely hated by another part. It was complicated for me. I wasn't sure what to do with that history. I did my Hulk but it was not easy. If I do another Hulk film it will always be compared to the Ang Lee thing, and my first one … if I come back I'd love to do another superhero, something different that I can really put my touch on.

  So if Leterrier isn't willing to direct the next Incredible Hulk, what movie would he want to direct?

  I would love to do the Avengers film. I'd love to work with Marvel again. I loved working with them. I like [Marvel President of Production] Kevin Feige, he's a good guy and a fan. I love him. I feel really good at Marvel because they are people my age who are obsessed with movies and comic books. We talk about the same things. And they are not the nerd army — they like when you change something [away from Marvel canon] if there's a good reason, they're open to new things. Kevin is smart about movies and he takes risks. I would work with him tomorrow. But it has to be the right project.

  But directing The Avengers isn't all Leterrier wants. He outlined a much larger dream for The Avengers that surely had Feige and his fellow Marvel executives talking.

  I'll tell you my real dream: To work with [First Avenger: Captain America director] Joe Johnston and [Thor director] Kenneth Branagh and Jon Favreau and make like a triptych. We do four movies. We release them one a month for the summer. Or even every two weeks or three weeks. And the whole summer would be Avengers summer. So we do it the way they make television shows. One story arc but told in installments by different directors. So all of the directors that touch part of the Avengers world would do a part; we could make the movies shorter, maybe less than an hour and a half, and we use the same sets and save Marvel money. I would love to sit around a table with all of them a kick around the story. That's my dream.

  
  

  Posted 08/11/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Joe Johnston | Jon Favreau | Kevin Feige | Ang Lee | Louis Leterrier | Kenneth Branagh | The Avengers | The Incredible Hulk | The Incredible Hulk 2 | The Hulk

Tuesday, July 14

• Natalie Portman to Star as Love Interest in Thor

  Variety and The Hollywood Reporter confirm that Natalie Portman will star as the love interest in Marvel Comics' upcoming adaptation of Thor.

  Chris Hemsworth has already been cast in the title role. Portman will play Jane Foster, a nurse who becomes Thor's first love interest early in the comic book series. The story involves Thor's banishment to the world of everyday humanity after he commits reckless actions in battle.

  The movie is being directed by Kenneth Branagh, who is best known for his cinematic interpretations of Shakespeare. It is set to begin shooting early next year and is slated for a May 20, 2011 release.

  Other upcoming Portman projects include Jim Sheridan's Brothers, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire; Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan; David Gordon Green's Your Highness; and the ensemble vehicle New York, I Love You.

  
  

  Posted 07/14/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Natalie Portman | Kenneth Branagh | Chris Hemsworth | Thor

Monday, July 6

• No Clifton Collins Jr. in Thor and Other Thor News

  

  Last month, Star Trek and Crank: High Voltage actor Clifton Collins Jr. was using his Twitter account to announce his Thor audition. Apparently, he didn't get the part.

  "I have nothing to do with that piece," said Collins. "I was just preparing stuff. It's a fantastic director, a great piece, but I have absolutely nothing to do with it."

  Collins Jr. would not elaborate on what part he was studying for, but he's not the only one who's has been doing his research. Brian Michael Bendis, one of Marvel's Avengers comic book writers that was brought in to consult on Thor and other related Marvel movies, attended a Thor meeting where Kenneth Branagh acted out the movie for several hours. "It was Shakespearean, with flourishes," Bendis told Newsarama.

  Marvel's Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada had this to say about Branagh's thorough performance:

  He's definitely about character, which is the quintessential trait you have to have to understand the Marvel characters. It's not just big hammers and capes and things like that. It's about what makes the character tick. There's definitely a reason for Thor, a reason for him being and a very deep family relationship and story in the movie that I think is going to be very cool.

