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Thor is a 2011 American superhero film

Superhero film

A superhero film, superhero movie, or superhero motion picture is: action, fantasy and science fiction film; that is focused on the actions of one or more superheroes, individuals who usually possess superhuman abilities relative to a normal person and are dedicated to protecting the public...

based on the comic book character of the same name

Thor (Marvel Comics)

Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....

published by Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics

Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...

. It is the fourth film released as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a shared fictional universe that is the setting of superhero films independently developed by Marvel Studios, based on characters published in Marvel Comics. The setting is much like the Marvel Universe in comic books. The universe was established by crossing over...

. The film was directed by Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Charles Branagh is an actor and film director from Northern Ireland. He is best known for directing and starring in several film adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays including Henry V , Much Ado About Nothing , Hamlet Kenneth Charles Branagh is an actor and film director from...

, written by Ashley Edward Miller

Ashley Edward Miller

Ashley Edward Miller is an American Screenwriter and Producer best known for his work on the TV shows Andromeda, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and Fringe. As well as for his work on the films Thor and X-Men: First Class...

, Zack Stentz

Zack Stentz

Zack Stentz is an American Screenwriter and Producer. He often collaborates with Screenwriter/Producer Ashley Edward Miller.-Filmography:Writer* Andromeda * The Twilight Zone...

and Don Payne, and stars Chris Hemsworth

Chris Hemsworth

Chris Hemsworth is an Australian actor most notable for portraying Thor in the Marvel Studios film Thor. Hemsworth is set to reprise his role as Thor in the upcoming films The Avengers in 2012 and Thor 2 in 2013. He also starred as Kim Hyde in the Australian soap opera Home and Away...

, Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman

Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...

, Tom Hiddleston

Tom Hiddleston

Thomas William "Tom" Hiddleston is an English actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Loki in the 2011 Marvel Studios film Thor.-Early life and education:...

, Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins

Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...

and Stellan Skarsgård

Stellan Skarsgård

Stellan John Skarsgård is a Swedish actor, known internationally for his film roles in Angels & Demons, Breaking the Waves, The Hunt for Red October, Ronin, Good Will Hunting, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist,...

. The film tells the story of Thor, a god who is exiled from his homeland of Asgard

Asgard (comics)

Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology...

to Earth. While there, he builds a relationship with scientist Jane Foster

Jane Foster (comics)

Jane Foster is a Marvel Comics supporting character who for many years was the nurse employed by Dr. Donald Blake, the secret identity of the Norse god superhero Thor.-Publication history:...

. However, Thor must stop his brother Loki

Loki (comics)

Loki is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. He is the adoptive brother and archenemy of the superhero Thor. He is based on the being of the same name from Norse mythology...

, who intends to become the new king of Asgard.

Director Sam Raimi

Sam Raimi

Samuel Marshall "Sam" Raimi is an American film director, producer, actor and writer. He is best known for directing cult horror films like the Evil Dead series, Darkman and Drag Me to Hell, as well as the blockbuster Spider-Man films and the producer of the successful TV series Hercules: The...

first developed the concept of a film adaptation of Thor in 2001, but soon abandoned the project, leaving it in "development hell

Development hell

In the jargon of the media-industry, "development hell" is a period during which a film or other project is trapped in development...

" for several years. During this time, the rights were picked up by various film studios until Marvel Studios

Marvel Studios

Marvel Studios, originally Marvel Films, is an American television and motion picture studio based in Manhattan Beach, California. Marvel Studios is a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, a self-contained part of the The Walt Disney Company conglomerate....

signed Mark Protosevich

Mark Protosevich

Mark Protosevich is an American screenwriter currently under contract with Warner Bros.Protosevich was born in Chicago, Illinois.-Filmography:*The Cell *Poseidon*I Am Legend*Thor...

to develop the project in 2006, and the rights were picked up by Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...

. Matthew Vaughn

Matthew Vaughn

Matthew Vaughn is an English film producer and director known for producing such films as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch and directing the films Layer Cake , Stardust and Kick-Ass...

was originally assigned to direct the film for a tentative 2010 release. However, after Vaughn was released from his holding deal in 2008, Branagh was approached and the film's release was rescheduled into 2011. The main characters were cast in 2009, and principal photography took place in California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

and New Mexico

New Mexico

New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...

from January to May 2010. The film was converted to 3D

3-D film

A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...

in post-production.

Thor was released on April 21, 2011 in Australia and on May 6, 2011 in the United States. The film became a financial and critical success, grossing over $448 million worldwide and "Certified Fresh" by the review-aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...

. The DVD and Blu-ray sets were released on September 13, 2011. A sequel directed by Patty Jenkins

Patty Jenkins

Patricia Lea "Patty" Jenkins is an American film director and writer. She grew up in Lawrence, Kansas and attended the AFI Conservatory. She graduated from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in 1993. The most famous film she has directed to date is Monster, a docudrama about...

, set for a November 15, 2013 release date, is in development.

Plot

In 965 AD, Odin

Odin (comics)

Odin is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery #85 Odin is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery #85 Odin is a...

(Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins

Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...

), king of Asgard

Asgard (comics)

Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology...

, wages war against the Frost Giants

Giants (Marvel Comics)

There are different kinds of Giants in Marvel Comics. The most popular of the Giants are the Giants of Johunheim, fictional race of people based on the giants of actual Norse legends.-Giants of Jotunheim:...

of Jotunheim and their leader Laufey

Laufey (comics)

Laufey is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe, sharing a name with the frost giantess from Norse mythology. Laufey was King of the Frost Giants and father of Loki, the archenemy of the superhero Thor.-Publication history:...

(Colm Feore

Colm Feore

Colm Feore is an American-born Canadian stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Feore was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Irish parents who lived in Ireland for several years during Feore's early life. The family subsequently moved to Windsor, Ontario, where Feore grew up.After graduating...

), to prevent them from conquering the nine realms

Asgard (comics)

Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology...

, starting with Earth. The Asgardian warriors defeat the Frost Giants and seize the source of their power, the Casket of Ancient Winters.

In the present, Odin's son Thor

Thor (Marvel Comics)

(Chris Hemsworth

Chris Hemsworth

) prepares to ascend to the throne of Asgard, but is interrupted when Frost Giants attempt to retrieve the Casket. Against Odin's order, Thor travels to Jotunheim to confront Laufey, accompanied by his brother Loki

Loki (comics)

(Tom Hiddleston

Tom Hiddleston

Thomas William "Tom" Hiddleston is an English actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Loki in the 2011 Marvel Studios film Thor.-Early life and education:...

), childhood friend Sif

Sif (comics)

Sif is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those featuring Thor. Based on the mythological being of the same name, Sif first appeared in Journey Into Mystery #102. She is an Asgardian warrior and lover of Thor, who spends much of her time...

(Jaimie Alexander

Jaimie Alexander

Jaimie Alexander is an American actress best known for portraying Jessi on the TV series Kyle XY and Sif in the 2011 superhero film Thor.-Early life:...

) and the Warriors Three

Warriors Three

The Warriors Three are a group of fictional characters who served as supporting cast members in Thor, published by Marvel Comics. The Warriors Three is made up of the Asgardians Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg...

: Volstagg

Volstagg

Volstagg is a fictional character, a charter member of the Warriors Three, a trio of Asgardian adventurers and supporting cast of Thor in the . He is not taken from mythology but an original creation, modeled on Shakespeare's Falstaff in character and name....

(Ray Stevenson

Ray Stevenson (actor)

George Raymond "Ray" Stevenson is a Northern Irish-born English film and television actor. He is known for playing Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO television series Rome , and in film as Dagonet in King Arthur and as Frank Castle/The Punisher in Punisher: War Zone and The Super Hero Squad Show...

), Fandral

Fandral

Fandral the Dashing is a Marvel Comics character and a charter member of the Warriors Three, a trio of Asgardian adventurers consisting of Fandral, Hogun the Grim, and Volstagg the Valiant...

(Joshua Dallas

Joshua Dallas

Joshua Dallas is an American actor who played Fandral in Thor, a film adaptation based on the Marvel Comics character. He is currently starring in the ABC television series Once Upon a Time.-Early life:...

) and Hogun

Hogun

Hogun the Grim is a fictional character and a charter member of the Warriors Three, a trio of Asgardian adventurers and supporting cast of Thor in the .Writer Stan Lee envisioned him as sharing several traits with characters played by actor Charles Bronson....

(Tadanobu Asano

Tadanobu Asano

, born is a Japanese actor. He is known for his roles as Dragon Eye Morrison in Electric Dragon 80.000 V, Kakihara in Ichi the Killer, Mamoru Arita in Bright Future, Hattori Genosuke in Zatoichi, Kenji in Last Life in the Universe, Aman in Survive Style 5+, Ayano in The Taste of Tea, and Temudjin...

