Thor
Movie Trivia:
'You
are unworthy of these realms!'
(Total Trivia Entries: 69)
Marvel Comics Thor is based on Norse Mythology, where he is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, destruction, fertility, healing, and the protection of mankind. To see what Marvel comics has made of this great mythology keep on reading Thor movie trivia.
Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
Written by:
Ashley Miller (screenplay)
Zack Stentz (screenplay)
Don Payne(screenplay)
J. Michael Straczynski (story)
Mark Protosevich (story)
Stan Lee (comic book)
Larry Lieber (comic book)
Jack Kirby (comic book)
Starring:
Chris Hemsworth - Thor
Natalie Portman - Jane Foster
Tom Hiddleston - Loki
Anthony Hopkins - Odin
Stellan Skarsgård - Erik Selvig
Kat Dennings - Darcy Lewis
Clark Gregg - Agent Coulson
Idris Elba - Heimdall
Colm Feore - King Laufey
Ray Stevenson - Volstagg
Tadanobu Asano - Hogun
Josh Dallas - Fandral
Jaimie Alexander - Sif
Rene Russo - Frigga
Adriana Barraza - Isabel Alvarez
Maximiliano Hernández - Agent Sitwell
Buddy Sosthand - Agent Delancey
Blake Silver - Techie
Jamie McShane - Agent Jackson
Dale Godboldo - Agent Garrett
Patrick O'Brien Demsey - Agent Cale
Jim Palmer - SHIELD Guard
Dakota Goyo - Young Thor
Ted Allpress - Young Loki
Casting:
For the role of Thor, these are the actors that were considered:- Daniel Craig
- Brad Pitt
- Tom Hiddleston
- Liam Hemsworth - who is Chris Hemsworth brother, tested for the role
- Channing Tatum
- Alexander Skarsgård
- Charlie Hunnam
- Joel Kinnaman - tested for the role
- WWE wrestler Paul Levesque (aka Triple H)
Director Kenneth Branagh and Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige chose Hemsworth after a back-and-forth process in which the 27-year-old actor was initially dropped from consideration and then given a second chance to read for the part.
The final choice for the role of Thor came down to brothers Chris Hemsworth and Liam Hemsworth. Chris said he found it funny, explaining; "We both came all the way over here from Australia and ended up battling against each other." He claimed that he bore no ill-will towards his brother, Liam, and he was actually rooting for him to get the role.
To
prepare for the role of Thor, Chris Hemsworth gained a massive amount
of muscle build and weight by undergoing a six month regime of
trips to the gym and indulging in a massive diet of eggs, chicken,
sandwiches, vegetables, brown rice, steak and protein drinks.
Hemsworth stated that he gained 20 pounds for
the role by eating non-stop and revealed that "It wasn't until Thor
that I started lifting weights, it was all pretty new to me".Regarding his take on the character of Thor, Hemsworth said, "We just kept trying to humanize it all, and keep it very real. Look into all the research about the comic books that we could, but also bring it back to 'Who is this guy as a person, and what's his relationship with people in the individual scenes?'"
Apparently Chris Hemsworth has had prior experience with wielding a hammer, having worked as a builder in Australia for a few years.
According to Chris Hemsworth, the action coordinators experimented with different combat styles. They ultimately settled on an original fighting technique for Thor to utilize, which was based based on boxing; stance low to the ground, with big powerful hip movements. Hemsworth commented; "First, we looked at the comic books and the posturing, the way Thor moves and fights, and a lot of his power seems to be drawn up through the ground. We talked about boxers, you know, Mike Tyson, very low to the ground and big open chest and big shoulder swings and very sort of brutal but graceful at the same time, and then as we shot stuff things became easier."
For the character of Loki, Thor's brother, Jim Carrey was a long-time favorite to take on this role. Josh Hartnett was also rumored at one point for the role.
Tom Hiddleston, who plays the character Loki, initially auditioned for the role of Thor. However, director, Kenneth Branagh felt he would make a better antagonist and cast him as Loki. Tom Hiddleston had also previously collaborated with Kenneth Branagh on the theatrical play 'Ivanov' and the TV series Wallander (2008).
