Filming on Marvel’s “Thor” Set for January

By our guest blogger, Matt Jussim

Filming on Marvel’s highly anticipated adaptation of “Thor” is set to start  in Los Angeles starting in January, reports Production Weekly, via Twitter

The film is directed by Kenneth Branagh and stars Chris Hemsworth as the titular hero, along with Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Jaimie Alexander, Colm Feore and Samuel L. Jackson. The film will have the powerful but arrogant warrior sent down to Earth and be forced to live among humans as punishment for nearly igniting a war. While on Earth, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero, and must battle the darkest forces of his own world when his rival sends them to invade Earth.

According to Production Weekly: “Filming on Marvel's 'Thor' is scheduled to begin in LA mid-January, then move to Santa Fe, New Mexico from March till late-April.”

This is big news for both Marvel and the “Thor” film itself. After “Iron Man 2," Marvel plans to release both “Thor” and “Captain America: The First Avenger” before releasing “The Avengers” film in 2012. How both those films perform will have a large impact on how the studio will proceed with “Avengers.”

Although “Thor” is not one of Marvel’s most popular or known heroes, I think this film has great potential. Hemsworth was a scene-stealer in “Star Trek” earlier this year, playing Captain Kirk’s father and Portman is a fantastic actress with great range. What I think is most intriguing is the fact that Branagh is directing. He was not the most typical choice, but neither was Jon Favreau for “Iron Man,” and we all know how that turned out.

“Thor” will be released in 2011.