). A battle ensues until Odin intervenes to save the Asgardians, destroying the fragile truce between the two races. For Thor's arrogance, Odin strips his son of his godly power and exiles him to Earth as a mortal, accompanied by his hammer Mjolnir (the source of his power) now protected by an enchantment to allow only the worthy to wield it.

Thor lands in New Mexico

New Mexico

, where astrophysicist Jane Foster

Jane Foster (comics)

Jane Foster is a Marvel Comics supporting character who for many years was the nurse employed by Dr. Donald Blake, the secret identity of the Norse god superhero Thor.-Publication history:...

(Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman

), her assistant Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings

Kat Dennings

Katherine Litwack , better known by the stage name Kat Dennings, is an American actress. Emerging with a role in an episode of the HBO dramedy series Sex and the City, Dennings has since appeared in the films The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Big Momma's House 2, Charlie Bartlett, Raise Your Voice, The House...

) and mentor Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård

Stellan Skarsgård

), find him. The local populace finds Mjolnir, which S.H.I.E.L.D.

S.H.I.E.L.D.

S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....

agent Phil Coulson

Phil Coulson

Phil Coulson is a fictional character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which crosses over several Marvel Studios superhero films. Coulson first appeared as a member of the fictional agency S.H.I.E.L.D. in Jon Favreau's 2008 film Iron Man, where he was portrayed by American actor Clark Gregg...

(Clark Gregg

Clark Gregg

Robert Clark Gregg is an American actor, screenwriter and director. He co-starred as Christine Campbell's ex-husband Richard in the CBS sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine, which debuted in March 2006 and concluded in May 2010...

) soon commandeers before forcibly acquiring Jane's data about the wormhole

Wormhole

In physics, a wormhole is a hypothetical topological feature of spacetime that would be, fundamentally, a "shortcut" through spacetime. For a simple visual explanation of a wormhole, consider spacetime visualized as a two-dimensional surface. If this surface is folded along a third dimension, it...

that delivered Thor to Earth. Thor, having discovered Mjolnir's nearby location, seeks to retrieve it from the facility that S.H.I.E.L.D. quickly constructed but he finds himself unable to lift it, and is captured. With Selvig's help, he is freed and resigns himself to exile on Earth as he develops a romance with Jane.

Loki discovers he is Laufey's son, adopted by Odin after the war ended. Odin, overcome with stress from Loki's discovery and Thor's exile, falls into the deep "Odinsleep" that allows him to recuperate. Loki becomes king and offers Laufey the chance to kill Odin and retrieve the Casket. Sif and the Warriors Three, unhappy with Loki's rule, attempt to return Thor from exile, convincing Heimdall

Heimdall (comics)

Heimdall is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe, loosely based on the god Heimdallr of Norse mythology. He first appeared in a comic in Journey into Mystery #85 and was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby...

(Idris Elba

Idris Elba

Idrissa Akuna "Idris" Elba is a British television, theatre, and film actor. He has starred in both British and American productions. Elba grew up in Canning Town, East London. One of his first acting roles was in the soap opera Family Affairs. He has worked in a variety of TV roles including ...

), gatekeeper of the Bifröst

Bifröst

In Norse mythology, Bifrost or Bilröst is a burning rainbow bridge that reaches between Midgard and Asgard, the realm of the gods...

- the means of traveling between worlds - to allow them passage to Earth. Aware of their plan, Loki sends the Destroyer

Destroyer (Thor)

The Destroyer is a fictional object that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The object first appears in Journey into Mystery #118 The Destroyer is a fictional object that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The object first appears in Journey into Mystery #118 The...

, a seemingly indestructible automaton

Automaton

An automaton is a self-operating machine. The word is sometimes used to describe a robot, more specifically an autonomous robot. An alternative spelling, now obsolete, is automation.-Etymology:...

, to pursue them and kill Thor. The warriors find Thor, but the Destroyer attacks and defeats them, prompting Thor to offer himself instead. Struck by the Destroyer and near death, Thor's sacrifice proves him worthy to wield Mjolnir. The hammer returns to him, restoring his powers and enabling him to defeat the Destroyer. Kissing Jane goodbye and vowing to return, he and his fellow Asgardians return to confront Loki.

In Asgard, Loki betrays and kills Laufey, revealing his true plan to use Laufey's attempt on Odin's life as an excuse to destroy Jotunheim with the Bifröst Bridge, thus proving himself worthy to his father. Thor arrives and fights Loki before destroying the Bifröst Bridge to stop Loki's plan, stranding himself in Asgard. Odin awakens and prevents the brothers from falling into the abyss created in the wake of the bridge's destruction, but Loki allows himself to fall. Thor makes amends with Odin, admitting he is not ready to be king; while on Earth, Jane and her team search for a way to open a portal to Asgard.

In a post-credits scene

Post-credits scene

A post-credits scene is a short clip that appears after some or all of the closing credits of a film have run...

, Selvig has been taken to a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, where Nick Fury

Nick Fury

Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...

(Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...

) opens a briefcase and asks him to study a mysterious object, which Fury says may hold untold power. An invisible Loki prompts Selvig to agree, which Selvig does.

Cast

Chris Hemsworth
Chris Hemsworth
Chris Hemsworth is an Australian actor most notable for portraying Thor in the Marvel Studios film Thor. Hemsworth is set to reprise his role as Thor in the upcoming films The Avengers in 2012 and Thor 2 in 2013. He also starred as Kim Hyde in the Australian soap opera Home and Away...

as Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....

:

The god of thunder based on the Norse mythological

Norse mythology

Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...

deity

Deity

A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....

of the same name

Thor

In Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...

. Director Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Branagh

and Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige

Kevin Feige

Kevin Feige is a film producer. He joined Marvel Studios in 2000, has been involved in all of their theatrical productions, and was named President of Production in 2007...

chose Hemsworth after a back-and-forth process in which the 27-year-old actor was initially dropped from consideration and then given a second chance to read for the part. Hemsworth stated that he gained 20 pounds for the role by eating non-stop and revealed that "It wasn't until Thor that I started lifting weights, it was all pretty new to me". Regarding his take of the character, Hemsworth said, "We just kept trying to humanize it all, and keep it very real. Look into all the research about the comic books that we could, but also bring it back to 'Who is this guy as a person, and what's his relationship with people in the individual scenes? About approaching Thor's fighting style, he remarked, "First, we looked at the comic books and the posturing, the way [Thor] moves and fights, and a lot of his power seems to be drawn up through the ground. We talked about boxers, you know, Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson

Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...

, very low to the ground and big open chest and big shoulder swings and very sort of brutal but graceful at the same time, and then as we shot stuff things became easier".

Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman
Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...

as Jane Foster
Jane Foster (comics)
Jane Foster is a Marvel Comics supporting character who for many years was the nurse employed by Dr. Donald Blake, the secret identity of the Norse god superhero Thor.-Publication history:...

:

A scientist and Thor's love interest. Marvel Studios stated in an announcement that the character was updated from the comics' initial portrayal for the feature adaptation. When asked why she took the role, Portman replied, "I just thought it sounded like a weird idea because Kenneth Branagh's directing it, so I was just like, 'Kenneth Branagh doing Thor is super-weird, I've gotta do it. Portman stated that she really wanted to do a big effects movie that emphasized character, and getting to do it with Branagh was a new way of approaching it, relative to Star Wars

Star Wars

Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...

. Regarding her preparation for the role Portman remarked, "I signed on to do it before there was a script. And Ken, who's amazing, who is so incredible, was like, 'You can really help create this character'. I got to read all of these biographies of female scientists like Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind Elsie Franklin was a British biophysicist and X-ray crystallographer who made critical contributions to the understanding of the fine molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal and graphite...

who actually discovered the DNA double helix

Nucleic acid double helix

In molecular biology, the term double helix refers to the structure formed by double-stranded molecules of nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA. The double helical structure of a nucleic acid complex arises as a consequence of its secondary structure, and is a fundamental component in determining its...

but didn't get the credit for it. The struggles they had and the way that they thought – I was like, 'What a great opportunity, in a very big movie that is going to be seen by a lot of people, to have a woman as a scientist'. She's a very serious scientist. Because in the comic she's a nurse and now they made her an astrophysicist

Astrophysics

Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...

. Really, I know it sounds silly, but it is those little things that makes girls think it's possible. It doesn't give them a [role] model of 'Oh, I just have to dress cute in movies'".

Tom Hiddleston
Tom Hiddleston
Thomas William "Tom" Hiddleston is an English actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Loki in the 2011 Marvel Studios film Thor.-Early life and education:...

as Loki
Loki (comics)
Loki is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. He is the adoptive brother and archenemy of the superhero Thor. He is based on the being of the same name from Norse mythology...

:

Thor's adoptive brother and nemesis based on the deity of the same name

Loki

In Norse mythology, Loki or Loke is a god or jötunn . Loki is the son of Fárbauti and Laufey, and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. By the jötunn Angrboða, Loki is the father of Hel, the wolf Fenrir, and the world serpent Jörmungandr. By his wife Sigyn, Loki is the father of Nari or Narfi...