The character of Loki was described by actor Tom Hiddleston as; "a comic-book, but nastier version, of King Lear's Edmund." In the William Shakespeare play, Edmund was a prince who was jealous of his brother Edgar and tricked his father into banishing him into exile.
To prepare for the role of Loki, Tom Hiddleston went on a strict diet before and throughout filming, so that Loki would have a lean and hungry looking visage. He also
trained in the Brazilian martial art of capoeira. He stated; "Ken (Branagh) wants Loki to have a lean and hungry look, like Cassius in Julius Caesar. Physically, he can't be posing as Thor".
When Tom Hiddleston researched his character Loki in Marvel Comics, he found him to be a multi-dimensional character and he decided to base his performance as Loki on three different actors; Peter O'Toole to bring out his enigmatic reckless persona, Jack Nicholson to bring out his edgy and near-insane persona, and Clint Eastwood to bring out the simmering anger of the persona.
When Hiddleston looked at Peter O'Toole as inspiration for Loki he explained; "Interestingly enough, Kenneth Branagh said to look at Peter O'Toole in two specific films, The Lion in Winter and Lawrence of Arabia. What’s interesting about The Lion in Winter is, O'Toole plays Prince Henry, and what’s beautiful about his performance is you see how damaged he is. There's a rawness to his performance, it's almost as if he's living with a layer of skin peeled away. He's grandiose and teary and, in a moment, by turns hilarious and then terrifying. What we wanted was that emotional volatility. It’s a different acting style, it's not quite the same thing, but it’s fascinating to go back and watch an actor as great as O'Toole head for those great high hills".
Apparently Tom Hiddleston found Loki's helmet very uncomfortable, as it was heavy to wear and he couldn't see properly out of it. He claimed he channeled this discomfort into Loki's battle scenes.
Natalie Portman took the role of Jane Foster because she couldn't resist the opportunity of being in a comic-book movie directed by acclaimed director Kenneth Branagh. She explained; "I was just like Kenneth Branagh doing Thor is super-weird, I've gotta do it." Portman also stated that she really wanted to do a big effects movie that emphasized character, and getting to do it with Branagh was a new way of approaching it, relative to Star Wars.
According to screenplay writer Don Payne, the character of Jane Foster was more of a stereotypical scientist, dry and skeptical. However, Natalie Portman wanted to revise the character to make her more poetic. He explained; "She thought Jane could be someone who thinks outside of the box, someone whose theories are considered outlandish and are frowned upon by the scientific community. But it's the kind of thinking that leads to great discoveries. When Thor arrives, she's willing to take a leap of faith, and she has to pay the consequences for it."
For preparation for the role of Jane Foster, Portman remarked; "I signed on to do it before there was a script. And Ken, who's amazing, who is so incredible, was like, 'You can really help create this character'. I got to read all of these biographies of female scientists like Rosalind Franklin who actually discovered the DNA double helix but didn't get the credit for it. The struggles they had and the way that they thought, I was like, ‘What a great opportunity, in a very big movie that is going to be seen by a lot of people, to have a woman as a scientist'. She's a very serious scientist. Because in the comic she's a nurse and now they made her an astrophysicist. Really, I know it sounds silly, but it is those little things that makes girls think it's possible. It doesn't give them a role model of 'Oh, I just have to dress cute in movies.'"
Actor Brian Blessed was rumored to have been considered for the role of Odin.
Anthony Hopkins signed on to play the role of Odin despite never reading any Thor comics or knowing anything about the Thor mythology. Apparently it was the concept of the father and son relationship that intrigued him about the role.
In an interview Hopkins stated; "It's a superhero movie, but with a bit of Shakespeare thrown in". He continued; "I'm very interested in that relationship between fathers and sons", and that, "My father's relationship with me was cold. He was a hot-blood character but to me, cold. When I was young, he expressed his disappointment because I was bad in school and all of that. He didn't mean any harm, but I felt I could never meet up to his expectations."
