Anthony Hopkins Joins “Thor” as Odin
Anthony Hopkins has signed on to star in Marvel Studios’ upcoming adaptation of “Thor.”
Hopkins will play Odin, the king of Asgard and the father of Thor and Loki. Chris Hemsworth is playing Thor, Tom Hiddleston plays Loki and Natalie Portman – Jane Foster, his human love interest.
In the film, Thor’s arrogance and recklessness re-ignite an ancient war, so he’s cast out of Asgard and down to Earth. There, as his human form Donald Blake, he meets a nurse named Jane Foster. When Loki comes to Earth Thor is forced to take up the hammer and fight him.
Stellan Skarsgård Joins “Thor”
Stellan Skarsgård will star in Marvel Studios’ “Thor” according to the man himself through Swedish news site Ystads Allehanda.
Stellan is not the only Skarsgård linked to this Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of the Marvel comic adaptation. In early 2009, his son Alexander Skarsgard was listed among the potential candidates to portray the titular character, Thor. However, the younger Skarsgard lost the role to Chris Hemsworth, the actor who portrays Captain Kirk’s father in 2009’s “Star Trek”.
Everything is still secret about the project and Skarsgård can not reveal what role he will play.
“They wanted me to sign without reading the script. That I refused to do. Then they sent one to me that was so coded that I could only print one copy,”
said Stellan Skarsgård to TT spectra.
Jaimie Alexander and Colm Feore Join Thor
Director Kenneth Branagh has cast two more actors in his forthcoming Marvel Studios adaptation of “Thor.” According to THR, those actors are Jaimie Alexander (Kyle XY, Rest Stop) and Colm Feore (Chicago, 24, The Chronicles of Riddick).
They will 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 is Thor’s human love, Jane Foster.
Alexander is set to play Thor’s Asgardian ally, the Lady Sif, who will vie for the Thunder God’s affections with the mortal Jane Foster (Portman). Feore’s character is shrouded in mystery — the studio isn’t even sending the actors the script — though it is known to be a villain.
Natalie Portman Joins Marvel’s Thor
Marvel announced today that Natalie Portman has been cast to star as Jane Foster in upcoming “Thor.” Foster, a nurse, was a character from the early comic book lore, and was Thor’s first love.
Portman will join Chris Hemsworth who’s playing the title role and Tom Hiddleston who is playing the villain Loki, the god of mischief.
Marvel Studios expands its film universe with a new type of superhero: Thor. This epic adventure spans the Marvel Universe; from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is The Mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor 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.
Kenneth Branagh (Sleuth, Hamlet, Frankenstein) is directing the movie from a screenplay by Ashley Miller (Agent Cody Banks), Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend, The Cell) and Zack Stentz (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles).
Chris Hemsworth is Thor
Deadline Hollywood Daily, Variety and THR is reporting that 25-year old Australian actor Chris Hemsworth (playing George Kirk in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek) has been cast as Thor in the upcoming “Thor” film.
The casting decision was made by Marvel President Kevin Feige and director Kenneth Branagh, ending a long bout with public speculation from sites across the web. It is rumored that James Bond star Daniel Craig turned down the role. As well, it was rumored that everyone from Rome’s Kevin McKidd to Sons of Anarchy star Charlie Hunnum had at least read for the part.
The rest of the cast should be put together by the end of the month.
Chris Hemsworth played “Kim Hyde” on 171 episodes of “Home and Away,” the successful Australian television series chronicling the lives and loves of the residents of Summer Bay, a small coastal town in New South Wales, Australia.
“Thor” is currently scheduled for a June 17, 2011 release date.
Valkyrie First Six Minutes
United Artists have unveiled the first six minutes from the Bryan Singer’s “Valkyrie,” probably to get more people to go see it. Check out the clip below.
In the movie, Cruise plays Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, the aristocratic German officer who led the heroic attempt to bring down the Nazi regime and end the war by planting a bomb in Hitler’s bunker. The “July 20 Plot” on Hitler’s life is one of the most heroic but least known episodes of World War Two. Severely wounded in combat, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg returns from Africa to join the German Resistance and help create Operation Valkyrie, the complex plan that will allow a shadow government to replace Hitler’s once he is dead. But fate and circumstance conspire to thrust Stauffenberg from one of many in the plot to a double-edged central role. Not only must he lead the coup and seize control of his nation’s government… He must kill Hitler himself.