. Hiddleston was chosen after previously working with Branagh on Ivanov and Wallander. Initially Hiddleston auditioned to play Thor but Branagh decided his talent would be better harnessed playing Loki. Hiddleston stated that "Loki's like a comic book version of Edmund

Edmund (King Lear)

Edmund or Edmond is a fictional character and the main antagonist in William Shakespeare's King Lear. He is the illegitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester, and the younger brother of Edgar, the Earl's legitimate son. Early on in the play, Edmund resolves to get rid of his brother, then his...

in King Lear

King Lear

King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...

, but nastier." Hiddleston stated that he had to keep a strict diet before the start of filming because "Ken [Branagh] wants Loki to have a lean and hungry look, like Cassius

Gaius Cassius Longinus

Gaius Cassius Longinus was a Roman senator, a leading instigator of the plot to kill Julius Caesar, and the brother in-law of Marcus Junius Brutus.-Early life:...

in Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar (play)

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, also known simply as Julius Caesar, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1599. It portrays the 44 BC conspiracy against...

. Physically, he can't be posing as Thor". Hiddleston looked at Peter O'Toole

Peter O'Toole

Peter Seamus Lorcan O'Toole is an Irish actor of stage and screen. O'Toole achieved stardom in 1962 playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, and then went on to become a highly-honoured film and stage actor. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, and holds the record for most...

as inspiration for Loki as well explaining, "Interestingly enough, [Kenneth Branagh] said to look at Peter O'Toole in two specific films, The Lion in Winter

The Lion in Winter (1968 film)

The Lion in Winter is a 1968 historical drama made by Avco Embassy Pictures, based on the Broadway play by James Goldman. It was directed by Anthony Harvey and produced by Joseph E...

and Lawrence of Arabia

Lawrence of Arabia (film)

Lawrence of Arabia is a 1962 British film based on the life of T. E. Lawrence. It was directed by David Lean and produced by Sam Spiegel through his British company, Horizon Pictures, with the screenplay by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson. The film stars Peter O'Toole in the title role. It is widely...

. What's interesting about ... his performance [as King Henry] is you see how damaged he is. There's a rawness [to his performance]; it's almost as if he's living with a layer of skin peeled away. He's grandiose and teary and, in a moment, by turns hilarious and then terrifying. What we wanted was that emotional volatility. It's a different acting style, it's not quite the same thing, but it's fascinating to go back and watch an actor as great as O'Toole head for those great high hills".

Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...

as Odin
Odin (comics)
Odin is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery #85 Odin is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery #85 Odin is a...

:

The ruler of Asgard, father of Thor, and adoptive father of Loki, based on the mythological deity of the same name

Odin

Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....

. In an interview Hopkins stated he knew nothing of the comic. About the film he said, "It's a superhero movie, but with a bit of Shakespeare

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...

thrown in". Hopkins stated, "I'm very interested in that relationship between fathers and sons", and that, "My father's relationship with me was cold. He was a hot-blood character but to me, cold. When I was young, he expressed his disappointment because I was bad in school and all of that. He didn't mean any harm, but I felt I could never meet up to his expectations." Hopkins expressed that he found a personal resonance in the Odin role, saying, "He's a stern man. He's a man with purpose. I play the god who banishes his son from the kingdom of Asgard because he screwed up. He's a hot-headed, temperamental young man... probably a chip off of the old block but I decide he's not really ready to rule the future kingdom, so I banish him. I'm harsh and my wife complains and I say, 'That is why I'm king.' He's ruthless, take-it-or-leave-it. Women are much more forgiving; men are not so forgiving. I know in my life, my karma is, 'If you don't like it, tough, move on.' And I move on. I'm a little like Odin myself".

Stellan Skarsgård
Stellan Skarsgård
Stellan John Skarsgård is a Swedish actor, known internationally for his film roles in Angels & Demons, Breaking the Waves, The Hunt for Red October, Ronin, Good Will Hunting, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist,...

as Erik Selvig:

A scientist doing research in New Mexico who encounters Thor. Skarsgård stated that he was not initially familiar with Thor. As to why he took the part, Skarsgård remarked, I "chose Thor because of [director] Kenneth Branagh. The script was nice and we got to rehearse and talk to the writers and do some collaborating in the process to make it fit us. So I had a very happy time on it. What I always try to do is immediately do something I just haven't done so I get variation in my life. I've made about 90 films and if I did the same thing over and over again I would be bored by now. I try to pick different films, I go and do those big ones and having done that I can usually afford to go and do some really small obscure films and experiment a little".

Kat Dennings
Kat Dennings
Katherine Litwack , better known by the stage name Kat Dennings, is an American actress. Emerging with a role in an episode of the HBO dramedy series Sex and the City, Dennings has since appeared in the films The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Big Momma's House 2, Charlie Bartlett, Raise Your Voice, The House...

as Darcy Lewis:

A co-worker of Jane Foster. Dennings described her character as Foster's "little helper gnome

Gnome

A gnome is a diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature...

". Dennings stated that her role was expanded during the rehearsal process. Dennings explained, "She's kind of like a cute, clueless, little puppy or maybe a hamster. There wasn't much on the page for the Darcy role to begin with and I didn't even see a script before I took the job so I didn't really know who Darcy was at first. But she really evolved — she's so much fun now even. She's very Scooby-Doo

Scooby-Doo

Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...

if that makes sense. She's always three steps behind and reacting to what's happening with these great expressions ... She gets things wrong and doesn't care."

Idris Elba
Idris Elba
Idrissa Akuna "Idris" Elba is a British television, theatre, and film actor. He has starred in both British and American productions. Elba grew up in Canning Town, East London. One of his first acting roles was in the soap opera Family Affairs. He has worked in a variety of TV roles including ...

as Heimdall
Heimdall (comics)
Heimdall is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe, loosely based on the god Heimdallr of Norse mythology. He first appeared in a comic in Journey into Mystery #85 and was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby...

:

The all-seeing, all-hearing Asgardian sentry of the bifröst bridge

Bifröst

In Norse mythology, Bifrost or Bilröst is a burning rainbow bridge that reaches between Midgard and Asgard, the realm of the gods...

, based on the mythological deity of the same name

Heimdall

In Norse mythology, Heimdallr is a god who possesses the resounding horn Gjallarhorn, owns the golden-maned horse Gulltoppr, has gold teeth, and is the son of Nine Mothers...

. Elba said Branagh's involvement was a major incentive to take the role: "[Branagh] called me up personally and said, 'I know this isn't a big role, but I would really love to see you play it.' It's Kenneth Branagh. I was like, 'Definitely'". About the role Elba remarked, "I did green screen for the first time! I wouldn't like to do a whole movie of green screen, though. You kind of forget the plot a little—like being in a Broadway play and doing it over and over and forgetting your line halfway through". Elba stated he has made a four-picture commitment with Marvel Studios. Elba's casting prompted a proposed boycott by the Council of Conservative Citizens

Council of Conservative Citizens

The Council of Conservative Citizens is an American political organization that supports a large variety of conservative and paleoconservative causes in addition to white nationalism, and white separatism...

and a debate amongst comic book fans, some insisting it was wrong for a black man to play a Nordic god. In response Elba called the debate "ridiculous".

Colm Feore
Colm Feore
Colm Feore is an American-born Canadian stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Feore was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Irish parents who lived in Ireland for several years during Feore's early life. The family subsequently moved to Windsor, Ontario, where Feore grew up.After graduating...

as Laufey
Laufey (comics)
Laufey is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe, sharing a name with the frost giantess from Norse mythology. Laufey was King of the Frost Giants and father of Loki, the archenemy of the superhero Thor.-Publication history:...

:

King of the Frost Giants

Giants (Marvel Comics)

and Loki's biological father, based on the mythological being of the same name

Laufey

Laufey or Nál is a figure from Norse mythology, the mother of Loki. Eddic poetry refers to Loki by the matronym Loki Laufeyjarson rather than with a patronymic....

. Feore stated it took five hours for his makeup to be applied. About his character Feore remarked, "I am the King of Frost Giants. And if you've seen any of the Frost Giants, you know that I am, of course, the Napoleon of Frost Giants. We've got some massive, fabulous guys who dwarf me and come in at around eight-and-a-half feet, nine feet. But, no. Can't you tell by the commanding presence? I am the boss". He said the Shakespearean training he shared with Hopkins and director Branagh helped keep production moving briskly, saying that "during the breaks, Tony, myself and Ken would be talking in Shakespearean shorthand about what the characters were doing, what we thought they may be like, and how we could focus our attention more intelligently. These were discussions that took no more than a few minutes between takes, but they allowed Ken, Tony and [me] to understand each other instantly without Ken taking an hour away to explain to the actors exactly what was going on. So that was enormously helpful."

