NATALIE PORTMAN JOINS THE CAST OF THOR

By Martin H. Starkey

NATALIE PORTMAN, who has made a name for herself in the Science Fiction world in the recent STAR WARS TRILOGY and V FOR VENDETTA is about join CHRIS HEMSWORTH, TOM HIDDLESTON and JESSICA BEAL in MARVEL/PARAMOUNT PICTURES's THOR.

Set to begin filming in early 2010, for a May 20, 2011 release, PORTMAN will play JANE FOSTER, who in the comic books was a nurse who became THOR's first love. The studio says that they will be updating the character for the movie, with FOSTER being a doctor-scientist type.

THOR already has on board, CHRIS HEMSWORTH as THOR. Some may remember him from this years STAR TREK movie, from PARAMOUNT PICTURES. In STAR TREK, HEMSWORTH played GEORGE KIRK, JAMES T. KIRK's father. Now he will play the Norse God of Thunder. TOM HIDDLESTON has signed on to play LOKI, God of Mischief and THOR's half brother. JESSICA BEAL will play LADY SIF, THOR's Goddess love interest and SAMUEL L. JACKSON is around as NICK FURY, DIRECTOR OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Actor, turned director, KENNETH BRANAGH will be steering THOR's development for the screen.
THOR is MARVEL's attempt to make a great epic fantasy adventure spanning from present day Earth to the realm of ASGARD. The story will revolve around THOR, a powerful and arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. As punishment, THOR is banished from ASGARD and cast down to Earth where he is forced to live among humans. However, once here THOR must learn what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villains of the ASGARDIAN underworld are sent to destroy earth.

PORTMAN is about to begin shooting the comedy, YOUR HIGHNESS in Northern Ireland for NBC/UNIVERSAL, then she heads to New York to shoot DAVID ARONOFSKY's supernatural thriller, BLACK SWAN.