  
  
  Next Showing: Thor opens May 20, 2011

  Posted 07/06/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Kenneth Branagh | Clifton Collins Jr. | Thor

Saturday, June 13

• Alexander Skarsgard Explains How Close He Was to Being Thor

  For a time, Alexander Skarsgård seemed like the front runner for the lead role in Thor, before Chris Hemsworth finally landed the part.

  However, before Hemsworth was cast, Skarsgård was indeed close to playing the thunder god. Real close. "Yeah, I met with [Marvel Studios Executive] Kevin [Feige] a few times and the director [Kenneth Branagh]," Skarsgård explained to MTV. He even tried on the costume to shoot his audition. "Yeah, that was pretty fun,” said Skarsgård.

  However, while Skarsgård ultimately lost the part, he would still be interested in appearing a Marvel movie, should Feige decide to bring him in. Perhaps even Captain America in The First Avenger: Captain America?

  It depends on the circumstances — who the director is, and what the character is. But of course [I'd be interested in looking into it]. I think it's every little boy's dream; it would be a person's dream to play an action hero.

  Unless, of course, he loses the part again.

  
  

  Posted 06/13/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Kevin Feige | Alexander Skarsgard | Kenneth Branagh | Thor | First Avenger: Captain America

Friday, June 5

• Story and Casting Updates for Thor

  Thor is really starting to fill out its ensemble, with Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as his evil half-brother Loki, and Kenneth Branagh-favorite Brian Blessed as their father Odin.

  What concerns comic fans, however, is not so much the casting but instead how Branagh and company plan on handling Thor's odd position as both superhero and Norse god. With Thor looking to be released only a year prior to The Avengers, will Thor's integration into a team of heroes seem natural or will Thor stand out among his more human counterparts like Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man? Nothing to worry about, Thor screenwriter Ashley Miller told CineFOOLS:

  Thor's powers are godly, yes. And his zip code is a little different. But at the end of the day, he's a man. In the comics, Odin sends him to Earth because he's not perfect. He's brash, arrogant. Even over-confident. We all know that guy -- some of us have even been that guy. Our script is very firmly rooted in the Marvel film world. We were constantly looking for ways to connect Thor to the other movies and heroes, even if they were simply in passing.

  Director Branagh is also interested in the story, reading tons of Thor comics and taking advice from several Marvel writers and editors. With such in-depth research, clearly Branagh has some favorite storylines? He told MTV:

  I think that [Thor stories] go through golden patches and purple patches and everyone has personal favorites. The recent runs have been marvelous. The J. Michael Straczynski run has been a tremendous achievement. But I’ve also been reading way back, reading classic, vintage runs as well. There are many Thors and many accounts of the stories across nearly 50 years of the comics. We look to raid from the best.

  So really, the story could come from anywhere in Thor's 45-year history. That ought to satisfy fans.

  
  

  Posted 06/05/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Robert Downey Jr. | Brian Blessed | Kenneth Branagh | Tom Hiddleston | Chris Hemsworth | Thor | The Avengers

Monday, June 1

• A Second Star Trek Actor to Possibly Join Thor

  With Chris Hemsworth, who played Kirk's father in the recent Star Trek, on board to star as the hammer-wielding Thor, another Star Trek actor is hoping to join the Kenneth Branagh-directed production. Clifton Collins Jr., who played the Romulan Ayel in Star Trek and starred in Capote and Traffic, announced on his Twitter page:

  Studying my ass off for THOR, gonna be a late night, well worth the loss of sleep!

  Collins Jr. followed up his post by saying:

  Brewing big pot of joe, hitting THOR hard this mornin!

  We assume he means the audition. Collins Jr. made no mention of which character he would portray, though MTV speculates that he could play one of The Warriors Three, one of Thor's Asgardian friends. Clifton has yet to reveal how the audition went.

  
  

  Posted 06/01/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Kenneth Branagh | Chris Hemsworth | Thor | Star Trek

Sunday, May 17

• Role of Thor Finally Cast

  After months of screen testing several actors for the lead role in the upcoming adaptation of Thor, Kenneth Branagh's recent comment that the casting decision was "extremely close" turned out to be true.

