Briton Tom Hiddleston has been cast as Loki, Thor’s nemesis, so reports Nikki Finke. Hiddleston has worked alongside director Kenneth Branagh on two previous occasions – in Ivanov at Wyndhams Theatre, London, and in the BBC miniseries, Wallander.

Hiddelston was also considered for the Thor role.

We recently reported that the Thor casting was in its final stages, now we have our first solid casting news. Chris Hemsworth will be playing Thor in Kenneth Branagh’s big screen adaptation as well as in 2012 as part of The Avengers movie. You may have just seen him as Captain George Kirk in Star Trek, he’s also starring as the lead in Red Dawn and Joss Whedon’s ‘Cabin in the Woods’.

How Chris was cast

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 Ilene Feldman understood 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 Studios President 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. [...] Branagh came to town last week and saw the Chris test and made the final casting decision today.

Our old list of probable casting decisions did not include Hemsworth:

Charlie Hunnam
Tom Hiddleston
Alexandar Skarsgard
Liam Hemsworth
Joel Kinnaman.

Director Kenneth Branagh has spoken out about the Thor casting again, this time with MTV:

“We’re down to the final stages of it [...] The reason one has to be properly diplomatic, is simply that some talented peopled have been patient, kind, creative and really committed to working with us in this process.”

“My reluctance to say anything about it is simply out of respect for people who have been extremely respectful of us. [...] That said, I think we are extremely close and I hope to announce a decision sooner rather than later.”

Insider Nikki Finke and her site Deadline Hollywood Daily has speculated about the possible casting for Thor.

She comments that there is a big push to cast Josh Hartnett as either Thor or the antagonist Loki; whether this turns out to be the case is questionable, especially considering Hartnett’s previous refusal to play Superman. There is also an equal force wanting a relatively unknown actor to play the role; other actors inline include brits Charlie Hunnam and Tom Hiddleston, Alexandar Skarsgard, Liam Hemsworth and Joel Kinnaman.

Meanwhile, quite surprisingly, Natalie Portman is the current top choice as the female lead. /Film speculate that this could be either of:

1. Amora the Enchantress, Thor’s Asgard love-interest and antagonist.
2. Sif, Thor’s wife who is also a Goddess in Asgard.
3. Jane Foster, Donald Blake’s nurse who eventually develops feelings for him, without knowing that Blake is Thor

Do you see Portman as a Goddess or Enchantress?

The Thor movie adaptation has been penned by screenwriter Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend, The Cell). In 2007, whilst on strike, he commented on his plans for Thor with the Daily Herald:

“I loved Thor! [...] He was my favorite comic book character when I was growing up. When I moved out to L.A. I sold a pretty substantial comic book collection to finance the trip. But I kept all my old Thors.”
[...] “It’s going to be like a super hero origin story, but not one about a human gaining super powers, but of a god realizing his true potential. It’s the story of a Old Testament god who becomes a new Testament god.”
It will be mythic, but also bear the unmistakable qualities of a Marvel movie, an epic fantasy adventure.
“I think it’s going to surprise a lot of people”

In December 2008, actor and director Kenneth Branagh was confirmed as the directing choice for the Thor movie (MTV):

“I am directing “Thor” or “The Mighty Thor’ as you might like to call it,” he said with a smile before clarifying what the title of the film will be. “I think it will be ‘Thor.’”
ortunity to hear from Branagh about what appealed to him about the project. So what’s the appeal of “Thor,” Kenneth? “To work on a story about one of the immortals, Gods, extraordinary beings, inter-dimensional creatures,” he enthused.

He continued excitedly, “There’s science fiction and science fact and fantasy all woven into one. It’s based on Norse legends which Marvel sort of raided in a brilliant way.”

When questioned about casting and the then rumors surrounding Kevin McKidd:

“There’s been lots of talk [about casting] — I sound like a politician — but we are too early at this stage. We’re getting the story and the visual effects together and all of that is very exciting. Someone sensational is going to play the part but it is early days.”

“It’s a chance to tell a big story on a big scale,” said Branagh. “It’s a human story right in the center of a big epic scenario.”

The current release date is set to May 20th 2011, originally brought forward from a June release.