Ray Stevenson
Ray Stevenson (actor)
George Raymond "Ray" Stevenson is a Northern Irish-born English film and television actor. He is known for playing Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO television series Rome , and in film as Dagonet in King Arthur and as Frank Castle/The Punisher in Punisher: War Zone and The Super Hero Squad Show...

as Volstagg
Volstagg
Volstagg is a fictional character, a charter member of the Warriors Three, a trio of Asgardian adventurers and supporting cast of Thor in the . He is not taken from mythology but an original creation, modeled on Shakespeare's Falstaff in character and name....

:

A member of the Warriors Three

Warriors Three

; a group of three Asgardian adventurers who are among Thor's closest comrades, known for both his hearty appetite and wide girth. Stevenson previously worked with Kenneth Branagh in the 1998 film The Theory of Flight

The Theory of Flight

The Theory of Flight is a 1998 film directed by Paul Greengrass, starring Helena Bonham Carter and Kenneth Branagh. Carter plays a woman with motor neurone disease, and the film deals with the sexuality of people with disabilities....

, and with Marvel Studios as the titular character in Punisher: War Zone

Punisher: War Zone

Punisher: War Zone is a 2008 comic book action film directed by Lexi Alexander; based on the fictional Marvel Comics vigilante/anti-hero the Punisher. It is the third film to depict the Marvel character Frank Castle...

. Stevenson wore a fat suit for the role, stating, "I've tried the suit on, and what they've done is kind of sex him up: he's sort of slimmer but rounder.". Stevenson said, "He's got every bit of that Falstaff

Falstaff

Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare. In the two Henry IV plays, he is a companion to Prince Hal, the future King Henry V. A fat, vain, boastful, and cowardly knight, Falstaff leads the apparently wayward Prince Hal into trouble, and is...

ian verve and vigor, and a bit of a beer gut to suggest that enormous appetite, but he's not the sort of Weeble

Weeble

Weebles is a trademark for several lines of children's roly-poly toys originating in Hasbro's Playskool division on July 23, 1971. Tipping an egg-shaped Weeble causes a weight located at the bottom-center to be lifted off the ground...

-shaped figure he is in the comics. He's Falstaff with muscles. I've got this amazing foam-injected undersuit that flexes with me.".

Tadanobu Asano
Tadanobu Asano
, born is a Japanese actor. He is known for his roles as Dragon Eye Morrison in Electric Dragon 80.000 V, Kakihara in Ichi the Killer, Mamoru Arita in Bright Future, Hattori Genosuke in Zatoichi, Kenji in Last Life in the Universe, Aman in Survive Style 5+, Ayano in The Taste of Tea, and Temudjin...

as Hogun
Hogun
Hogun the Grim is a fictional character and a charter member of the Warriors Three, a trio of Asgardian adventurers and supporting cast of Thor in the .Writer Stan Lee envisioned him as sharing several traits with characters played by actor Charles Bronson....

:

A member of the Warriors Three, primarily identified by his grim demeanor and as the only member who is not an Æsir

Æsir

In Old Norse, áss is the term denoting a member of the principal pantheon in Norse paganism. This pantheon includes Odin, Frigg, Thor, Baldr and Tyr. The second pantheon comprises the Vanir...

. Ray Stevenson said of Asano's character, "He doesn't speak much but when he does, everybody shuts up. But also in the healing room where everyone licks their wounds, he's the guy who just goes about his business".

Joshua Dallas
Joshua Dallas
Joshua Dallas is an American actor who played Fandral in Thor, a film adaptation based on the Marvel Comics character. He is currently starring in the ABC television series Once Upon a Time.-Early life:...

as Fandral
Fandral
Fandral the Dashing is a Marvel Comics character and a charter member of the Warriors Three, a trio of Asgardian adventurers consisting of Fandral, Hogun the Grim, and Volstagg the Valiant...

:

A member of the Warriors Three, characterized as an irrepressible swashbuckler

Swashbuckler

Swashbuckler or swasher is a term that emerged in the 16th century and has been used for rough, noisy and boastful swordsmen ever since. A possible explanation for this term is that it derives from a fighting style using a side-sword with a buckler in the off-hand, which was applied with much...

and romantic. Stuart Townsend

Stuart Townsend

Stuart Townsend is an Irish actor and director. His most notable portrayals are of the characters Lestat de Lioncourt in the 2002 film adaptation of Anne Rice's Queen of the Damned, and Dorian Gray in the 2003 film adaptation of Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.-Early life and...

was initially cast after Zachary Levi

Zachary Levi

Zachary Levi Pugh , better known by his stage name Zachary Levi , is an American television actor, director, and singer known for the roles of Kipp Steadman in Less than Perfect, Chuck Bartowski in Chuck, and Flynn Rider in Tangled.- Early life :Zachary Levi Pugh was born in Lake Charles,...

was forced to vacate the role due to a scheduling conflict. However, days before filming began, Townsend was replaced by Dallas citing "creative differences". Dallas said he believed that Fandral "would like to think of himself a philanderer. He would like to think of himself, I was saying, as the R. Kelly

R. Kelly

Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...

of Asgard. He's a lover, not a fighter". Dallas mentioned that Errol Flynn

Errol Flynn

Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...

was an inspiration for the character stating, "He was a big inspiration for the character and for me. I watched a lot of his movies and kind of got that into my bones. I tried to bring out that little bit of Flynn-ness in it. Flynn had a lot of that boyish charm that Fandral's got...."

Jaimie Alexander
Jaimie Alexander
Jaimie Alexander is an American actress best known for portraying Jessi on the TV series Kyle XY and Sif in the 2011 superhero film Thor.-Early life:...

as Sif
Sif (comics)
Sif is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those featuring Thor. Based on the mythological being of the same name, Sif first appeared in Journey Into Mystery #102. She is an Asgardian warrior and lover of Thor, who spends much of her time...

:

A warrior and Thor's childhood friend based on the mythological deity of the same name

Sif

In Norse mythology, Sif is a goddess associated with earth. Sif is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, and in the poetry of skalds...

. Alexander is best known for her portrayal of Jessi XX on the ABC Family

ABC Family

ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...

series Kyle XY

Kyle XY

Kyle XY is an American television series with a science fiction premise and mystery-drama style. The central character is a teenage boy who awakens naked in a forest outside Seattle, Washington, with no more knowledge or abilities than a newborn. He is taken in by a family and given the name Kyle...

. Alexander said that she was familiar with Marvel Comics before having taken the part, having grown up with four brothers. Alexander said the part required hours a day in the gym, though training is not unfamiliar to her, explaining she was one of few girls on her Colleyville, Texas

Colleyville, Texas

Colleyville is a city in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, United States. Located roughly from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the population was 22,807 at the 2010 census. Emerging from a number of small, rural settlements along the Cotton Belt Route, Colleyville was established in the...

, high-school wrestling team. Alexander described her character as "one of the guys" and that, "She's a very talented, skilled warrior and can stand on her own against any villain in the film". About her relationship with Thor she stated, "She is very loyal to Thor and cares a lot about protecting him and protecting Asgard".

Rene Russo
Rene Russo
- Early life :Russo was born in Burbank, California, the daughter of Shirley , a factory worker and barmaid, and Nino Russo, a sculptor and car mechanic who left the family when Rene was two. Her father and maternal grandfather were of Italian descent. Russo grew up with her sister, Toni, and their...

as Frigga
Frigga (comics)
Frigga is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe, based loosely on Frigg of Norse mythology.-Publication history:Frigga first appeared in Journey into Mystery #92 , and was adapted from mythology by Stan Lee, Robert Bernstein and Joe Sinnott.The character subsequently...

:

The wife of Odin, queen of Asgard, stepmother of Thor and adoptive mother of Loki, based on the mythological deity of the same name

Frigg

Frigg is a major goddess in Norse paganism, a subset of Germanic paganism. She is said to be the wife of Odin, and is the "foremost among the goddesses" and the queen of Asgard. Frigg appears primarily in Norse mythological stories as a wife and a mother. She is also described as having the power...

. Russo stated in March 2011 interview that she has signed on for possible sequels, joking that, "Eventually they'll kick me out, so who knows how many I'll do".

Clark Gregg

reprises his role as S.H.I.E.L.D.

S.H.I.E.L.D.

Agent Phil Coulson

Phil Coulson

from Iron Man

Iron Man (film)

Iron Man is a 2008 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Directed by Jon Favreau, the film stars Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark, an industrialist and master engineer who builds a powered exoskeleton and becomes the technologically advanced superhero, Iron...

and Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2 is a 2010 American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Iron Man, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It is the sequel to 2008's Iron Man, the second film in a planned trilogy and is a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Directed by Jon...

