Big Updates on Thor

It's a good day for news on Kenneth Branagh's "Thor" movie, which will adapt Marvel's comic book version of the Norse thunder god into a big-screen blockbuster.

The writing team who are penning the "Thor" screenplay for Kenneth Branagh's anticipated new comic book adaptation are Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz.

New writer Ashley Miller has now spoken about his take on the Thor film.

In a great new interview with CineFOOLs, Miller said: "He's a god. He's incredibly strong. He can fly. He tosses lightning bolts. There's nothing realistic about any of that.

"But he also bleeds. He struggles. Life kicks him where it hurts the most. Dramatically speaking, the powers and Asgard are gravy. The meat - and what makes it a Marvel movie - is the character.

"At the end of the day, he's a man. In the comics, Odin sends him to Earth because he's not perfect. He's brash, arrogant. Even over-confident. We all know that guy - some of us have even been that guy.

"Stan Lee's genius was to give Thor an emotional throughline we could all relate to, and knock him down a couple of pegs. The challenge is to dramatise that and make the audience see what the fans have known all along.

Asked what he wanted to bring to the film, he said: "You want to feel Thor's rage when he rages. You want to see him fight like hell, and take as much he dishes out -- maybe more. You want to have a visceral reaction to the guy, and what happens to him.

"You don't want his adventures to be clean and antiseptic. You want to see the dirt, and grime and blood. You want to feel every-bone crunching moment of every fight.

"And when he unleashes the storm, you want to feel like you're seeing the power of a GOD at work."

He added that they had written the script with the bigger Marvel universe in mind and had looked for ways to connect Thor to Marvel's other superhero movies.

Actor Tom Hiddleston has spoken about his role in the movie as the god of mischief Loki, half-brother to Thor (who will be played by "Star Trek" actor Chris Hemsworth).

Hiddleston had initially auditioned for Thor but director Kenneth Branagh, who stars alongside him in the "Wallander" detective drama and also appeared with him in the stage production of Ivanov, thought him better suited to playing the villainous Loki.

Hiddleston told the Daily Mail: "Loki's like a comic book version of Edmund in King Lear, but nastier."

And how much nastier? He elaborated: "Well, Loki's skilled in black magic and scorcery. He's a shape-shifter and has all sorts of super powers from the dark arts. He can turn clouds into dragons, things like that."

He said he has to stay fit and healthy for the role, which begins filming in January: "Ken wants Loki to have a lean and hungry look, like Cassius in Julius Caesar. Physically, he can't be [as imposing] as Thor."

Actor Clifton Collins Jr has claimed to be trying for a role in the superhero blockbuster.

Collins, 38, who played Ayel, the sidekick of Romulan villain Nero (Eric Bana) in the new "Star Trek," said he was auditioning for a part in the Marvel film directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Collins wrote on his Twitter page: "Studying my ass off for Thor, gonna be a late night, well worth the loss of sleep", followed the next day by "Brewing big pot of joe, hitting Thor hard this mornin!"

The actor didn't reveal which role he was trying for, although MTV News speculated that he would be a good fit for one of Thor's Asgardian associates, The Warriors Three. The Warriors Three comprises the Asgardian gods Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg. They are fictional creations of Marvel and not part of Norse mythology.

"Thor" is released on May 20, 2011, with the character then set to be appear in the Zak Penn-scripted ensemble movie "The Avengers" in 2012.
That's a good amount of "Thor" news for now.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: The Geek Files (1,2,3)