Hollywood bloggess Nikki Finke is reporting that Marvel and director Kenneth Branagh have settled on their Thor. As expected, the role has gone to a relative unknown: 25-year old Australian Chris Hemsworth. He will play opposite Natalie Portman, who was previously reported to be cast as the female lead in the film.
Hemsworth is new to Hollywood, but had a bit part in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek as George Kirk and was just tapped to play the lead in MGM’s upcoming Red Dawn “reimagining.” He’s a larger presence in Oz with the successful television series Home and Away under his belt.
The move to cast an unknown actor is characteristic of Marvel’s strategy of keeping production costs relatively low for its blockbuster films, a strategy that famously led to Terrence Howard being removed from Iron Man 2.
Marvel has yet to confirm the casting choice, but if true we can expect more casting announcements in the weeks ahead.
Thor has gone through a long development cycle and at one time had director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake, Stardust) attached with Daniel Craig reportedly offered the title role. This latest incarnation is scheduled to open June 17, 2011.
Who would be your choice to play THOR? Have any Australian readers seen Chris Hemsworth’s television work?
Via: Deadline Hollywood