So what's after being a vigilante, transcend manhood and become an Asgardian God. Which is the route Actor Ray Stevenson is taking From Punisher to Volstagg.
Stevenson was cast recently as Volstagg The Valiant, a member of the Warriors Three (think the Jordanaires to the God of Thunder's Elvis), alongside Stuart Townsend and Tadanobu Asano. There could be one problem, though - Volstagg is, how do you say, on the large side and, with filming set to start in January, Stevenson has very little time to bargain bucket his way to a new and improved waistline.
Here's a portion of Empire's Exclusive, talking how his transformation to Volstagg would be:
...Empire caught up with him[Stevenson] recently and found that a solution is at hand, in the shape of a fat suit. "It's fantastic," said a beaming Stevenson. "I've tried the suit on, and what they've done is kind of sex him up: he's sort of slimmer but rounder."
We're not sure we're up for an exuberantly sexed-up Brian Blessed-alike, but Stevenson clarifies: "He's got every bit of that Falstaffian verve and vigour, and a bit of a beergut to suggest that enormous appetite, but he's not the sort of Weeble-shaped figure he is in the comics. He's Falstaff with muscles. I've got this amazing foam-injected undersuit that flexes with me. I can't wait!"
Thor is directed by that great Shakespearean thespian Kenneth Brannagh and stars Chris Hemsworth (as the titular character), Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, and Idris Elba.
I can't wait. I think I'm the minority here when I say I enjoyed watching him as Punisher, because I still see him as Pullo from "Rome." And I think this part of Volstagg will be a great for him--he's perfect for it.
-access out. Godspeed!