Thor

[MacGuffin]

Matthew Vaughn to direct 'Thor'
Marvel aiming for pre-strike start in winter
Source: Variety

Marvel Studios is setting Matthew Vaughn to direct "Thor," based on the Marvel Comics character. Marvel is aiming for a pre-strike production start this winter.

Mark Protosevich ("I Am Legend") did the adaptation of the comicbook franchise that launched in 1962. Thor is a blonde-tressed, hammer-wielding hero who's sent to Earth to protect mankind.

Vaughn's deal is closing just as Paramount releases the Vaughn-directed "Stardust" today. The Neil Gaiman novel adaptation stars Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer.

"Thor" marks Vaughn's second effort at a superhero pic. He was attached to direct "X-Men 3" before bowing out for personal reasons. Vaughn, who produced the Guy Ritchie-directed films "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch," made his directing debut with the Daniel Craig starrer "Layer Cake."

Marvel Studios will likely finance "Thor" using its $500 million credit facility through Merrill Lynch. Marvel has used that fund to finance both Edward Norton starrer "The Incredible Hulk," which Universal releases June 13, and "Iron Man," the Robert Downey Jr. starrer that Paramount will open on May 2.

[MacGuffin]

Exclusive: Vaughn On Thor
Director reveals 'he won't wear a dress'
Source: Empire Online

"Marvel were so surprised to see this other side of me with Stardust," recalls Matthew Vaughn of his initial meeting to discuss his vision for the God of Thunder. "They actually said to me, 'You are going to make Thor more macho? Right?' Well, don't worry – Thor's not going to be wearing a dress".

Eschewing the floral frock and pumps combo is, all things considered, a step in the right direction when conceptualising one of comics' hardest heroes. It's a leap back on the horse for Vaughn, too, who missed out on his previous chance to assure his place in the comics hall of fame when he walked away from X-Men III.

"When I went into Marvel for my first X-Men meeting, I saw a figure on the desk and said 'are you guys are going to make Thor?' They said, 'We're just going to commission a script. We want to do it like Gladiator with Norse mythology and the birth of a superhero'. That really stuck in my mind. And when Marvel saw Stardust, they asked me to do it. So here I am, back again and prepping Thor."

The son of Odin (king of the gods, fond of ravens) and brother to Loki (tricksy, given to practical jokes), The Mighty Thor wields the power of thunder and lightning. Such potency doesn't lend itself to modesty though, and so it is that Thor is sent to Earth in order to learn some humility. In comic lore, part of this lesson includes a mortal identity (that of disabled medical student Donald Blake) and all recollection of godhood banished from his mind. Word is that Vaughn's origin tale will touch on none of this, staying firmly in Asgard for the duration, but maybe that's a good thing. Of all the comic adaptations that have been mooted (and it's a very long list indeed), few are more potentially fraught than Thor. After all, Hollywood was built on web-slinging vigilantes and men who dress up as bats to pummel villains in makeup, but when your hero is an aeons-old Norse god with a hammer, who speaks in the vernacular of Shakespeare, things could easily veer towards the daft. For his part though, Vaughn does not appear concerned with the potential pitfalls.

"My only concern initially was that it's another fantasy film [after Stardust], but it's different in the sense that it's a superhero film set in the world of fantasy. You've got Thor and Odin and it's set in Asgard - it's not going to be like Lord of the Rings or even Narnia. I think it's important to keep it comic book. We're not doing the Thor of Norse mythology. We're doing the Marvel Thor."

[MacGuffin]

Branagh in talks to direct 'Thor'
Brit set to wield hammer on Marvel Studios pic
Source: Variety

Kenneth Branagh is negotiating to direct "Thor," the next Marvel Comics property that will be turned into a live-action film by Marvel Studios. Pic will be released in 2010.

Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige's choice of Branagh is surprising, as Branagh hasn't really directed an action-heavy film since his debut on "Henry V," a bloody telling of the British king's conquest of France.

Branagh is the latest in a string of directors -- such as Jon Favreau ("Iron Man"), Christopher Nolan (the Batman franchise) and Gavin Hood ("X-Men Origins: Wolverine") -- with arthouse roots taking on big-budget comicbook fare.

Marvel will set a distributor for "Thor" shortly.

"Thor" comicbook adaptation, penned by Mark Protosevich, follows disabled medical student Donald Blake, who has an alter ego as the hammer-wielding Norse god Thor.