. Adriana Barraza

Adriana Barraza

Adriana Barraza is a Mexican film and television actress and director. She has also been nominated for a Golden Globe, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Broadcast Film Critics Association and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She is also a veteran actress of Televisa telenovelas...

plays diner owner Isabel Alvarez and Maximiliano Hernández plays S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Jasper Sitwell

Jasper Sitwell

Jasper Sitwell is a fictional, comic book espionage agent in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Strange Tales #144 .-Publication history:...

. Actors Joseph Gatt

Joseph Gatt

-Early life:Born and brought up in Kensington, London, Gatt began his professional training at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, graduating with a BA.-Actor:Gatt shot his first film role in Greece, playing opposite Oliver Reed, in Orpheus & Eurydice...

, Joshua Cox

Joshua Cox

Joshua "Josh" Cox is an American actor. He is perhaps most famous for his work in television. Notable roles include Lieutenant David Corwin and Senior Nurse Peter Riggs...

and Douglas Tait

Douglas Tait

Douglas Tait is an American actor, stuntman and independent filmmaker. His first notable role was as "Jason Voorhees" in the climax of the 2003 horror film Freddy Vs. Jason...

portray Frost Giants

Giants (Marvel Comics)

. Stan Lee

Stan Lee

Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....

and J. Michael Straczynski

J. Michael Straczynski

Joseph Michael Straczynski , known professionally as J. Michael Straczynski and informally as Joe Straczynski or JMS, is an American writer and television producer. He works in films, television series, novels, short stories, comic books, and radio dramas. He is a playwright, a former journalist,...

have cameo appearance

Cameo appearance

A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...

s as pick-up truck drivers. Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson

has an uncredited cameo as Nick Fury

Nick Fury

, director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

S.H.I.E.L.D.

, who as revealed in Iron Man is coordinating the "Avenger Initiative

Avengers (comics)

The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...

". Jeremy Renner

Jeremy Renner

Jeremy Lee Renner is a two-time Academy-Award-nominated American actor and musician. Renner appeared in films throughout the 2000s, mostly in supporting roles. He came to prominence in films such as Dahmer , S.W.A.T. , Neo Ned , 28 Weeks Later and The Hurt Locker...

has an uncredited cameo as Clint Barton

Hawkeye (comics)

Hawkeye , also known as Goliath and Ronin, is a fictional character that appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #57 and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Don Heck. Hawkeye joined the Avengers in Avengers Vol. 1 #16 Hawkeye...

. Dakota Goyo

Dakota Goyo

Dakota Avery Goyo is a Canadian child actor.Goyo was born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of Debra, a former model and singer who manages his career, and David Goyo. He has two siblings, Devon and Dallas....

and Ted Allpress play Thor and Loki, respectively, as children.

Development

Sam Raimi

originally envisioned the idea for Thor after making Darkman

Darkman

Darkman is a 1990 superhero action film directed by Sam Raimi. It is based on a short story Raimi wrote that paid homage to Universal's horror films of the 1930s...

(1990); he met Stan Lee

Stan Lee

Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....

and pitched the concept to 20th Century Fox

20th Century Fox

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...

, but they did not understand it. Thor was abandoned until April 1997, when Marvel Studios

Marvel Studios

was beginning to expand rapidly. The film gained momentum after the success of X-Men

X-Men (film)

X-Men is a 2000 superhero film based on the fictional Marvel Comics characters of the same name. Directed by Bryan Singer, the film stars Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Anna Paquin, Famke Janssen, Bruce Davison, James Marsden, Halle Berry, Rebecca Romijn, Ray Park and Tyler Mane...

(2000). The plan was for Thor to be made for television. UPN

UPN

United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...

was in talks for airing it; excited by the prospect, they pushed for a script and approached Tyler Mane to play Thor

Thor (Marvel Comics)

. In May 2000, Marvel Studios brought Artisan Entertainment

Artisan Entertainment

Artisan Entertainment Inc. was a privately held independent American movie studio until it was purchased by a Canadian studio, Lionsgate, in 2003. At the time of its acquisition, Artisan had a library of thousands of films developed through acquisition, original production, and production and...

to help finance it as a film, but Thor by June 2004 the project still had yet to be patronised by a studio. Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...

finally purchased the film rights, and in December 2004 David S. Goyer

David S. Goyer

David Samuel Goyer is an American screenwriter, film director and comic book writer.-Early life:Goyer was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He attended Hebrew school and has described himself as "half Jewish"...

was in negotiations to write and direct. In 2005, though there were talks between Goyer and Marvel, it was revealed that Goyer was no longer interested, though at this point the film was still set to be distributed through Sony Pictures

Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...

.

Mark Protosevich

Mark Protosevich

Mark Protosevich is an American screenwriter currently under contract with Warner Bros.Protosevich was born in Chicago, Illinois.-Filmography:*The Cell *Poseidon*I Am Legend*Thor...

, a fan of the Thor comic book, agreed to write the script in April 2006, and the project moved to Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures

, after it acquired the rights from Sony. That year the film was announced to be a Marvel Studios

Marvel Studios

production. In December 2007, Protosevich described his plans for it "to be like a superhero

Superhero

A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...

origin story

Origin story

In comic book terminology, an origin story is an account or back-story revealing how a character or team gained their superpowers and/or the circumstances under which they became superheroes or supervillains....

, but not one about a human gaining super powers, but of a god realizing his true potential. It's the story of an Old Testament

Old Testament

The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...

god who becomes a New Testament

New Testament

The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....

god". In August 2007 Marvel Studios signed Matthew Vaughn

Matthew Vaughn

Matthew Vaughn is an English film producer and director known for producing such films as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch and directing the films Layer Cake , Stardust and Kick-Ass...

to direct the film. Vaughn then rewrote Protosevich's script in order to bring down the budget to $150 million, as Protosevich's first draft would have cost $300 million to produce. He intended to start filming in late 2008 and after the success of Iron Man

Iron Man (film)

, Marvel Studios announced that they intended to release Thor on June 4, 2010, with Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2

being used to introduce the character of Thor.

Pre-production

Vaughn was released when his holding deal expired in May 2008, at which point Marvel set Protosevich to work on a new draft and began searching for a new director. By September 2008 D. J. Caruso

D. J. Caruso

Daniel John "D.J." Caruso is an American director and producer. Caruso has directed the films Disturbia, Two for the Money, Taking Lives, The Salton Sea, Eagle Eye and I Am Number Four. He has also directed television episodes for shows such as The Shield, Over There, Smallville, and Dark Angel...

had been discussing taking on the project, though he did not read the script. Later that month, it was revealed that Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Branagh

had entered into negotiations to direct, and in December 2008, Branagh confirmed that he has been hired. He described it as "a human story right in the center of a big epic scenario." Branagh stated that he hoped to begin filming in January 2010 and Marvel Studios set back the release date of the film from its scheduled July 16, 2010 date to June 17, 2011, almost a full year later. They later moved the release date to May 20, 2011, to distance the film's release from that of Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America: The First Avenger is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America. It is the fifth installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe...

, another Marvel Studios film which was scheduled to be released on July 22, 2011. In February 2009, Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson

, who had briefly portrayed Nick Fury

Nick Fury

at the end of the film Iron Man

Iron Man (film)

, signed on to reprise the role in Thor as part of an unprecedented nine-picture deal with Marvel Studios

Marvel Studios

. However, in an April 2010 interview, Jackson stated that he would not be appearing in Thor. When asked why not Jackson explained, "I have no idea. I'm not in charge of making those kinds of decisions. I thought I was; they said I was in the trades, and I was like, 'Ooh! I got a job!' I called my agent he said, 'Naw, you're not in it.' I was like, 'Well shit, they need to pay me if they're gonna put my name in it. Later in a February 2011 appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....

, Jackson revealed that he would be filming a scene for Thor to serve as "connective tissue" for The Avengers.

In February 2009, a casting call went out looking for actors with certain physical attributes to audition for the role of Thor. In May 2009, Chris Hemsworth

Chris Hemsworth

was in negotiations to portray the title role after a back-and-forth process in which the 25-year-old actor was refused early on, then given a second chance to read for the part. The next day, Marvel announced that Tom Hiddleston

Tom Hiddleston

Thomas William "Tom" Hiddleston is an English actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Loki in the 2011 Marvel Studios film Thor.-Early life and education:...

, who had worked with Branagh before and had initially been considered to portray the lead role, had been cast as Loki

Loki (comics)

. Kevin Feige

Kevin Feige

Kevin Feige is a film producer. He joined Marvel Studios in 2000, has been involved in all of their theatrical productions, and was named President of Production in 2007...

of Marvel Studios confirmed in June of that year that both Hemsworth and Hiddleston had signed on. Feige mentioned that the film would take place on both modern day Earth and Asgard

Asgard (comics)

Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology...

but Thor's human host, Dr. Donald Blake, would not be included.

With Hemsworth and Hiddleston in place, the rest of the cast began to fill out. In July, Marvel announced that Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman

would portray Jane Foster

Jane Foster (comics)

Jane Foster is a Marvel Comics supporting character who for many years was the nurse employed by Dr. Donald Blake, the secret identity of the Norse god superhero Thor.-Publication history:...

