So the official Thor trailer is out. I actually think the leaked Comic Con trailer gave us a better idea of the story, but this one has lots more of the Destroyer, and has Thor actually using Mjolnir.

Yeah, people were ragging on the costumes, how they looked, and the like. For me, it works well enough. Does it look metallic? Not particularly. Do I care? Not particularly. I think they’ve done a good job of presenting the costume as I know it from the comic. I know it was always supposed to be metallic—or partially metallic—but the costume never seemed so in the comics themselves, so I guess I don’t expect that of the movie either.

I mean, we’re talking the Norse gods—we’re going to quibble over the material of their costumes?

Also? There’s an official poster. You may have noticed it above.

See the trailer here.

I don’t know how long it will be up but there is a trailer for Thor available on the Tubes.

I got wood.

My only complaint: too many car explosions.

And please, please don’t let Odin actually die. Anthony Hopkins as Odin (and the stuff he delivers in this trailer) is just too awesome to end here. Let it be a trick to force Thor into proving himself.

Also? The “Padme? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” scene (you know what I mean). A little irony sauce due to Padme being in the movie.

Still, overall? Me like. My optimisim just shot up an extra 100%.

The pic’s been out there for a bit, but I just wanted to throw in my 2 cents. Shocking, from someone who maintains a blog, eh? (Though I use the term “maintains” loosely these days)

I know there is at least one person out there who is going to see this and say: “He’s not big enough to play Thor.” That person does not read this blog, but if he did, I’d just have to tell him that on this topic—as on others—we’re going to have to agree to disagree, because this pic tells me that Chris Hemsworth is absolutely big enough to play Thor.

The costumes and sets that have been revealed seem to rub some people in the IntarSphere the wrong way. I have to admit to being somewhat unenthused, but it’s also hard to tell how it’ll look on the screen. The costumes for Hogan the Grim and Fandral the Dashing—seen in the throne room pic—are excellent.

My optimism and enthusiasm remain undimmed. I trust Kenneth Branagh more than any other director working today. Even if he delivers something less than a masterpiece, he is going to deliver something outstanding—see Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein for proof positive.

There have been lots of great photos of the Thor movie hitting the intartubes recently. Not all of them fill me with excitement, but I’m still optimistic. I was hearing a lot of the techno-mythic feel of the costuming, and everything I’ve seen so far fits that description.

But honestly, that doesn’t worry me too much. I’m not going to rave about the costuming we’ve seen for Thor, Odin, and Loki, although I have to say that the throne room looks pretty cool. I will say that I can live with the costuming decisions, and might actually grow to love them if this movie kicks ass.

Considering it is being directed by Kenneth “Fuckin’ Awesome!” Branagh, I have high hopes.

High. Hopes.

And if you piss on those, Hollywood, I may have to do something drastic. Like post a stern article.

You have been warned.

Image of Thor, Odin, and Loki here.

Image of the throne room here.

So it seems that J Michael Straczynski’s work in bringing back Thor to the Marvel universe will be followed up by Matt Fraction. As much as I am sad to see JMS go—given that he has probably influenced the modern Thor more than any other writer since Walt Simonson, the man who got me reading Thor—I am cautiously optimistic.

Fraction, along with Ed Brubaker, made me care about Iron Fist, and created the much lamented the Immortal Iron Fist comic. That was one of the few comics I actually followed, as in bought the collection once they hit the shelves. Since IIF has been cancelled, Thor and Guardians of the Galaxy have been about my only, solid go-to comics.

Now Fraction is going to be working on Thor. Sad that JMS had to go. I’m interested on what will happen to the comic. After Simonson left Thor, Tom DeFalco took over with Ron Frenz as artist. I stuck with the title for almost two years, but became less and less interested. These days, I don’t have that kind of patience. If Fraction doesn’t bring the awesome, as I honestly believe he can, quickly, I’ll be down to just the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Interested in hearing what the script writers of Thor had to say about their work with Thor’s origins? There’s an interview with Ashley Edward Miller over at Airlock Alpha in which he talks about a lot of things including working on the Thor script. Are the fanboys ready to froth?

“It’s about as close as you can reasonably expect it to be” to the comic book, Miller said. “Obviously, you have to make some adjustments, and you have to compress some things simply for the sake of being able to get a lot of information out and being able to create a believable fantasy world that intersects with ours.”

Now for me, this makes 100% sense. Of course you have to make adjustments when writing an adaptation. There are always going to be those people who feel the rage rising and get ready to Hulk out with any change made. Those people will never be happy with an adaptation.

I’m totally cool with changes, as long as they don’t go the route of a certain other live-action Thor I seem to recall.

What do we have to celebrate today? Well, it seems that Monday became Thursday when no one was looking.

Well, maybe someone was looking . . . through a camera that is.

Monday marked the beginning of prinicpal photography for Kenneth Branagh’s Thor. It is, therefore, Thor’s Day.

What can I say other then: squeeeeeeeeeee!

Wow, that was as totally unexpected as it was lame. I will try better next time.

However, the sentiment remains: yay Thor! Yay principal photography! Vive le Branagh!

Stuart Townsend, who had been cast as Fandral in Kenneth Branagh’s Thor (yes, it is now Kenneth Branagh’s Thor, not Marvel’s . . . deal with it), has left due to—get this—“creative differences.”

Seriously? Stuart “the high point of my career is a toss-up between Queen of the Damned and LXG” Townsend is having creative differences with Kenneth “too many high points to list, most dealing with Shakespeare, bitch” Branagh? I’m seeing either total diva behaviour from Townsend or Branagh just decided the guy sucked and tossed him.

Whatever the reason, I have a feeling Townsend will look back on this as yet another total fuck-up, much like snagging Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings, only to un-snag it. Smooth.

So now Fandral will be played by Joshua “this is the high point of my career” Dallas.

Best of luck, Mr. Dallas. Mr. Townsend, I’m sure you’ll recover given the tender ministrations of your girlfriend . . . Charlize Theron.

Yeah, don’t waste too many tears for that guy.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, yet another actress has been added to the cast of Thor. The role of “one of the humans.” Tough one.

What does this mean? Pretty much nothing. It’s just any time I get Thor news, is gives me a chance to bask in the anticipation of a Thor movie being directed by Kenneth “Henry V, motherfucker” Branagh.

That could just as easily be Kenneth “Dead Again, motherfucker” Branagh, Kenneth “Much Ado, motherfucker” Branagh, Kenneth “Frankenstein, motherfucker” Branagh, etc. Etc. To avoid confusion, I like Kenneth “unabridged Hamlet, motherfucker” Branagh as a director.

Though I would never refer to him as Kenneth “Swing Kids, motherfucker” Branagh. That would be wrong.

And now Rene Russo is on board as Odin’s wife Frigga.

Yes, because this movie was not awesome enough already.

I really don’t know what else to say, other than with the Iron Man 2 and Clash of the Titans trailer news coming yesterday and now this, I’m geekgasmed out.

And I am not about to pass up the opportunity to provide a reference for those who are claiming not to know whom Ms. Russo might be.