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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…)
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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As silly as it sounds, I still think Paul Levesque (aka WWE’s Triple H) should be considered… He’s much more polished than one might give him credit for, he has the look, and was pretty good in Blade 3. Dwayne Johnson isn’t the only ‘sports entertainer’ able to hold the center stage (although I cringe at the though of either trying an accent).
no Nikki, I believe it’s Hartnett to play Loki, Thor’s nemesis, based on his performance in ‘O’, the Othello film.
Please consult Jimmy Page for soundtrack, Marvel.
your taste is so bizarre. Are you a news site or an opinion blog? Lose the color, Nikki Finke. Natalie Portman’s one of the finest actresses of our generation.
Lame comic books tend to make lame comic book movies.
Just sayin’.
When will they learn and cast Rachel McAdams? Natalie Portman is only good 65% of the time. Even Jordana Brewster would do a better job than Natalie.
Thor will be the dumbest movie ever. Maybe that will finally be the end of all this superhero crap. I mean, it was fun, but why is this the only kind of movie Hollywood knows how to make now?
Nikki, Natalie Portman’s wooden acting > any of your feeble attempts at wit.
I agree with the posting above, Portman is a fine actress.
Just tell me the news.
Ease off Nikki, Anon @March 16, 2009, 12:57 pm
If Natalie Portman’s one of the finest of the generation I’d hate to see one of the worst. Oy.
Portman’s no Carrie Fisher…Natalie’s pretty but her acting in the SW trilogy is prolly what Nikki’s judging on and it left a lot to be desired. Natalie’s done okay in other films though Fisher’s got an acting pedigree and a unique personality.
Personally I’d go for unknowns in the Thor & female leads cast cast a known actor in the Loki role
Charlie Hunnam would be pretty good, but I heard a rumor/opinion that Alexandar Skarsgard was going to be Thor and Stellan would play his father. That would be epic.
And I agree with the Anonymous person, when you write your opinions into the news it sounds awful and bitter.
- izi
What’s up with the Natalie Portman hate? She’s alright. She just makes bad choices. Actually, really bad choices. Has she ever been in a good movie? Thor is obviously NOT a good choice. Her and a wrestler? That’s just stupid.
Isn’t Josh Hartnett already an unknown? I mean…this guy is actually being pursued for this role?
Or any other, for that matter?
Just for a shakeup – how about Robert Pattinson?
I love how this has turned into a Marvel Studios/comic book movie blog! Thanks Nikki, more fanboys turn to you now than to Harry Knowles!
Well I’ve read some of the script and it reeks! This movie will suck huge no matter who is cast. Though Skarsgard is a good choice.
I agree with Raider – lame comic books do make lame movies. What’s next – a feature about Plastic Man? Ooops, too late. I see the Wachowski Brothers are pursuing it.
“Some Danish dude.” I like it.
Triple H actually does look the part, but there are a crap-ton of people who would probably riot if that happened. This based on the idea that people don’t give wrestlers credit for much of anything (especially acting).
Starksgard brothers are being looked at to play roles in this movie. According to a new AICN spy at Marvel, the director really likes one of them to play Thor.
Come on, with a guy named “Alexandar Skarsgård” in the running, how can you give it anyone else. Imagine his name on the marquee for this movie — hopefully they will festoon it with as many Å’s and Ø’s as possible,
As for Nåthålie Pørtmån — a good actress in my view, especially when she a kid (Leon, Beautiful Girls), but let’s be honest — she is not really famous these days for her acting. She is stunning.
Uh, oh, there appears to be simmering discontent already among the fanboy set. But I feel Marvel will ultimately make the most prudent decision. If there’s one thing they know, it’s their fan base, a horde of portly wiseacres who manifest their sexual frustrations into petty, sarcastic screeds on various comic book forums.
However, these executives better never let their judgment lapse, because if so, the fanboys, fueled by Hostess cakes and Diet Dr. Pepper, will clumsily vault off their lazy behinds and besiege the Marvel Comics compound at Raleigh Studios, where they’ll shake their hammy fists at the studio in strident indignation and threaten the executives with even more invective on the internet.
Skarsgard is going to break out big time. This would be a good one for him.
Hartnett’s terrible. Why keep casting that guy? Is it a silent film?
Was a bit worried about this, but Marvel Studios is starting to gain a reputation for “getting it right” with their properties. The selection of Kenneth Branaugh to direct is what gave this instant credibility, Thor is a medieval origin story and having done a great job on Henry V, most likely got him this. Marvel will get this one right, Thor has been known as one of the last great characters that has’nt had a film yet, also keep in mind that Marvel can also crossover other characters in to the film too, to give it added cache. This film will be BIG, not Iron Man big, but if done right it’s lock for a $200 million gross
Whats with the Portman hate? That wooden acting you’re referring to happened in only three films and those were the Star Wars films. Lucas didn’t allow any of the actors to actually do their thing in those films. They were just props that talk to him.
Nikki’s been including opinion with her reporting since… well, forever. I suspect it’s just viewed a little differently when you disagree with that opinion.
I like Hartnett. I like Portman. He’d be a good Loki… and come on, Portman was awesome in Closer.