Anthony Hopkins was quoted as saying he relates to his role of Odin, claiming; "I'm a little like Odin myself. He's a stern man. He's a man with purpose. I play the God who banishes his son from Asgard because he screwed up. He's a hot-headed, temperamental young man, probably a chip off of the old block, but I decide he's not really ready to rule the future kingdom, so I banish him. I'm harsh and my wife complains and I say 'That is why I'm king.' He's ruthless, take-it-or-leave-it. Women are much more forgiving; men are not so forgiving. I know in my life, my karma is, 'If you don't like it, tough, move on.' And I move on. I'm a little like Odin myself."
According to Hopkins, when Chris Hemsworth and Hopkins saw each other in full costume armors for the first time, Hopkins exclaimed; "God, there's no acting required here, is there?"
Comics writer, Stan Lee, who created Thor in 1962, claims he'd always wanted to play Odin, but was happy with Anthony Hopkins's casting and performance in the role. Instead he had a cameo appearance as the truck driver who attempts to tow Mjolnir out of the crater it landed in and fails miserably.
For preparation for his the role as Heimdall,
Idris Elba read
the Thor comics
where Heimdall featured prominently. Idris commented; "He's a very
central character and I wanted to reflect him as he is in the comic
books."Elba stated Branagh's involvement was a major incentive to take the role; "Branagh called me up personally and said, 'I know this isn’t a big role, but I would really love to see you play it.' It's Kenneth Branagh. I was like, 'Definitely'".
Regarding his role Elba remarked; "I did green screen for the first time! I wouldn’t like to do a whole movie of green screen, though. You kind of forget the plot a little—like being in a Broadway play and doing it over and over and forgetting your line halfway through".
Elba stated he has made a four-picture commitment with Marvel Studios. Elba's casting prompted a planned boycott by the Council of Conservative Citizens and a debate amongst comic book fans, some insisting it was wrong for a black man to play a Nordic god. In response Elba called the debate "ridiculous".
For the role of Fandral, Zachary Levi was approached but he had to turn it down due to scheduling conflicts.
Dominic Cooper was rumored to be considered for the role of Fandral. Instead actor Stuart Townsend was cast in the role, however, days before filming began he left the role due to creative differences with the filmmakers. Josh Dallas finally took the role.
To prepare of the role of Fandral, Josh Dallas drew inspiration from renowned swashbuckling actor, Errol Flynn and his movies. Josh explained; "Flynn had a lot of that boyish charm that Fandral's got all that in him." The comics' characterization of Fandral was also based on Errol Flynn. Josh Dallas stated; " Fandral would like to think of himself a philanderer. He would like to think of himself, I was saying, as the R. Kelly of Asgard. He’s a lover, not a fighter".
It was rumored that Jesicca Biel and Diora Baird auditioned For the role of Sif.
For his role as the warrior Volstagg, actor Ray Stevenson wore a specially designed fat suit that gave him a round but tough appearance. Stevenson explained; "What we've done is kind of sex Volstagg up, he's got every bit of that Falstaffian verve and vigor, and a bit of a beergut to suggest an enormous appetite, but he's not the Weeble-shaped figure in the comics. He's Falstaff with muscles!. I've got this amazing foam-injected undersuit that flexes with me."
Actor, Colm Feore described his role of King Laufey as "the Napoleon of Frost Giants", and drew inspiration from Anthony Hopkins, Max von Sydow and Paul Scofield. Apparently he intended for it all to be based on Hopkins, but Kenneth Branagh said they didn't need two Hopkins in the film.
Colm Feore's makeup as King Laufey the Frost Giant apparently took five hours to apply.
Kat Dennings who plays Darcy Lewis, described her character as Foster's "little helper gnome". Dennings also stated that her role was expanded during the rehearsal process. Dennings explained; "She’s kind of like a cute, clueless, little puppy or maybe a hamster. There wasn't much on the page for the Darcy role to begin with and I didn't even see a script before I took the job so I didn't really know who Darcy was at first. But she really evolved, she’s so much fun now even. She's very Scooby-Doo if that makes sense. She’s always three steps behind and reacting to what's happening with these great expressions. She gets things wrong and doesn’t care."
Clark Gregg reprises his role as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson from Iron Man (2008) and Iron Man 2 (2010).
Comic book writer/artist Walter Simonson whose work on Thor was highly renowned and acclaimed, has a cameo appearance in the banquet scene near the end of the movie, sitting between Sif and Volstagg.
