Next week a whole slew of exciting geeky info will be unveiled at 2010 San Diego Comic Con but the LA Times is spilling a bit of news today about 2 much-anticipated superhero films. According to the paper (and which should come as no surprise whatsoever to anyone), the Marvel films Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger will be filmed and presented in 3D. Additionally, we get to check out a new promo photo from Thor which features the God of Thunder himself (played by Chris Hemsworth) with his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and the villainous trickster god Loki (Tom Hiddleston):

It’s official: The hammer of Thor and the shield of Captain America will fly straight at moviegoers in 3-D, which is really no surprise considering the current stereoscopic craze on the studios lots of Hollywood. What is unusual is the eagerness of each film’s director to take his case for 3-D directly to the fans at Comic-Con International.‬‪ On Saturday, July24 , Marvel Studios has the final studio presentation in the expo’s biggest room, Hall H, and “Thor” director Kenneth Branagh will use that climactic slot not just to introduce some of his cast — a cast that includes Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins, but its unlikely that all three will be in San Diego — but also to persuade skeptical fans that 3-D will add new dimensions to the 2011 blockbuster, and not just in the obvious way. “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,” Branagh said, taking a break from post-production. The filmmaker said the terminology of the 3-D process initially made him cringe — at first, it was “math and physics and way over my head,” he said with a chuckle — but then he started to pulse with the unexpected artistic opportunities. “It’s another draft of the story that can reveal itself in a different way,” he said. “I had a healthy degree of skepticism up front … I’ve become somebody extremely excited about working with possibilities of doing it this way.”

And what, pray tell, does Marvel and film director Kenneth Branaugh have in store for the Thor storyline? Find out, after the jump …

A week ago today we got our first look at the official costume concept art for the new Marvel Films movie Thor (due out in theaters next year) and today we get to check out a video featurette from the set of Thor which aired on Entertainment Tonight last night. ET talked with the film’s stars Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Natalie Portman (Jane Foster) and gives us our first look at Sir Anthony Hopkins as Nordic god Odin … here are a few screencaps:

Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment present the epic adventure, “Thor,” which spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth), a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and is forced to live among humans. A beautiful, young scientist, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), has a profound effect on Thor, as she ultimately becomes his first love. It’s while here on Earth that Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

OMG … I am SO loving this. I am a pretty big Thor fan (both the god and the comic book character) so I am really hoping this movie does him justice. It’s a bit strange to see Hemsworth as Thor without his winged helmet mainly because he has got a lot of blonde going on. Still … I’m very excited to see more. Check out the full length ET featurette, after the jump …

Yesterday we got our first look at new concept art that shows what Chris Evans will look like as Captain America in the upcoming Marvel film Captain America: The First Avenger. Today we get to check out concept art that shows us what Chris Hemsworth will look like as Thor in that upcoming Marvel film of the same name:

What’s especially cool about these Thor images is it’s the first shot we’ve seen of the Norse god wielding his hammer, Mjolner. It’s cool that not only does the top of the hammer glow, but you’ll notice that the grip also emanates blue light. It’s also interesting to see the size of Mjolner in proportion to Thor’s body. Of course, it’s not the size of the hammer, but how you use it. How it’s used in Thor is probably leveling buildings and fighting Norse gods … Thor hits theaters on May 6, 2011. For those who don’t know, Thor is being directed by Kenneth Branagh (Hamlet). The film also stars Natalie Portman as love-interest Jane Foster, Anthony Hopkins as Thor’s papa, Odin, and Tom Hiddleston as Loki, the film’s villain. The film also stars Ray Stevenson (Punisher: War Zone), Tadanobu Asano (Mongol), and Joshua Dallas (The Descent: Part 2) as the Warriors Three; Idris Elba (The Wire) as Heimdall, Stellan Skarsgard (Angels & Demons) as Selvig, and Jaimie Alexander (Kyle XY) as Sif.