  Deadline Hollywood Daily reports that newcomer Chris Hemsworth has landed the role. The Australian actor appeared in Star Trek as Captain Kirk's father and will be in the upcoming remake of Red Dawn. Hemsworth had not been mentioned as one of the actors testing for the part because he had only read for the part. Hemsworth's agent convinced Marvel CEO Kevin Feige to test him, which then convinced Branagh.

  While Hemsworth definitely looks the role, the actor has another asset that could make a good comic book hero: he's Australian. Just ask Hugh Jackman (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) or Eric Bana (Hulk).

  
  

  Posted 05/17/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Kevin Feige | Kenneth Branagh | Chris Hemsworth | Thor | Star Trek

Thursday, May 14

• Kenneth Branagh Updates Thor Casting Process

  With production of Thor starting early next year, no decision has been made regarding the several actors rumored for the role. While Marvel CEO Kevin Feige has said the decision will be announced in a couple of months, director Kenneth Branagh explained to MTV that the wait will be likely over before that:

  We're down to the final stages of it. The reason one has to be properly diplomatic, is simply that some talented peopled have been patient, kind, creative and really committed to working with us in this process. That said, I think we are extremely close and I hope to announce a decision sooner rather than later.

  Branagh also had a few words to calm the fans who have their own ideas about who would be the ideal Thor:

  There's a massive fan base out there of devotees, enthusiasts and real experts who have all the answers to that. All I can say is that I bare all of that in mind with my Thor education. I read a couple of comics across the years every day, I read the Norse legends and sagas, and [the lead role] needs to have something from all that's great in the comics and the legends, and needs to live in our film universe. It's a whole series of things that I could list, but I'm not going to, because I'd have to kill you.

  Fair enough, Kenneth. Just decide already!

  
  
  Next Showing: Thor opens May 20, 2011

  Posted 05/14/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Kevin Feige | Kenneth Branagh | Thor

Wednesday, May 6

• Marvel President Updates Progress on The Avengers and Thor

  Kevin Feige, President of Production at Marvel Studios, told Empire some updates regarding the adaptation of Thor and Avengers. First, he talked about Thor:

  We will probably be having cast announcements in the next month or so on Thor. We're looking to cast Loki and Odin soon, and the main female role. And we'll also hopefully have lockdown shortly, gearing towards the beginning of production, which will be early next year. So I think there will be a lot of announcements between now and then.

  Director Kenneth Branagh has already confirmed that shooting was to begin in January of next year. As for casting rumors, Josh Hartnett has been mentioned as the front-runner for Loki, and Natalie Portman the female lead, likely Thor's wife Sif. Looks like fans will know for sure sometime next month.

  Feige also updated Branagh's pre-production:

  Branagh's here, we're prepping, and he's put together some spectacular animatics already for our first action scene. We're digging into the second and third now, and we are just embarking on a rewrite of the draft.

  As for The Avengers:

  Zak Penn [X2: X-Men United and The Incredible Hulk writer] is already on board The Avengers [as screenwriter] and he's spending a lot of his time looking into what we're doing with Iron Man [2], Thor and Captain America, seeing how we're tying it all together. And he's beginning to outline the script now -- he'll be doing that over the summer.

  Feige offered no update as to whether Jon Favreau will direct The Avengers. Thor opens June 17, 2011, while The Avengers opens May 4, 2012.

  
  

  Posted 05/06/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Jon Favreau | Josh Hartnett | Kevin Feige | Natalie Portman | Zak Penn | Kenneth Branagh | Thor | The Avengers | First Avenger: Captain America | X2: X-Men United | Iron Man 2 | The Incredible Hulk

Sunday, May 3

• Kenneth Branagh Talks Thor

  Kenneth Branagh offered an update on his comic adaptation to IGN:

  Well, I'm working currently on Thor for Marvel and we're planning that one. We're having a great time at the moment. We're in intense pre-production. I shoot Thor in January of next year.

