Before looking it up I had no idea what it meant to be members of the Warriors Three in Marvel’s Thor and I wouldn’t even report this casting announcement if this film didn’t continue to stack its cast with names making it look like Paramount and director Kenneth Branagh are making a serious effort to ensure this new Marvel installation lives up to the success of Iron Man.
The latest news comes from Variety reporting Ray Stevenson (Punisher: War Zone), Stuart Townsend (Queen of the Damned) and Tadanobu Asano (Mongol) will star as the previously mentioned Warriors Three, gods of Asgard who fight alongside Thor. Stevenson will take on the role of Volstagg the Valiant; Asano as Hogun the Grim; and Townsend will play Fandral the Dashing.
This announcement also debunks the possibility of An Education co-star Dominic Cooper as a potential Fandral.
The trio join the already impressive cast headlined by Chris Hemsworth as the title character followed by Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Colm Feore, Jaimie Alexander, Stellan SkarsgÃ¥rd and Anthony Hopkins. I mean, it’s not hard to look at this line-up and already have expectations even if the idea of a hammer-wielding hero sent to Earth to protect mankind seems a little bit like a risky venture.
Thor is scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in mid-January, then move to Santa Fe, New Mexico from March till late-April. The film is set to hit theaters on May 20, 2011.
