Marvel Studios' highly anticipated adaption of THOR is said to bring something new to the CBM genre, and to the Marvel Cinematic Universe currently existing through Jon Favreau's
Iron Man franchise, and Louis Leterrier's take on
The Incredible Hulk. Director Kenneth Branagh now speaks with Geoff Boucher of the
Los Angeles Times on how his entry into the ever-expanding cinema of the Marvel Universe will be quite different in tone and construction.
“It’s a different story, and also, in that regard, Jon is a bit of a genius when it comes to that orchestration and getting the max out of another genius in Downey,” Branagh said.
“It’s how you dance pretty close to the edge to get the sort of modernity and the edge that ‘Iron Man’ has and the real sharp comic sensibility of those two men,” he said.
“So it’s a different kind of dance.
“I think ‘Thor’ comes from a different place story-wise and character-wise. We have both Norse histories for Thor, hundreds of myths and fables told in many different ways, in addition to what Marvel has pillaged for the past 40 years or so to come up with their version of things, which sits in very strong structure, a really strong narrative structure.”
Branagh said there was also a
“formality, [at] least on the Asgardian side of things; there’s a semi-ornateness to all of it that means we start from a more ordered universe, then the story turns toward the chaotic.”
Marvel Studios' interlocking mythology will continue in multiple film franchises, counting
Captain America: The First Avenger which hits theaters a couple month after
THOR, July 22. And in 2012, all the characters will intertwine in
The Avengers, and Kenneth Branagh can’t wait, saying,
“That’s what’s going to make the Avengers fascinating. I think a character like Thor is the absolute opposite of someone like Tony Stark and the mix, complement and clash of those personalities will be very interesting to watch.”
With Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth wielding his mighty hammer,
THOR strikes into theaters May 6, next year in 3D!