  All this extra time allows Branagh to take his time in casting the Thor role. With Alexander Skarsgård seemingly out of the running, and Charlie Hunnam screen testing, Branagh is quick to mention that Tom Hiddleston is still a possibility:

  Tom Hiddleston is a great actor and he, amongst a number of others, has been part of the group we've spoken to and all that's still a work in progress.

  With Thor not shooting until next year, Branagh has plenty of time to make up his mind.

  
  

  Posted 05/03/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Charlie Hunnam | Alexander Skarsgard | Kenneth Branagh | Tom Hiddleston | Thor

Friday, April 24

• Alexander Skarsgård Out as Thor

  

  There's good reason for Charlie Hunnam to be testing for the role of Thor, because it looks like Alexander Skarsgård is out of the running. While Skarsgård has met with director Kenneth Branagh, he doesn't feel confident about the part, responding to questions about his casting by saying, "No, I don't think so, I haven't gotten the call, so..."

  Skarsgard will just have to content himself with his work on HBO's True Blood.

  
  
  Next Showing: Thor opens May 20, 2011

  Posted 04/24/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Charlie Hunnam | Alexander Skarsgard | Kenneth Branagh | Thor

Tuesday, April 7

• Thor Casting Search Gets Smaller

  With Thor's opening day moved to 2011, director Kenneth Branagh can take his time with casting. While several actors have been rumored for the role, Fighting actor Channing Tatum has been officially removed from consideration. Tatum told MTV that, while he did meet with Branagh about the role, he is no longer a candidate. "I think they're looking for someone more Nordic-looking." Considering Thor is a Norse god, Tatum may be onto something.

  Tatum had no further information on whether Branagh will cast Alexander Skarsgård or any of the other rumored actors currently testing for the role.

  
  
  Next Showing: Thor opens May 20, 2011

  Posted 04/07/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Channing Tatum | Alexander Skarsgard | Kenneth Branagh | Thor | Fighting

Tuesday, March 17

• Natalie Portman in Thor?

  DeadlineHollywood reports that Natalie Portman may possibly join the cast of Thor, likely in the role of Sif, Thor's wife.

  Who would play opposite Portman as Thor is still undecided, and it looks like rumored Kenneth Branagh favorite Alexander Skarsgård has some competition. Charlie Hunnam (F/X's Sons of Anarchy), Tom Hiddleston (Branagh's co-star from in the Masterpiece series Wallander), Liam Hemsworth (Knowing), and Danish actor Joel Kinnaman (Danish movies) are all being tested for the movie. Most of the actors are unknown because, according to a source, there is a "powerful lobby" that wants an unknown cast as Thor.

  There's even less time for casting decisions, as Thor's release date has been changed again, this time to May 20, 2011, two weeks after Spider-Man 4.

  
  

  Posted 03/17/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Natalie Portman | Charlie Hunnam | Alexander Skarsgard | Kenneth Branagh | Tom Hiddleston | Thor | Knowing

Friday, March 13

• Jon Favreau May Direct The Avengers and Other Marvel News

  Looks like the release date change for The Avengers isn't because Marvel was worried about The Avengers going up against Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II in the summer of 2011. AintitCoolNews reports that a Marvel source has told them that the reason for the delay was not only financial (Marvel will have to pay "significant" money to Mickey Rourke for Iron Man 2 and Samuel L. Jackson for nine Marvel movies), but also because it gives Jon Favreau the best chance to direct The Avengers. The source claims that Favreau would not have had time to direct The Avengers after finishing the "accelerated schedule" of Iron Man 2 unless The Avengers had been delayed for another year, and Marvel wants to give Favreau the best chance to be available.

  AICN's source wasn't done with The Avengers news. The source also confirms that Alexander Skarsgård is Kenneth Branagh's choice to play Thor, and that Josh Hartnett will likely play Thor's adversary Loki. Stellan Skarsgård is a strong possibility to play Odin, Thor's father.

  Fox is indeed rebooting the Fantastic Four franchise, the source confirms, as well as Daredevil, because if Fox doesn't make a new movie based on those properties every few years, the rights revert back to Marvel.

