If you hadn’t heard yet Matthew Vaughn is not directing Marvel’s Thor, it is the second time he has been attached to a superhero flick and ultimately ended up not helming the feature. X3 was the first one and he went on to direct Stardust instead. However, that isn’t stopping Marvel from persuing the project and we now learn Kenneth Branagh of all people may be the man to take up the reins.
Branagh is negotiating to direct the flick, which is already expected to hit theaters on June 4, 2010 with a distributor to be set shortly. Branagh isn’t a surprising choice because he can’t direct, he’s a surprising choice because he isn’t known for directing action. As Variety points out the last time he directed an action flick was actually his directorial debut in 1989 with Henry V a film that earned Branagh an Oscar nomination for acting and directing and won an Oscar for costume design.
Of course, we shouldn’t be too surprised with indie helmers becoming common place with blockbuster superhero success thanks to Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight), Jon Favreau (Iron Man) and Gavin Hood (X-Men Origins: Wolverine). The obvious appeal of an indie helmer would be their attention to detail outside of effects and a greater desire to focus on character and story, it certainly worked for the Batman and Iron Man franchises with Wolverine yet to be proven.
Mark Protosevich penned the script for Thor, which follows disabled medical student Donald Blake, who has an alter ego as the hammer-wielding Norse god Thor.
Branagh will next be seen onscreen in Tom Cruise’s Valkyrie this December. Branagh last directed Sleuth starring Jude Law and Michael Caine in 2007.
