Thor
Looks like he’s getting a Marvel movie too…
Marvel Studios is setting Matthew Vaughn to direct “Thor,” based on the Marvel Comics character. Marvel is aiming for a pre-strike production start this winter.
Mark Protosevich (”I Am Legend”) did the adaptation of the comicbook franchise that launched in 1962. Thor is a blonde-tressed, hammer-wielding hero who’s sent to Earth to protect mankind.
Vaughn’s deal is closing just as Paramount releases the Vaughn-directed “Stardust” today. The Neil Gaiman novel adaptation stars Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer.
“Thor” marks Vaughn’s second effort at a superhero pic. He was attached to direct “X-Men 3″ before bowing out for personal reasons. Vaughn, who produced the Guy Ritchie-directed films “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” and “Snatch,” made his directing debut with the Daniel Craig starrer “Layer Cake.”
Marvel Studios will likely finance “Thor” using its $500 million credit facility through Merrill Lynch. Marvel has used that fund to finance both Edward Norton starrer “The Incredible Hulk,” which Universal releases June 13, and “Iron Man,” the Robert Downey Jr. starrer that Paramount will open on May 2.
I must admit to never really following the Thor series - comics when I was younger was a keen interest in X-Men, or Spider-Man. And I guess this was largely because as the ‘mainstream’ Marvel stuff, they had their own TV shows. Watching them avidly on CheezTV in the mornings was a prerequisite. Then you’d go to school and try to draw the characters in your ‘free-time’.
Thor was really one of the more ‘niche’ comics to me. I didn’t hear about him for many years after - and it was only recently, when I started playing Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, that I thought ‘Holy crap. Thor is cool’.
So the news of a movie based on the mighty Asgardian, Mjolnir wielding, lightning charged character can only be a good thing. Some awesome Marvel movie prospects on the horizon..
Fingers crossed for something with Deadpool 
Link: Variety.com: Thor