  
  

  Posted 03/13/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Jon Favreau | Josh Hartnett | Stellan Skarsgard | Alexander Skarsgard | Samuel L. Jackson | Kenneth Branagh | Mickey Rourke | Daredevil | Iron Man 2 | Thor | The Avengers | Fantastic Four | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Wednesday, March 4

• Leo to Join Nolan's Inception

  Director Christopher Nolan's sci-fi thriller Inception, otherwise known as the movie that's keeping a sequel to The Dark Knight on hold, has found the star power it needs to compete on its tough opening day of July 16, 2010, the same opening day as possible superhero blockbuster Thor. Variety reports that Leonardo DiCaprio will join Nolan for the first time to star in the thriller about the "architecture of the mind."

  If going up against Thor wasn't pressure enough, consider that Thor's director Kenneth Brannagh used to be married to Inception producer and Nolan's current wife, Emma Thompson. You sure you don't want to just make another Batman, Nolan?

  
  

  Posted 03/04/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Emma Thompson | Christopher Nolan | Leonardo DiCaprio | Kenneth Branagh | The Dark Knight | Thor | Inception

Wednesday, February 18

• Marvel Promises "Faithful"Thor Adaptation

  

  After twittering online that Kenneth Branagh "gets" Thor, Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada went on the record about the Thor movie meetings at the New York Comic-Con and talked about the "faithful" adaptation that Branagh is planning:

  [Branagh] has immersed himself in [the comics]... He was talking about characters and villains that even I was going, like, who was that?, y'know. But if you're a Thor-head, you're going to go, oh yeah, of course... So it was wonderful to hear this stuff. He wasn't just concerned about Thor, but he also understood going in, from the beginning - because we established very early on... Well, at the end of the Iron Man movie, but very early on [in the process], that there's going to be other movies that become part of this tapestry. This is essentially our Star Wars, our universe is our Star Wars, and he understands that his Thor movie is one of the legs of this table that will interplay with an Iron Man movie down the road, or The Avengers movie down the road. Whatever is going to happen is part of a shared universe.
  

  Thor is still without an actor to play the lead role. While Daniel Craig and Kevin McKidd have been mentioned as candidates, fans are petitioning for relative unknown James Preston Rogers, who played a Viking in Outlander, for a time was training to be a professional wrestler, and does have a resemblance to the thunder god.

  
  
  Next Showing: Thor opens July 16, 2010

  Posted 02/18/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Daniel Craig | Kevin McKidd | Kenneth Branagh | Thor | Outlander

Friday, February 6

• Marvel Says Kenneth Branagh "Gets" Thor

  Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada and writer Brian Michael Bendis met with Thor director Kenneth Branagh this week to talk about the movie, which prompted Quesada to say on his Twitter feed: "Three words describe my day today: 'Branagh gets it!'"

  While neither Quesada or Bendis could give away any more details about the meeting other than saying that they did meet with Branagh, Quesada Twitter'd this in response to another comic book writer: "I'll tell ya what's sweet. Sweet is when [Branagh] starts quoting continuity and past story lines. The man has immersed himself in Marvel."

  For any fans skeptical of Branagh being named director, Quesada's enthusiasm is a good sign.

  
  
  Next Showing: Thor opens July 16, 2010

  Posted 02/06/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Kenneth Branagh | Thor

Monday, January 5

• Marvel's Thor Movie Needs a Doctor

  Insider sources involved with Marvel Studios' upcoming comic book movie Thor, have revealed a major plot point to IESB.net.

  The added info answers how moviemakers plan to transition the Norse thunder god from his "swords and sorcery" period piece to a modern world follow-up in The Avengers -- where Thor is also slated to play a part.

  The pesky problem -- one of bridging the fantasy/reality gap -- had even the most forgiving comic book movie fans worrying. How do you put a mythological character, wielding a magic hammer, alongside technological and science-based characters like Iron Man? Such a clash between hammers and high-tech would stretch believablity beyond its breaking point -- especially among a non-nerd audience.