. Jaimie Alexander

Jaimie Alexander

Jaimie Alexander is an American actress best known for portraying Jessi on the TV series Kyle XY and Sif in the 2011 superhero film Thor.-Early life:...

and Colm Feore

Colm Feore

were reported to have joined the cast in September, with Alexander portraying Sif and Feore's role unrevealed, though it was thought to be a villain. In an interview with Swedish news site Ystads Allehanda, Stellan Skarsgård

Stellan Skarsgård

stated that he had joined the cast, though he did not specify his role. By late October Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins

Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...

had been cast as Odin in the film. The following month, Marvel announced that they had cast the Warriors Three

Warriors Three

; Fandral

Fandral

Fandral the Dashing is a Marvel Comics character and a charter member of the Warriors Three, a trio of Asgardian adventurers consisting of Fandral, Hogun the Grim, and Volstagg the Valiant...

was to be played by Stuart Townsend

Stuart Townsend

, Hogun

Hogun

was to be played by Tadanobu Asano

Tadanobu Asano

and Volstagg

Volstagg

was to be played by Ray Stevenson

Ray Stevenson (actor)

. Idris Elba

Idris Elba

was announced to have joined the cast, portraying Heimdall

Heimdall (comics)

. Natalie Portman revealed that Kat Dennings

Kat Dennings

would be involved in the project, portraying Darcy, a coworker of Portman's Jane Foster.

In December, Rene Russo

Rene Russo

- Early life :Russo was born in Burbank, California, the daughter of Shirley , a factory worker and barmaid, and Nino Russo, a sculptor and car mechanic who left the family when Rene was two. Her father and maternal grandfather were of Italian descent. Russo grew up with her sister, Toni, and their...

was cast as Frigga, Thor's adoptive mother and Odin's wife. Later that month, actors Joseph Gatt

Joseph Gatt

, Troy Brenna, and Joshua Cox

Joshua Cox

Joshua "Josh" Cox is an American actor. He is perhaps most famous for his work in television. Notable roles include Lieutenant David Corwin and Senior Nurse Peter Riggs...

had been cast in the film, though none of their roles were revealed. In January 2010, Adriana Barraza

Adriana Barraza

had joined the film's cast, in a supporting capacity. Only days before filming began, Stuart Townsend was replaced by Joshua Dallas

Joshua Dallas

as Fandral, citing "creative differences". When Spider-Man 4s production stalled, Paramount and Marvel Entertainment pushed up the release of Thor by two weeks to the then vacated date of May 6, 2011.

The Science & Entertainment Exchange

Science & Entertainment Exchange

The Science & Entertainment Exchange is a program ofthe United States National Academy of Sciences developed to increase public awareness, knowledge, and understanding of science through its representation in television, film, and other media...

introduced Marvel Entertainment, Kenneth Branagh, "the screenwriter, and a few people on the design and production side of things" to three physicists (Sean Carroll

Sean M. Carroll

Sean Michael Carroll is a senior research associate in the Department of Physics at the California Institute of Technology. He is a theoretical cosmologist specializing in dark energy and general relativity...

, Kevin Hand

Kevin Hand

Kevin Hand is an astrobiologist and planetary scientist at JPL.He is also the founder of Cosmos Education and was its president until 2007.He was working at NASA Ames when he was inspired to form Cosmos Education in 1999 after getting a grant from the Earth and Space Foundation to tour African...

, and Jim Hartle), as well as physics student Kevin Hickerson, to provide a realistic science background for the Thor universe. The consultation resulted in a change in Jane Foster's profession, from nurse to particle physicist, and the terminology (Einstein-Rosen bridge) to describe the Bifrost Bridge.

Filming

In October 2008, Marvel Studios signed a long term lease agreement with Raleigh Studios to photograph their next four films - Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2

, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America: The First Avenger is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America. It is the fifth installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe...

and The Avengers - at Raleigh's Manhattan Beach, California

Manhattan Beach, California

Manhattan Beach is the wealthiest beachfront city located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, USA. The city is on the Pacific coast, south of El Segundo, and north of Hermosa Beach. Manhattan Beach is the home of both beach and indoor volleyball, and surfing. During the winter, the...

facility. Production Weekly reported that filming on Marvel's Thor was scheduled to begin in Los Angeles mid-January, then move to Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...

from March until late-April. Principal photography

Principal photography

thumb|300px|Film production on location in [[Newark, New Jersey]].Principal photography is the phase of film production in which the movie is filmed, with actors on set and cameras rolling, as distinct from pre-production and post-production....

began on January 11, 2010. A few days after filming began, it was reported that Clark Gregg

Clark Gregg

had signed on to reprise his role from Iron Man

Iron Man (film)

and Iron Man 2 as Agent Coulson

Phil Coulson

. In February, Paramount Pictures entered negotiations with Del Mar, California

Del Mar, California

Del Mar is an upscale beach town in San Diego County, California. The population was 4,161 at the 2010 census, down from 4,389 at the 2000 census. The San Diego County Fair is hosted on the Del Mar Fairgrounds every summer. Del Mar is Spanish for "of the sea" or "by the sea", because it is located...

to use of 300-yard stretch of beach to film a scene for Thor involving six horses running down the terrain. Paramount said this coastline was ideal because its gradual slope of sand down to the waterline creates excellent reflective opportunities on film. On March 15, 2010 production of Thor moved to Galisteo, New Mexico

Galisteo, New Mexico

Galisteo is a census-designated place in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Santa Fe, New Mexico Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 265 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...

, where the set of an entire town was built for the shoot.

Branagh, a fan of the comic book since childhood, commented on the challenge of bridging Asgard and the modern world: "Inspired by the comic book world both pictorially and compositionally at once, we've tried to find a way to make a virtue and a celebration of the distinction between the worlds that exist in the film but absolutely make them live in the same world. It's about finding the framing style, the color palette, finding the texture and the amount of camera movement that helps celebrate and express the differences and the distinctions in those worlds. If it succeeds, it will mark this film as different.... The combination of the primitive and the sophisticated, the ancient and the modern, I think that potentially is the exciting fusion, the exciting tension in the film".

By April, the prospect for filming parts of Thor in Del Mar, California had fallen through. Paramount Pictures sent a letter informing the city that it has instead chosen an undisclosed Northern California

Northern California

Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...

location to film a beachfront scene for the film. The letter cited cost concerns with moving production too far away from its headquarters.

Post-production

The film ended principal photography on May 6, 2010 and entered the "post-production

Post-production

Post-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...

" phase. It was reported in February 2010 that France-based BUF Compagnie

BUF Compagnie

BUF Compagnie is a French visual effects company, specializing in CGI for feature films, commercials, and music videos.-History:Based in Paris, France and Los Angeles, California, BUF Compagnie was founded by Pierre Buffin in 1984...

would be the lead visual effects

Visual effects

Visual effects are the various processes by which imagery is created and/or manipulated outside the context of a live action shoot. Visual effects involve the integration of live-action footage and generated imagery to create environments which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or...

house working on the film. Digital Domain

Digital Domain

Digital Domain is a visual effects and animation company founded by film director James Cameron, Stan Winston and Scott Ross. It is based in Venice, Los Angeles, California...

worked on the visual effects as well. Branagh stated that BUF, who developed the effects for the race through space was much inspired by Hubble

Hubble Space Telescope

The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...

photography and other images of deep space. Branagh stated he sent paintings from classic studies by J. M. W. Turner

J. M. W. Turner

Joseph Mallord William Turner RA was an English Romantic landscape painter, watercolourist and printmaker. Turner was considered a controversial figure in his day, but is now regarded as the artist who elevated landscape painting to an eminence rivalling history painting...

to Digital Domain when creating Jotunheim

Jötunheimr

Jötunheimr is one of the Nine Worlds and the homeland of the Giants of Norse Mythology — Rock Giants and Frost Giants.-Legend:...

.

The film was released in a 3-D

3-D film

A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...

version. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....

, Kenneth Branagh stated that the 3-D process initially made him cringe but "We came to feel that in our case 3-D could be the very good friend of story and character for a different kind of experience". Although 2-D was used for principal photography, producer Kevin Fiege stated that the "special effects for the film were conceived and executed from the beginning in 3-D".

In October 2010, casting calls went out for bit players to appear in an undisclosed number of reshoots.