Marvel will self-finance the film via its $500 million credit facility through Merrill Lynch. Marvel used that coin to fund both "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk" and will do the same for the "Iron Man" sequel that has director Favreau and star Robert Downey Jr. returning.

The "Thor" negotiations come during a resurgence for Branagh. He's currently drawing raves on the London stage in the title role of "Ivanov," and he'll next be seen acting in the Richard Curtis-directed "The Boat That Rocked" and the Bryan Singer-helmed "Valkyrie."

[Gold Trumpet]

I'm very much against the bullshit trend of legitimazing comic books by interpretating them as meaningful pieces of drama instead of as hallmarks of cultural lore (and thus, pieces of entertainment), but this is a very interesting mixture of two forces. Considering his Sleuth remake I would forsee Branagh embracing the traditions of the comic book figure and playing up the old style entertainment.

I also wonder if Tom Cruise would come aboard and star considering the two have recent experience together with filming Valkyrie. Iron Man was supposed to be Cruise's comic book vehicle so he still has to be looking for something new.

[MacGuffin]

EXCLUSIVE: Kenneth Branagh Breaks Silence On 'Thor,' Says Casting Talk Is Premature
Source: MTV

It's been over two months since word broke that Marvel was courting Kenneth Branagh to direct their next big-screen re-launch of one of their cherished heroes, Thor. And since then we've heard nary a peep from Branagh himself. At today's junket for "Valkyrie," MTV News caught up with the actor/filmmaker and of course brought up the project.

"I am directing "Thor" or "The Mighty Thor' as you might like to call it," he said with a smile before clarifying what the title of the film will be. "I think it will be 'Thor'."

MTV has spoken to other writers about why Branagh would be such a good fit for the hero. But here was finally an opportunity to hear from Branagh about what appealed to him about the project. So what's the appeal of "Thor," Kenneth? "To work on a story about one of the immortals, Gods, extraordinary beings, inter-dimensional creatures," he enthused.

He continued excitedly, "There's science fiction and science fact and fantasy all woven into one. It's based on Norse legends which Marvel sort of raided in a brilliant way.

So who will play Branagh's hero? Asked about the rumors of Kevin McKidd being up for the role, the director waved it off as premature speculation.

"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."

Just because Branagh hasn't worked on a project of this scale since "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein," fear not. This "Thor" promises to be as large as the character would seem to call out for. "It's a chance to tell a big story on a big scale," said Branagh. "It's a human story right in the center of a big epic scenario."

[Stefen]

Branagh is a pompous jerk-off. Thor is a shitty comic, too. A fucking Aryan dickhead who wears a helmet and carries a hammer.

I'm keeping my eyes on this for the lulz.

[MacGuffin]

Will Josh Hartnett and Alexander Skarsgard star in Thor?
Source: SciFi Wire

A couple of tantalizing rumors about possible casting of Kenneth Branagh's proposed Thor movie have emerged.

IESB.net reported Tuesday that Josh Hartnett (30 Days of Night) has met with Branagh and is currently on "a very short list" to play the villain Loki in the film, based on the Marvel Comics series.

Hartnett is reportedly very interested in the part because he has never played a villain before, and after Heath Ledger's Oscar win for the latest comic-book villain, Hartnett is intrigued by the character, the site said.

That rumor followed one the same day by Latino Review, which cited an anonymous source saying that Branagh had dined with tall, blond actor Alexander Skarsgard (of HBO's True Blood and Generation Kill). He is the son of Stellan Skarsgard and certainly looks the part to play the Norse god superhero, though the site did not go so far as to suggest the dinner was about the movie.

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Those Who Would Play Thor: Unknowns?
Source: Deadline Hollywood

Right now, Marvel Studios and its newly hired director Kenneth Branagh are wrestling with the difficulty of casting Thor. Sure, there's a big push to cast Josh Hartnett either in the winged helmet and/or as nemesis Loki, which is ironic since Warner Bros once upon a time threw an amazing amount of money at him to play Superman but he refused. But my sources say there's an equally powerful lobby to cast an unknown. I've heard that, besides Hartnett, the following actors are being tested: Charlie Hunnam (the British co-star of the F/X series Sons Of Anarchy); Tom Hiddleston (award-winning British actor and RADA graduate who played Winston Churchill's son in HBO's The Gathering Storm), Alexandar Skarsgard (Stellan's son who has appeared in the HBO Iraq War miniseries Generation Kill and vampire drama True Blood, and who's definitely visually right for the role), Liam Hemsworth (offered a significant role in The Expendables after Sly Stallone saw his tape), and Joel Kinnaman (some Swedish-American dude). Meanwhile, I'm told Natalie Portman is in the lead for the female lead. (So I guess Marvel wants a wooden performance...)