  So what is the fantastical fix that will successfully insert Thor into modern day L.A? Introduce Doctor Donald Blake into the mix. Our spoilers have revealed that the good Doctor will make a quick cameo at the end of the Thor movie.

  Dr. Blake was the original host for Thor in the comic books. As a man existing in the "real world," he discovers mighty Mjolnir (The hammer of Thor) in a mountain cave and becomes possessed with the god's mythological power.

  While this explanation may not completely smooth out all the fantastical wrinkles, at least it provides a reason for why a long-haired dude with a hammer is flying alongside rocket-powered Iron Man.

  Also alluded to in the report is that director Kenneth Branagh will play a small part in the movie.

  
  
  Next Showing: Thor will bring down the thunder on audiences in June 2010

  Posted 01/05/2009 by Jim

  Related: Kenneth Branagh | The Avengers | Thor

Tuesday, December 16

• Kenneth Branagh Finally Talks Thor

  Months after being picked to direct Thor, Kenneth Branagh at last shed some light on his latest foray into big-budget moviemaking, his first since Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

  With rumors swirling over who will play the Asgardian, from Daniel Craig to Rome's Kevin McKidd, Branagh tried to quiet the chatter: "There's been lots of talk [about casting] -- I sound like a politician -- but we are too early at this stage. We're getting the story and the visual effects together and all of that is very exciting. Someone sensational is going to play the part but it is early days."

  With Thor scheduled to open July 16, 2010, and the Avengers movie to follow a year later in 2011, Branagh will have to move quickly, as those "early days" are almost over. But for those who echo Robert Downey Jr.'s concerns over how they will blend Thor and Iron Man and the Hulk realistically into one movie, Branagh's vision for Thor should please: "It's a chance to tell a big story on a big scale. It's a human story right in the center of a big epic scenario."

  
  

  Posted 12/16/2008 by Ryan

  Related: Daniel Craig | Kevin McKidd | Kenneth Branagh | Thor

Thursday, December 4

• Thor Update

  With the upcoming Avengers movie arriving in 2011, the pressure is on both First Avenger: Captain America and Thor to excite audiences in preparation. Thor has a confirmed director in Kenneth Branagh, but nothing but rumors over who will play the thunder god. Recently, Daniel Craig reportedly turned down the role, but was in fact just "having a joke."

  If not Craig, then who? How about Rome's Kevin McKidd? IGN recently spoke to McKidd, who confirmed that he is one of the front-runners for the role and would be "excited" to work with Branagh.

  Should McKidd win the part, there seems little chance that the hammer-throwing Asgardian will team up with fellow Rome star Ray Stevenson's gun-toting Punisher, but, you never know, this is Hollywood.

  
  

  Posted 12/04/2008 by Ryan

  Related: Daniel Craig | Kevin McKidd | Ray Stevenson | Kenneth Branagh | Thor | Rome

Monday, September 29

• Kenneth Branagh to Direct Thor

  In a surprising move, Marvel has tabbed British actor-director Kenneth Branagh to helm the big-budget superhero flick Thor, based on the classic comic in which a crippled med school student moonlights as a crime-fighting Norse god. The Thor gig had been the subject of speculation for weeks, with Eagle Eye director D.J. Caruso most recently rumored as a front-runner. Now that that case is closed, fanboys can commence feverishly speculating on who'll be playing the lead...

  As a director, Branagh is best known for Shakespearean epics Henry V and Hamlet, both of which received multiple Oscar nominations. Marvel's bold choice signals that the studio is looking to elevate the Thor franchise above typical comic-book fare, as they did with Iron Man's Jon Favreau and are hoping to do with Wolverine's Gavin Hood. As far as the cast is concerned, Branagh is the perennial "actor's director," which means that Tyler Mane is probably out of the running to play the hammer-wielding God of Thunder. Sorry, bro.
  

  
  

  Posted 09/29/2008 by reelz

  Related: Kenneth Branagh | Thor