Alexander Skarsgard, Josh Hartnett, Natalie Portman to star in Thor?

Rumors abound as to who will be starring in Marvel’s new super-hero movie, Thor, and now a new rumor has joined the list courtesy of Nikki Finke at Deadline Hollywood Daily.

According to Finke, Natalie Portman (V for Vendetta / Star Wars Episodes I, II, & III) is in the running for the lead female role.

It’s just a rumor at this stage, but if the three key rumors turn out to be fact we’ll be seeing Alexander Skarsgard as Thor, Josh Hartnett as Loki, and Natalie Portman as Nurse Jane Foster.

Portman’s role is also a guess of mine, but having grown up reading Thor comics, it was the first thing that came to mind when I heard Portman’s name.  When I consider Portman’s excellent performance in V for Vendetta, I can really see her as the character of Foster.

For those that don’t know, Foster is a character that falls in love with Thor’s alter ago Donald Blake without knowing he is Thor, before she ends up learning the truth.  Thor then grants her immortality.  There’s a long story beyond that point, but let me just say the character of Jane Foster also ends up appearing in The Avengers.

So, I find myself speculating that if this rumor pans out, do we now have the possibility that Natalie Portman will also appear in The Avengers?

Remember, it’s fun speculating, but the involvment of all three actors are, at this stage, just rumors.

Marvel have made some major and uber cool announcements:

Iron Man 2 will be releaesd May 7, 2010
Spiderman 4 will be released on May 6, 2011
Thor will be released Jun 17, 2011
The First Avenger: Captain America will be released July 22, 2011
The Avengers will be released May 4, 2012

Whilst there is no change to the release date for Iron Man 2, I’ve included it in the list for a reason.  As part of Marvel’s announcement, the road to the release of The Avengers will be one that follows a continuous story arc.

What does all this mean?  It means the biggest movie crossover in history is on its way.

From Marvel:

Paving the way for the production and release of The Avengers, Marvel announced today an adjusted release pipeline for its self-produced feature film properties that reflects the first time individual super hero characters and story arcs will be inter-woven and culminate in a multi-character motion picture.

A Marvel character-based film will now launch the summer box office season for three years in a row, from 2010 through 2012.

“This new schedule strongly sequences Marvel’s movie debut dates, big screen character introductions and momentum. It maximizes the visibility of our single character-focused films, leading to the highly anticipated release of the multi-character The Avengers film in 2012″, said David Maisel, Chairman, Marvel Studios.

A great day of news for super-hero movie and comic book fans.

Could Alexander Skarsgård be Marvel's Thor?

Here’s another one of those ‘in the rumor basket’ pieces of news that I just couldn’t help posting.

According to Latino Review, there is some credibility behind this rumor that Alexander Skarsgård might be in the running to snare the lead in Marvel’s Thor.

Apparently Kenneth Branagh (the Director attached to Thor) and Alexander Skarsgård were seen having lunch, which of course has fueled speculation that the lunch was more than simply nibbles.  That, and there were a few rumors floating around beforehand that Skarsgård was in the running.

So whilst there is absolutely no basis to this rumor apart from that, I had to post it because when I first heard it I found myself hoping it wasn’t a rumor.  Skarsgård, who is also a scary-ass vampire (just watch him in True Blood), would suit the role absolutely perfectly in my view.   I’m still hoping this is one rumor that turns out to be on the money.

And let’s be honest – with a name like Skarsgård, it almost seems written in the stone of destiny that the powerful looking 6′4″ Blonde would play a God from, erm, Asgard…

No actor has yet been cast as Thor

Marvel have announced that Iron Man 2 will commence filming in April.  The cast is mostly complete, although no announcement has been made regarding the remaining key villains.  With principal photography now scheduled to occur in less than two months, expectations are the final villains will be announced shortly.

Additionally a release date for Thor has been announced as July 16 2010.  Kenneth Branagh (Valkyrie / Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets)will direct the live-action feature film but so far no cast members are attached.  At one point Brad Pitt was rumored for the role, but this turned out to be false.