[MacGuffin]

Hemsworth set for 'Thor' and 'Dawn'
Actor takes leading roles in upcoming features
Source: Hollywood Reporter

Chris Hemsworth is about to win the Hollywood lottery, booking starring roles in two major motion pictures.

Hemsworth will be wielding Mjolnir's hammer as the title character in Marvel Studios' Norse god epic "Thor" and will also play the lead in MGM's "Red Dawn," stepping into the role originated by Patrick Swayze in the 1984 original. In the new version, China and Russia will be the invaders of the United States.

"Thor" and "Dawn" were among the big movies undergoing wide casting searches and Hemsworth, an Australian who made his name with his country's TV show "Home and Away" had been making the rounds. His big American step came in late 2007, when he was cast by J.J. Abrams in the small but pivotal role as Captain Kirk's father in the new "Star Trek" movie.

Ironically, one of the actors Hemsworth was up against for "Thor" was his younger brother Liam. Liam Hemsworth just booked the male lead role opposite Miley Cyrus in Disney's "The Last Song." Other actors up for "Thor" included Charlie Hunnam and Brit Tom Hiddleston.

MGM was an early fan of Hemsworth's, casting him in the Joss Whedon-produced horror film "Cabin in the Woods.

Deals for both "Thor" and "Dawn," first reported in Deadline Hollywood Daily, are not quite squared away; the "Thor" deal is contingent on the latter film's shooting scheduling. It's due to film in August. "Thor," to be directed by Kenneth Brannagh, is FX-intensive and requires a longer pre-production period. It is scheduled for a May 2011 release.

"Dawn," helmed by stunt coordinator and cinematographer-turned-director Dan Bradley and produced by Contrafilm, has a September 2010 release date.

[SiliasRuby]

So fucking uninterested.

[modage]

sorry Channing Tatum but Chris Hemsworth just stole your thunder!

[MacGuffin]

Natalie Portman joins Marvel's 'Thor'
Chris Hemsworth stars as Norse god of thunder
Source: Hollywood Reporter

Natalie Portman has been cast as the female lead in "Thor," Marvel Studios' adaptation of its comic book featuring the Norse god of thunder. Kenneth Branagh is directing.

Portman will play Jane Foster, who in early comic book lore was a nurse who became Thor's first love. The studio said the character will be updated for the feature adaptation.

Chris Hemsworth is already cast as Thor. Tom Hiddleston is Loki, the god of mischief who serves as the movie's villain.

"Thor" is Marvel's stab at an epic fantasy adventure, spanning from present-day Earth to the realm of Asgard. The story centers on Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. As punishment, Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans but once here, he learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

Marvel's Kevin Feige is producing.

Principal photography for the film is set for early 2010. The film will be released in the U.S. on May 20, 2011, distributed by Paramount Pictures.

[Stefen]

haha. this shits hilarious.

first it was respected filmmakers making flicks out of rappers lives (8 Mile, Get Rich or Die Tryin) and now it's respected filmmakers making comic book movies with respectable actors.

I have absolutely NO hope for this movie.

[MacGuffin]

Lightning strikes two more actors for "Thor"

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The world of "Thor" is filling up. Jaimie Alexander and Colm Feore are coming aboard the Marvel Studios adaptation of its comic book featuring the Norse god of thunder.

Kenneth Branagh is directing the feature.

Alexander and Feore join Chris Hemsworth, already cast as Thor; Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki, the god of mischief who serves as the movie's villain; and Natalie Portman, as Thor's human love, Jane Foster.

The movie's story centers on Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. As punishment, Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans. Once here, he learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends dark forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

In the epic fantasy, Alexander will play Sif, a skilled Asgardian warrior who can hold her own against any man. She also is one of Thor's loves.

Feore's character, a villain, is shrouded in mystery; the studio isn't even sending the actors the script.

Alexander, best known for "Kyle XY," also has been cast as a pharmaceutical sales rep in "Love and Other Drugs," starring Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Feore had recent stints on "24" and "The Listener." He appears in "The Trotsky," which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival.

[Pas]

why isn't Thor played by Alexander Skarsgård instead of this stupid-face-looks-like-a-douche-noname Chris Hemsworth 

Also Natalie Portman, lol

And Kenneth, lol I bet 1000$ that he (at least twice) made allusions to ''how Shakespearian'' this could be during his first lunch with the producers.