Bryan Singer On Valkyrie & Brand New Poster
Check out one more photo and new poster for Bryan Singer’s “Valkyrie” starring Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, David Bamber, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Eddie Izzard and Terrence Stamp which features Tom Cruise as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and David Bamber as Adolf Hitler.
Bryan Singer, the director of “The Usual Suspects” and “X-Men” agreed to speak with MTV News for one of his first interviews since completing the film.
MTV: Is “Valkyrie” done?
Bryan Singer: The film is done! I looked at the first completed film print. That was pretty much the final process for “Valkyrie,” or so I’ve been led to believe. [Laughs.]
MTV: It’s been a long road for this one, with a lot of shuffling of release dates. Are you happy with where you ended up?
Singer: Ultimately, it was the right decision. By the time the release date moved up to Christmas, I was already on track to finish it. It all worked out probably the way it should have from the very beginning.
Joe Johnston to Direct Captain America
Joe Johnston has signed on to direct Marvel Studios‘ “First Avenger: Captain America.”
Johnston is currently directing “The Wolfman,” which hits theaters on April 3. He is developing “The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud.” Johnston previously directed “October Sky“, “Jumanji“, “Jurassic Park III“, “The Rocketeer and Honey“, “I Shrunk the Kids“. Johnston won an Academy Award in 1982 for Best Visual Effects for “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. He now joins the ranks of Jon Favreau, Louis Leterrier, and Kenneth Branagh as Marvel’s dream team of directors set to turn bring the real Marvel universe to life in a series of films that will eventually converge in The Avengers in 2011.
The superhero blockbuster, based on a character created in 1941 by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, focuses on a weak man called Steve Rogers who is injected with an experimental serum which transforms him into a muscular superhero.
Captain America will be a World War II-set movie, and the character will appear in the modern day-set Avengers. No writers are on board but the studio expects to hire one shortly. Continue Reading…
New “Valkyrie” International Poster
The international poster for director Bryan Singer’s (Superman Returns, Usual Suspects) upcoming historical thriller “Valkyrie” is now online featuring a shot of the lead characters.
Tom Cruise heads an international cast as Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, the aristocratic German officer who led the heroic attempt to bring down the Nazi regime and end the war by planting a bomb in Hitler’s bunker. The “July 20 Plot” on Hitler’s life is one of the most heroic but least known episodes of World War Two. Severely wounded in combat, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg returns from Africa to join the German Resistance and help create Operation Valkyrie, the complex plan that will allow a shadow government to replace Hitler’s once he is dead. But fate and circumstance conspire to thrust Stauffenberg from one of many in the plot to a double-edged central role. Not only must he lead the coup and seize control of his nation’s government… He must kill Hitler himself.
Valkyrie is produced by Bryan Singer, Christopher McQuarrie and Gilbert Adler. McQuarrie co-wrote the original screenplay with Nathan Alexander who also serves as co-producer. The executive producers are Chris Lee, Ken Kamins, Daniel M. Snyder, Dwight C. Schar and Mark Shapiro.
“Valkyrie” also starring Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Carice van Houten, Kenneth Branagh and Patrick Wilson and is scheduled to hit theaters on December 26th. Continue Reading…
Daniel Craig Offered, But Declined, Lead Role In “Thor”
Daniel Craig has been indeed considered to be the leading man in “Thor“.
Craig, Olga Kurylenko and director Mark Forster attending the press day in Beverly Hills on Monday, October 20, for the 22nd Bond film “Quantum of Solace“. IESB’s Robert Sanchez talked with both Olga and Daniel, who actually had a bit to say about another widely known hero, Thor, who is currently set up over at Marvel for a 2010 release with Kenneth Branagh attached to direct.
IESB asked if Craig was interested in doing something a little different character-wise, like Thor? Craig said no, he turned it down and laughed about it.
Sanchez continued, “seriously, I heard the folks over at Marvel had you on a short list to be Thor.”
Craig said yes they [Marvel] did approach him but he turned it down. He added jokingly, it would have been too much of a power trip, both Bond and Thor, and running around with long hair and a hammer.
So far, “Thor” has been linked to many actors from wrestler-turned-actor Triple H to Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt. However, up to date, there is yet real indication on who will tackle the part. The search for Thor continues! [source: IESB]
