Portman Joins Cast of Thor

Natalie Portman has signed on as the romantic lead in the upcoming Thor, based on the Marvel comic about the Norse god of thunder. Portman is to play Jane Foster, who was a nurse in the early comic life of Thor, but who knows how they'll modernize her in this adaptation. Chris Hemsworth is already inked to play the title character, with Tom Hiddleston as god of mischief Loki. Kenneth Branagh will be directing. Shooting will begin in early 2010 with a May 2011 release planned.

Loved by movie nerds everywhere, Portman has starred in Star Wars episodes one through three and will be in the update of the lizard-alien-eatin'-dem-humans show V. I personally can live with or without her, but I admit she's got some acting chops and her name will ad to the marketability of Thor. I just hope she doesn't play Jane Foster as the timid girlfriend. She's overdone that. Looking forward to this one, but I can wait two years. Plenty of films out before then.

Green Lantern is Cast!

Holy moly! As reported below, actors Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper and Justin Timberlake were under consideration for the next DC Comics superhero movie, Green Lantern. Even Jake Gyllenhaal tested for the part of Hal Jordan, the test pilot who becomes a ring-carrying guardian. The Hollywood Reporter is now saying that Reynolds has nabbed the role.

This is a surprise to me, since Reynolds had been cast as Deadpool, the Marvel Comics character. Will he be dropped from that job because of this new signing? Cyclops was killed quickly in X-Men 3 when James Marsden signed on to Superman.

I always liked Reynolds. Two Girls and a Guy was humorous (and provided us with an early taste of the scrumptuous Traylor Howard) and he's had some good roles since then. He's married to ScarJo. (Hubba hubba.) I'd be thanking God each and every morning if I was Reynolds. It'll be interesting to see if he stays on this track. Beats being poor and without a blonde hottie for a wife, huh.