As you may recall, we already got to see an actual teaser photo of Hemsworth as Thor but this new concept art shows us what the whole costume will reportedly look like in the film. Personally, I think Thor‘s hammer Mjǫllnir looks a bit too small but, well, I guess maybe I’m just being a size queen about it. After the jump, check out another photo of the new Thor along with a photo of what the Thor logo is rumored to look like …

Yesterday we got our first look at the big bad villain The Destroyer as he will be featured in next year’s big screen adaptation of the comic book series Thor and today we get our first look at the God of Thunder himself. Marvel/Paramount has released the first image of actor Chris Hemsworth as Thor … behold:

Long hair, check. Stubbly beard, check. Shiny armor, check. All that’s missing is Thor‘s trusty hammer Mjǫllnir. Thus far, Hemsworth has the Thor-look down. As much as I’d love to see a fuller photo of this new incarnation of Thor, I get that we are only being teased since the movie won’t be released until this time next year. I’m loving what I’m seeing thus far … I really can’t wait to see more. I have new confidence that Chris Hemsworth will make a fantastic flesh and blood Thor. What do y’all think?

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Nikki Finke, who has been giving us the dirt on the rumored cancellation of the Gossip Girl spin-off and the US remake of Absolutely Fabulous, is reporting that Marvel Comics has decided to cast Aussie newcomer (at least, around these here parts) Chris Hemsworth (George Kirk in JJ Abrams‘s Star Trek) in their big screen movie adaptation of Thor. While many fans have been lobbying hardcore for Alexander Skarsgård (who stars in True Blood and to many is the living embodiment of the Viking God comic book hero) to play the role, Finke reports that Hemsworth has swooped in and secured the part:

Talk about spot-on casting. I’ve just learned that Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige and director Kenneth Branagh have chosen their THOR — and it’s Chris Hemsworth, who can currently be seen as “George Kirk” in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot and also just snagged the lead in Red Dawn for MGM on Thursday. The gorgeous 25-year-old Australian is a virtual unknown here in the United States. But he played “Kim Hyde” on 171 episodes of Home and Away, the successful Oz television series chronicling the lives and loves of the residents of Summer Bay, a small coastal town in New South Wales, Australia. Hemsworth is repped by partner and co-founder William Ward’s ROAR management and Eileen Feldman’s agency. Marvel Studios has scheduled Thor for a June 17, 2011, release. The way Chris Hemsworth got the part of Thor is one of those great Hollywood backstories that happens only once in a blue moon. Ward had found Chris during one of the manager’s many scouting trips to Australia. Ward brought him to Los Angeles and really put him out there to casting directors and production executives. As for the major agencies, I hear CAA passed on the meeting, Endeavor took it but passed on repping him, and ICM was interested but dragged their feet. But Eileen Feldman got his appeal immediately. Chris had read for the part of Thor but wasn’t given a test because a casting director had nixed him early on. I’m told Chris’ younger brother Liam (who’s also a ROAR client) then tested for the role of Thor, but Marvel’s Kevin Feige passed. Then, after a conversation with Ward (“You’ve got to reconsider Chris, he’s your guy”), Feige decided to let Chris read again. And once Marvel put him on tape, it was “Oh my god”. Branagh came to town last week and saw the Chris test and made the final casting decision today … Thor’s character, in a nutshell is the Viking god of thunder, who wears a winged helmet and speaks in King James Bible-style Olde English, as well as referring to himself in the third person as “the Odinson.” He wields a magic hammer, and can “fly” by throwing the hammer really hard and hanging on to it. Not only is here the movie Thor, but he’ll also be interacting later with the likes of Iron Man and Hulk. Marvel tapping Kenneth Branagh was a smart move to elevate the pic since the English helmer has so much experience with Shakespearean battle movies and has the ability to balance action with convincingly delivered old English.

I knew from the first moment I saw Hemsworth in Star Trek (he plays Kirk‘s father in the movie’s opening) that he would go on to bigger roles. He deffo has that star quality and I was sure, at least looks wise, that he’d be able to get starring roles in future movies. It’s quite a feat to get cast as the lead in a big budget superhero movie, especially one that will tie in with a movie like Iron Man (both Iron Man and Thor are members of the superhero conglomerate The Avengers). I, too, thought that Skarsgård was a shoe-in for the role … but Hollywood is a wacky place. I think Chris Hemsworth can be Thor. I guess we’ll eventually find out.

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