In March 2011, scenes involving Adriana Barraza

Adriana Barraza

were removed from the theatrical cut of the film during the editing process. Kenneth Branagh sent a letter of apology explaining the reasons for the cut and desire to work with Barraza again in the future. In response Barraza stated, "It saddens me because the movie is great and because I was acting alongside some tremendous actors that I admire very much, but I understand the nature of films, and it's not the first or last time that scenes will be cut". Barraza appears in only one scene in the film's theatrical cut. In that same month, Douglas Tait

Douglas Tait

Douglas Tait is an American actor, stuntman and independent filmmaker. His first notable role was as "Jason Voorhees" in the climax of the 2003 horror film Freddy Vs. Jason...

revealed that he preformed for motion capture of the Frost Giants

Giants (Marvel Comics)

. On his hiring, Tait said "I am 6'5" and have a lean, athletic build, and they hired guys who were 6'7" and taller, and weighed over 250 pounds. When the film was being edited, they wanted to make them even bigger and move faster. They auditioned people again and Kenneth Branagh chose me to perform the motion capture movements of the Frost Giants".

In April 2011, the IMAX Corporation

IMAX Corporation

IMAX Corporation is a Canadian theatre company which designs and manufactures IMAX cameras and projection systems as well as film development, production, post production and distribution to IMAX affiliated theatres worldwide. It was founded in 1968 as a result of Expo 67 in Montreal...

, Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment announced that they have finalized an agreement to release the film on digital IMAX

IMAX

IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...

3D screens. The release marked the continuation of the partnership between the companies, which started on Iron Man 2.

The post-credits scene

Post-credits scene

A post-credits scene is a short clip that appears after some or all of the closing credits of a film have run...

in which Skarsgård's Erik Selvig comes face-to-face with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury was directed by Joss Whedon

Joss Whedon

Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...

, who is directing The Avengers (2012).

Music

In March 2011, Buena Vista Records announced the details for the soundtrack

Soundtrack

A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...

. The album includes Patrick Doyle

Patrick Doyle

Patrick Doyle is a Scottish musician and film score composer. A longtime collaborator of actor/director Kenneth Branagh, Doyle is known for his work scoring such critically acclaimed films as Henry V , Sense and Sensibility , Hamlet , and Gosford Park , as well as noteworthy blockbusters as Harry...

's original score

Sheet music

Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...

from the film and it was released in some European territories at the end of April.

In April 2011, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed that the music of the Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...

was added to the film. The song "Walk

Walk (Foo Fighters song)

"Walk" is the eleventh and last track and the second single from American rock band Foo Fighters' seventh studio album Wasting Light. It was written by Dave Grohl and co-produced by Butch Vig. The song can be heard in the background of the bar scene and in the closing credits in the movie Thor. The...

" plays during a scene in which Thor, stripped of his powers and marooned on Earth, retreats to a New Mexico roadhouse to drink away the night with boilermakers and carouse with Stellan Skarsgård's character. The track plays again over the closing credits. Feige stated:

"It was literally one of those things that came together in a matter of weeks, and if you asked two months ago if we would have a Foo Fighters song in this movie, I would have said I don't think so, but we heard the song and it just has these eerie appropriate lyrics and themes. The song wasn't written for the movie, obviously, it's on their new album, but we almost couldn't believe it when we heard it. Ken in particular just loved it with these lyrics about learning to walk again and the way that fit the themes of the movie about redemption, learning to be a hero. The song starts off talking about being a million miles away from home and yearning and being separated by vast distances, and it's no secret that Thor and Jane are from different worlds".

Release

The world premiere of Thor took place on Sunday, April 17, 2011 at the Event Cinemas

Greater Union

Greater Union, Birch Carroll and Coyle, Event Cinemas, Skycity Cinemas and Damodar Village Cinemas together form a chain of cinema multiplexes across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji...

theatre in George Street, Sydney

George Street, Sydney

George Street is one of Sydney's most notable city streets. There are more high rise buildings and more ASX 100 companies located here than anywhere else in Australia, and is well known for being busy around-the-clock...

. The U.S. premiere took place on Monday, May 2, 2011 at the El Capitan Theatre

El Capitan Theatre

El Capitan Theatre is a fully restored movie palace at 6838 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. It is owned by Pacific Theatres and operated by the Walt Disney Company. It serves as the venue for many of Walt Disney Pictures' movie premieres...

in Hollywood, California. The event was hosted by Isaiah Mustafa

Isaiah Mustafa

Isaiah Mustafa is an American actor and former NFL practice squad wide receiver. Mustafa is widely known as the main character for a series of Old Spice TV commercials, The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.-Early life:...

and streamed live on Marvel's official website.

Marketing

In July 2010 Marvel Studios held a Thor panel at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International during which Kenneth Branagh and Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Kat Dennings, Tom Hiddleston, and Clark Gregg discussed the film and showed some clips from it. A few days later, this footage was leaked on the internet. The first television advertisement was broadcast during Super Bowl XLV

Super Bowl XLV

Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...

on the FOX

Fox Broadcasting Company

Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...

network in the United States. The rate for advertising during the game was approximately USD$3 million per 30-second spot. Marvel Studios and Acura

Acura

Acura is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. The brand has been available in the United States and Canada since March 1986, marketing luxury, performance, and near-performance vehicles. It was introduced to Hong Kong in 1991, Mexico in 2004, and China in 2006...

launched a joint viral marketing

Viral marketing

Viral marketing, viral advertising, or marketing buzz are buzzwords referring to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of viruses...

promotion at the 2011 Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo

Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo is a Chicago fan convention dedicated to comics, pop culture, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television...

. Other official promotional partners included Burger King

Burger King

Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...

, Dr. Pepper, 7 Eleven, and Visa. In May 2011 Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC , formerly Marvel Enterprises and Toy Biz, Inc., is an American entertainment company formed from the merger of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. and Toy Biz, Inc....

's President of Print, Animation and Digital, Dan Buckley

Dan Buckley

Dan Buckley is the publisher of Marvel Comics and the chief operating officer of Marvel Entertainment's publishing division. -External links:...

, and Marvel Comics Editor-In-Chief, Axel Alonso

Axel Alonso

Axel Alonso is American comic book creator, known primarily as an editor at DC Comics from 1994–2000, and at Marvel Comics from 2000 to the present. At DC, he edited a number of books published under their Vertigo line, such as Doom Patrol, Animal Man, Hellblazer, Preacher and 100 Bullets...

, rang the NYSE closing bell in celebration of the theatrical release of Thor.

A post-credits scene

Post-credits scene

A post-credits scene is a short clip that appears after some or all of the closing credits of a film have run...

in the film Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2

showed a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent (played by Clark Gregg

Clark Gregg

) reporting the discovery of a large hammer in the desert. Rick Marshall of MTV News

MTV News

MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...

believed it to be the weapon Mjöllnir belonging to Thor, writing, "It continues the grand tradition of connecting the film to another property in development around the Marvel movie universe." In the DVD commentary track, at the start of the scene, Iron Man 2's director, Jon Favreau

Jon Favreau

Jonathan Kolia "Jon" Favreau is an American actor, screenwriter, film director and comedian. As an actor, he is best known for his roles in Rudy, Swingers , Very Bad Things, and The Break-Up. His notable directorial efforts include Elf, Iron Man and its sequel, and Cowboys & Aliens...

, stated that the scene was actually shot on the set of Thor, and "this is a scene from Thor".

Home media

In July 2011, Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures announced the release of Thor on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD

DVD

A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....

. The discs were released on September 13, 2011. The Thor three-disc Ultimate Set includes the film on Blu-ray in high-definition 3D and high-definition 2D, as well as on standard-definition DVD with a digital copy. The two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack includes a high-definition presentation of the film, plus a standard-definition presentation with a digital copy. Both sets come with over 80 minutes of bonus materials.

Branagh said that the DVD includes at least 20 minutes of deleted scene

Deleted scene

In Entertainment, especially the film and television industry, Deleted scenes are parts of a film removed or censored from or replaced by another scene in the final "cut", or version, of a film...

s. Branagh stated the footage contains "things like the Asgardian parents, Odin and Frigga, played by the beautiful Rene Russo, there's some beautiful scenes in there that I think people will enjoy. And certainly Thor and Loki interacting in different ways that just fill in a little bit of a back story, that was part of our rehearsal and research." In its first week of release, Thor took the number one spot on Blu-ray/DVD sales chart and topped Home Media Magazine

Home Media Magazine

Home Media Magazine is a weekly trade publication that covers various aspects of the home entertainment industry, most notably DVD, Blu-ray Disc and digital distribution. Also covered is news relating to consumer electronics, video games, home video distributors, video-on-demand and Internet...

’s rental chart for the week.

Marvel Animation

Marvel Animation

Marvel Animation, LLC is an American animation production company. The Marvel Entertainment subsidiary was incorporated on January 25, 2008 to direct Marvel's efforts in animation and home entertainment markets...

announced a 26-episode animated series in November 2008, to air in late 2010 before the release of Marvel Studios' film. The company released an animated direct-to-video

Direct-to-video

Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...

film, Thor: Tales of Asgard

Thor: Tales of Asgard

Thor: Tales of Asgard is a 2011 direct-to-video animated film based on the Marvel Comics character, Thor. It is eighth in a series of animated films produced by Marvel Animation and distributed by Lionsgate Entertainment...