Actor Jeremy Renner also has an uncredited cameo as Clint Barton.
Samuel L. Jackson has an uncredited cameo as Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., who as revealed in Iron Man (2008) is coordinating the "Avenger Initiative". Samuel L. Jackson describes his Nick Fury post-credits scene as "connective tissue to The Avengers (2012)."
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Screenplay & Production:
Sam Raimi had planned to direct this movie in the 1990's after Darkman (1990). He went onto meet with Thor creator, Stan Lee and pitching the concept to 20th Century Fox, but they did not understand it and Thor was abandoned. Raimi instead went on to direct another Marvel Comics hero, Spider-Man (2002) and it's sequel.The movie first gained momentum after the successful release of the film X-Men (2000). The plan was for the film to be made for TV. UPN was in talks for airing it; excited by the prospect, they pushed for a script and approached Tyler Mane to lead as Thor. In May 2000, Marvel Studios brought Artisan Entertainment to help finance it as a film, but Thor was still laboring in development hell by April 2002, and in June 2004 the project still had yet to be optioned by a studio.
Sony Pictures Entertainment purchased the film rights and in December 2004, David S. Goyer was in negotiations to write and direct the movie. In 2005, though there were talks between Goyer and Marvel, it was revealed that Goyer was no longer attached, though at this point the film was still set to be distributed through Sony Pictures.
Screenwriter, Mark Protosevich wrote a script for Thor in April 2006, he described it as as "an Old Testament God who becomes a New Testament God." Protosevich described his plans for it "to be like a superhero origin story, but not one about a human gaining super powers, but of a god realizing his true potential. It's the story of an Old Testament god who becomes a New Testament god."
Marvel Studios signed Matthew Vaughn in August 2007 to direct Thor. Vaughn rewrote the script and he described the movie as "the birth of a hero, interweaving Gladiator (2000) with Norse mythology." He was scheduled to start filming in 2008 and after the success of Iron Man (2008), Marvel Studios were intending to release Thor in June 2010, which Iron Man 2 (2010) being used to introduce the character of Thor. However, Vaughn was eventually released from his holding contract in May 2008 and went on to direct superhero films Kick-Ass (2010) and for Marvel X-Men: First Class (2011).
Mark Protosevich original script was heavily reliant on VFX-worthy sequences that it required a budget of $300 million to film. When Matthew Vaughn signed on to direct the movie, he rewrote and trimmed the script to bring the budget down to a more agreeable $150 million.
In September 2008 D.J. Caruso was rumored to be discussing taking on this movie project.
In September 2008 it was revealed that Kenneth Branagh had entered into negotiations to direct, and in December 2008, Branagh confirmed that he has been hired. He described it as "a human story right in the center of a big epic scenario." Branagh stated that he hoped to begin filming in January 2010.
In October 2008, Marvel Studios signed a long term lease agreement with Raleigh Studios to shoot their next four films; Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and The Avengers (2012) at Raleigh's Manhattan Beach, California facility.
Director, Kenneth Branagh concept of this movie is a Norse/comic-book twist on William Shakespeare's Henry V, which was about a young king who underwent trials and tribulations through fighting a war, courting a girl from another land, and developing his character.
According to Kenneth Branagh, the film's biggest challenge was connecting the worlds of Asgard and 20th century Earth, he went on to say; "It's about finding the framing style, the color palette, finding the texture and the amount of camera movement that helps celebrate and express the differences and distinctions in those worlds. If it succeeds, it will mark this film as different. The combination of the primitive and the sophisticated, the ancient and the modern, I think that potentially is the exciting fusion, the exciting tension in the film."
The movie's portrayal of Thor combines the classic Marvel Comics character; in which Thor is cast down to earth as punishment for his arrogance, along with the "Ultimate Marvel" character; in which Thor is dismissed by many on earth as a crazy deluded man.
Director, Kenneth Branagh asked Anthony Hopkins to improvise his reaction to Thor's yelling at him in the banishment scene. Hopkins agreed, and when the scene was filmed many of the cast/crew present were sobbing. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston later said they had to struggle to keep their composure during filming that scene. Hiddleston later complimented Hopkins, to which he said, "Ken's fantastic, isn't he?".
