Movie News
Matthew Vaughn Given the Ax, Not the Hammer
Posted by Josh Radde (josh@filmschoolrejects.com) on May 8, 2008
Layer Cake and Stardust director Matthew Vaughn does not have very good luck when it comes to superheroes. He was attached to direct X3 once Bryan Singer decided he was going to to Superman Returns. The studio and Vaughn couldn’t make this happen so we got Brett Ratner and a Wolverine who told jokes. Vaughn was scheduled to make another Marvel movie for Thor (scheduled for a summer 2010 release), but was not retained for the project, according to The Hollywood Reporter (as noticed by Rope of Silicon).
So even though we have a release date and an alleged script by Mark Protosevich, there is a vacant space in the director’s chair. I know this is still two years off, but what is Marvel thinking? Do we have an idea whose going to play Thor? Who’s going to helm this picture? I’m of the opinion that you should not attach a date to a project until it begins filming. Regrettably, most summer blockbusters fall under this category, but Marvel seems to be the worst offender.
That being said, there’s still time to pull this together and make a quality Thor picture. My only beef there is: who is really anticipating a Thor movie? How does this movie work? Yes, the man is a badass and wields a hefty hammer, but I just don’t see the appeal. His main enemy is his half-brother, so I see the potential for drama, but how do you convince non-fans that Thor is more than a joke used in Adventures in Babysitting? I know he’s an integral part of The Avengers, but do all the heroes in Avengers need their own movies? I propose a romantic comedy, action-superhero film with Rachel McAdams as The Wasp and Ryan Gosling as Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man. Let’s get those Notebook fans involved with all things Marvel.
Call me a skeptic, but I think you could get Brad Pitt to play Donald Blake (Thor’s alter ego) and this wouldn’t generate the buzz Marvel needs.
Thor is slated for a summer 2010 release, Avengers should follow suit in 2011.
Read more articles by Josh Radde
5 Comments
May 8th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I thought Lucious Vorenus was signed on to play Thor?
May 8th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
@ JMoney
Right now, Kevin McKidd’s (aka Lucious Vorenus aka Journeyman) involvement as Thor is only rumored. Not much has really been set in stone for this flick at all. As in, whether it will actually happen or not.
Although…McKidd would make a great Thor, I think. And a great Donald Blake.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Wait so Kevin McKidd as Thor and Ray Stevenson as the Punsiher? That’s a little too much Rome for this Marvel universe.
May 9th, 2008 at 1:10 am
Is this on Digg? I would totally friggin’ digg it for that headline alone.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Thank you, Eve. I consider myself a master headline chef.