, to coincide with the live-action movie.

A video game titled Thor: God of Thunder

Thor: God of Thunder

Thor: God of Thunder is a 2011 third person single-player video game based on the film Thor developed by Liquid Entertainment and co-written by Matt Fraction, the Eisner Award-winning writer of the comic book series...

based on the film was developed by Sega

Sega

, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...

using the voices and likenesses of actors Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston, and was released on May 3, 2011.

Box office

Thor placed second in its opening weekend in Australia following Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures

-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...

' Fast Five, earning $5.8 million. The film opened to just 1% more than the most popular Marvel property, Iron Man

Iron Man (film)

, did in Australia in 2008. The following week, Thor opened in 56 markets grossing $89.2 million through the weekend. Thor placed first in its opening weekend in North America, earning $65.7 million including $6.6 million in IMAX theatres in 213 locations, representing 10% of the weekend gross. The film held on to the number one spot at the American and Canadian box office during its second weekend, dropping 47%, and grossed $34.7 million. Thor closed in theaters on August 25, 2011 with a gross $181,030,624 in the U.S. and Canada as well as $267,482,200 in international markets for a total of $448,512,824 million worldwide.

Critical response

Thor has received generally favorable reviews from film critics. The review aggregator

Review aggregator

A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services . This system stores the reviews and then uses them for purposes such as: creating a website for users to view the reviews, selling information to third parties about consumer tendencies and creating databases for...

, Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes

gave Thor a 77% approval rating, with an average

Weighted mean

The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...

rating of 6.7/10, based on a sample of 250 reviews. The consensus was summarised as "A dazzling blockbuster that tempers its sweeping scope with wit, humor, and human drama, Thor is mighty Marvel entertainment." Metacritic

Metacritic

Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...

assigned a weighted average score of 57/100 based on reviews from 40 film critics.

Richard Kuipers of Variety

Variety (magazine)

Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...

stated, "Thor delivers the goods so long as butt is being kicked and family conflict is playing out in celestial dimensions, but is less thrilling during the Norse warrior god's rather brief banishment on Earth". Megan Lehmann of The Hollywood Reporter

The Hollywood Reporter

Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...

said, "The hammer-hurling god of thunder kicks off this superhero summer with a bang". Richard Roeper

Richard Roeper

Richard E. Roeper is an American columnist and film critic for The Chicago Sun-Times and now a co-host on The Roe Conn Show on WLS-AM...

of the Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Sun-Times

The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...

declared, "Thor is the most entertaining superhero debut since the original Spider-Man

Spider-Man (film)

Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film, the first in the Spider-Man film series based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Koepp...

".

Conversely, Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert

Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...

of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it a negative review stating, "Thor is failure as a movie, but a success as marketing, an illustration of the ancient carnival tactic of telling the rubes anything to get them into the tent". A.O. Scott of the New York Times disliked the film as well, calling Thor, "an example of the programmed triumph of commercial calculation over imagination". Kenneth Turan

Kenneth Turan

Kenneth Turan is an American film critic and Lecturer in the Master of Professional Writing Program at the University of Southern California.-Background:...

of the Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

had mixed feelings, describing the film as "an aesthetic standoff between predictable elements and unexpected ones". Turan praised the performances of Hemsworth, Hopkins, and Elba, but found the special effects inconsistent and the Earth storyline derivative.

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Winner/Nominee
2011	Teen Choice Awards 2011 Teen Choice Awards The 2011 Teen Choice Awards hosted by Kaley Cuoco aired live on August 7, 2011 at 8/7c on Fox. This was the first time that the ceremonies were aired live since the 2007 show...	Choice Movie Breakout: Male	Chris Hemsworth Chris Hemsworth Chris Hemsworth is an Australian actor most notable for portraying Thor in the Marvel Studios film Thor. Hemsworth is set to reprise his role as Thor in the upcoming films The Avengers in 2012 and Thor 2 in 2013. He also starred as Kim Hyde in the Australian soap opera Home and Away...
	Scream Awards 2011 Scream Awards The 2011 Scream Awards was the name of the sixth annual Scream Awards, an award show dedicated to the horror, sci-fi, and fantasy genres of feature films, television and comic books...	The Ultimate Scream	Thor
		Best Fantasy Movie	Thor
		Best Superhero	Chris Hemsworth as Thor
		Best Supporting Actress	Jaimie Alexander Jaimie Alexander Jaimie Alexander is an American actress best known for portraying Jessi on the TV series Kyle XY and Sif in the 2011 superhero film Thor.-Early life:...
		Breakout Performance - Female	Jaimie Alexander
		Breakout Performance - Male	Chris Hemsworth
		Breakout Performance - Male	Tom Hiddleston Tom Hiddleston Thomas William "Tom" Hiddleston is an English actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Loki in the 2011 Marvel Studios film Thor.-Early life and education:...
		Best F/X	Thor
		Best Comic Book Movie	Thor
2012	People's Choice Awards 38th People's Choice Awards The 38th People's Choice Awards, honoring the best in popular culture for 2011, will be held on January 11, 2012 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California, and were broadcast live on CBS at 9:00 pm ET.On November 8, the nominees were announced...	Favorite Action Movie	Thor
2012		Favorite Movie Superhero	Chris Hemsworth

Sequel

In April 2011, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige

Kevin Feige

Kevin Feige is a film producer. He joined Marvel Studios in 2000, has been involved in all of their theatrical productions, and was named President of Production in 2007...

stated that following The Avengers, "Thor will go off into a new adventure." However when asked about Feige's comments director Kenneth Branagh responded, "It is kind of news to me. Here's what I would say to that: It's that I'm thrilled they're that confident. I shall wait for the audience to tell us whether there should be a second one, and then if that's a nice conversation to be had between all of us, that'd be thrilling. But I've got too much Irish superstitious blood in me to assume that Thor 2 will happen. But if Marvel says so, then I guess it must be true". Feige later explained that they'll wait to see how well Thor does at the box office before officially announcing sequels but stated, "Don Payne is working on story ideas for a part two. We've got various options with Ken [Branagh] to discuss coming back, but right now the focus is on the first one. Don is, slowly but surely, thinking about where to take the character next should we be so lucky".

In June 2011, Walt Disney Pictures

Walt Disney Pictures

Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...

set a July 26, 2013 release date for Thor 2 with Chris Hemsworth reprising his role as the title hero. Kenneth Branagh will not be returning as director but will likely be involved in some producing capacity. The Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

cited the marathon devotion required for a major visual-effects epic and the urgency to get the script process underway as reasons for Branagh's departure although the director was initially enthused by the prospect of a sequel. The following day, Marvel hired Don Payne, one of the credited writers of the first film, to script the sequel.

In August 2011, Brian Kirk

Brian Kirk

Brian Kirk is an Irish television director who has most recently directed episodes of Game of Thrones, FX's The Riches and Showtime's Brotherhood and The Tudors...

entered early negotiations to direct Thor 2 for Marvel Studios and Disney. The film would mark Kirk's directorial debut on a major Hollywood production, who is best known for directing episodes of HBO's Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones (TV series)

Game of Thrones is an American medieval fantasy television series created for HBO by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. Based on author George R. R. Martin's best-selling A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels, the first of which is called A Game of Thrones, the television series debuted in...

and Boardwalk Empire as well as Showtime's Dexter

Dexter (TV series)

Dexter is an American television drama series, which debuted on Showtime on October 1, 2006. The sixth season premiered on October 2, 2011. The series centers on Dexter Morgan , a bloodstain pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer...

and BBC

BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

's Luther

Luther (TV series)

Luther is a British psychological crime drama television series starring Idris Elba as the title character Detective Chief Inspector John Luther. A first series of six episodes was broadcast on BBC One from 4 May to 8 June 2010. The second series of four episodes was shown on BBC One in summer 2011...

. Idris Elba who portrayed Heimdall in the first film, stated that he had plans for Thor 2.

In September 2011, Tom Hiddleston confirmed that he would return in the sequel, speculating that in Thor 2, "[Loki will] have to take responsibility for what he’s done". Patty Jenkins

Patty Jenkins

, the director of Monster and the pilot episode of AMC's The Killing entered early negotiations with Marvel Studios and Disney to direct Thor 2. Brian Kirk had been the front runner but opted not to take the job due to creative and financial sticking points that arose during negotiations. In the same month, Fiege stated that the sequel would "take Thor literally to other worlds" and would "primarily be the journey of that character, of he and Jane Foster and how the new dynamic with his father is working out, as well as what are the broader stakes for The Nine Worlds".

In October 2011, Joshua Dallas, who portrayed Fandral, stated he plans to return to Asgard

Asgard (comics)

Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology...

in Thor 2. On October 13, 2011, Disney moved the release date for Thor 2 to November 15, 2013. The same day Marvel confirmed that Patty Jenkins would direct the sequel and that Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman

would return to star.

External links

Thor Movie Hub at Marvel.com
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...