According to producer Kevin Feige, the Bifrost bridge is the movie's most interesting set. He explained; "In the comics, it's literally a rainbow that extends out from Asgard and pops down on Earth. We're not necessarily doing that, we're not having the big hard solid lines of colors. We're saying it's some sort of energy, almost a solid quartz bridge that as the light catches it and flows through it, you get some of that rainbow-esque quality to it."
The filmmakers cite the work/art of Thor comic book writers Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Walter Simonson and J. Michael Straczynski as an influence on the look of the film.
In Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor's hammer Mjolnir was first seen lying in a crater in New Mexico. This was based on the comics, where, in the aftermath of an apocalyptic event on Asgard, Mjolnir was cast out to land in New Mexico, where it lay until Thor come to reclaim it.
To serve as a fictional location for this movie, an entire town was constructed in Galisteo, New Mexico.
Apparently it was originally intended that the persona of Dr Donald Blake (Thor's fake identity) was going to be in the movie, and actor Kevin McKidd was even considered for the part. However, in the end his idea was not used and Dr Donal Blake just became the false identity used for Thor.
In the movie Thor does a drawing of a crossroads with nine orbs in it. He does this to show his perception and representation of Yggdrasil. This in Norse mythology is a great tree, around which the nine worlds are tethered, making up the universe.
Thor's armor in this movie is an amalgamation of the current Thor costume in mainstream Marvel continuity and the "Ultimate Marvel" comics universe.
In the scene when the Destroyer attacks, Jane Foster is seen wearing a special top; on it is a sun partially covered with a thundercloud. This foreshadows the return of Thor's power.
A model of the Destroyer (the giant metal robot) armour was especially constructed for the film.
The model of the Infinity Gauntlet, which is an all powerful weapon capable of controlling aspects of reality (soul, time, space, power & mind) in the "Marvel Comics" universe, was especially constructed for this movie. The model is made from bronze and copper, with jewels made from resin, and weighs 60 pounds. It was built to be operational so that animatronics could be built on it.
The Eye of Agamotto, which is a very powerful magical amulet, can be seen in Odin's treasure room. This was a weapon wielded by a Marvel hero, Doctor Strange the Sorcerer Supreme.
According to director, Kenneth Branagh, Odin runs the Marvel Universe and it was Odin who hid away the Cosmic Cube in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), and the Infinity Gauntlet in The Avengers (2012).
Chris Hemsworth revealed that the film ended principal photography on May 6, 2010 and entered post-production. It was reported in February 2010 that France-based BUF Compagnie would be the lead visual effects house working on the film. Digital Domain also worked on the visual effects. In June 2010, some concept art surfaced of Chris Hemsworth's costume.
In July 2010, it was reported that the movie would be released in 3-D. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Kenneth Branagh stated that the 3-D process initially made him cringe but "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". Although 2-D was used for principal photography, producer Kevin Fiege stated that the "special effects for the film were conceived and executed from the beginning in 3-D."
In March 2011, Walt Disney Records announced the details for the soundtrack. The album includes Patrick Doyle’s original score from the film and it was released in some European territories at the end of April. Thor marks the tenth collaboration between composer Patrick Doyle and director Kenneth Branagh.
In April 2011, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed that the music of the Foo Fighters was added to the film. The song "Walk" plays during a scene in which Thor, stripped of his powers and marooned on Earth, retreats to a New Mexico roadhouse to drink away the night with boilermakers and carouse with Stellan Skarsgård's character. The track plays again over the closing credits. Feige stated, "It was literally one of those things that came together in a matter of weeks, and if you asked two months ago if we would have a Foo Fighters song in this movie, I would have said I don’t think so, but we heard the song and it just has these eerie appropriate lyrics and themes. The song wasn’t written for the movie, obviously, it’s on their new album, but we almost couldn’t believe it when we heard it. Ken in particular just loved it with these lyrics about learning to walk again and the way that fit the themes of the movie about redemption, learning to be a hero. The song starts off talking about being a million miles away from home and yearning and being separated by vast distances, and it’s no secret that Thor and Jane are from different worlds."
Take a look at these cast interviews:
Still want more then you can visit the official website.
Source:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0800369/trivia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_(film)
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