Expect Netflix’s wait time on films like Dead Again and Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein to go from ‘it’s already at your house, but we’re not sure why you want it‘ to ‘very long‘ thanks to the decision-making prowess of Marvel Studios prez Kevin Feige. Variety reports that the director (and star) of both those pics, Kenneth Branagh, is in negotiations to direct Thor, set for release (according to Marvel’s farsighted slate) in summer 2010.
This is not exactly the obvious choice, though it makes a certain sort of sense. If Marvel really plans to make a movie that is as Asgard-heavy as we believe, then someone like Branagh (i.e. a director with experience making movies featuring people that talk funny) isn’t the weirdest idea. Certainly suggests that Marvel means to take Thor seriously, if nothing else. But Branagh’s track record with non-Shakespeare material isn’t the hottest in the book. I recall Dead Again as pure hokum and the less said about Frankenstein, the better. (I’ll admit that it’s been a decade since I saw it, and I’m certainly going to be in the Netflix queue with many others to revisit the film.) Branagh can do phenomenal work with character pieces, but go outside those parameters and he’s not the wunderkind promised by Henry V.
What this should really do for Marvel is blow the doors open for casting. You send out a script about a doctor who is also a brooding, mullet and hammer-wielding son of Odin and people will delete your email in the most polite way possible. Mention that Branagh is directing and people start seeing Thor as the Henry V of superhero movies. And if that’s what he actually delivers? By the barren eye socket of Odin!
(I can’t see Marvel allowing Branagh to play the lead role, as is often his wont, though wouldn’t that be insane? I love the idea of getting giant drink cups adorned with his face at Burger King.)
Marvel is self-financing Thor, and will announce a distributor shortly.
[Thanks to Cody for making me pay attention to this announcement.]
12 comments
Russ, I was under the impression that per Marvel and Paramount's agreement (signed in '05), that the 'mount would be releasing their movies for quite some time.
I'd thought so, too, and I'm curious about Variety's mention of a distributor being set in the near future. Can't imagine it being anyone other than Paramount, but I won't be able to check on it until the AM.
Agreed with everything you posted (not so much on the harsh parts, heh) but yeah, a Thor movie directed by Branagh.. I would go see it
Branagh? Thor? Zuh?
You know, just when you thought that Jon Favreau doing Iron Man was the weirdest combination of a director and a property, something like this comes along.
And I'm going to presume that Variety just fucked up and forgot completely about the Paramount/Marvel contract (or the fact that Paramount has the distrobution rights to The Avengers, which – HEY – includes Thor!).
okay, MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN is a disaster. DEAD AGAIN is lots of great homage fun and every shakespeare movie he's done is brilliant especially his HAMLET which i just watched about three weeks ago.
we can't deny branagh's a talented guy but marvel has been calling them right so far. ang lee is the brilliant director of CROUCHING TIGER, THE ICE STORM and BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN but it took the guy from TRANSPORTER 2 and UNLEASHED to do the HULK right. favreau was coming off MADE, ELF and ZATHURA, all decent films but none of them said IRON MAN.
http://www.jamesford.wordpress.com
never understood the hate towards branagh's frankenstein…..always loved it and it shows that branagh can direct something bloody and violent outside of shakespeare movies….i for one love the idea of him directing "thor"…he always has been a visceral director, if not the most subtle (and note to james ford: ang lee's hulk was ten times the movie that leterrier's hulk was)
I had read recently that Avi Arid, the long time producer for Marvel and individual essentially responsible the long string of mediorce films based on their material, was no longer employed there. I mention this because this decision to have Kenneth Branagh helm "Thor" perhaps follows a new train of thought at Marvel to have their properties treated respectfully, as well-developed characters and not simply 2-D action figures. This is evident when Marvel had Michael Chabon draft "Spider Man 2" and when Jon Favreau cast Robert Downey Jr. in "Iron Man". In both cases we ALL benefited from it; we did NOT benefit from Mr. Mark Steven Johnson! And now with the success of "The Dark Knight" the ante is even higher (It's curious to think: If Ang Lee's "Hulk" was released TODAY, after "Iron Man" or "Dark Knight", would we be less harsh towards it?). I wish Mr. Branagh the best of luck.
Here is to hoping he has the chops for some crazy action sequences.
Forget Dead Again and Frankenstein Russ-They're Ken's Worst.
See Henry V and Hamlet. His recent 'Magic Flute' is hard to come by, but proves he can use big CGI effects well. I hope this happens as it's such an interesting decision-Why not play up the drama. I bet it'll end up being some hack though.
Fascinated by the hate for dead again, I've always thought it was a nice little noir homage to old hollywood by four great actors who turned it in under-budget and on time.
Frankenstein was fucking awful though, the reason? DeNiro "acting" against type.
Ken's recent remake of Sleuth was very good, especially the pinter script (and cameo) – also nice to see Jude Law acting the pants off Batman's butler. I think this is very interesting news and I have high hopes for a movie which was looking distinctly dodgy before now. Let's hope he can cope with Feige's interference.
From the Director of "Hamlet" and "Henry V" is probely not what you would want to con the target audience into coming to see this film but I agree that Branagh is a badass when he is in his wheelhouse (although MS's F was very bad). Any movie that features a scene where the characters seem to run to the hills and get hit with lightning…for fun is just crazy enough to be funny but not right based on the novel.
Thou sayest Kenneth Branagh hast risen to the challenge of adapting The Mighty Thor? Aye, verily.<br><br>Forsooth, I demand JUDE LAW (or Paul Bettany) for LOKI. <br>I demand KENNETH BRANAGH (or Brian Blessed)for ODIN<br> And lastly, I suppose DOMINIC PURCELL would be a nice, arrogant Norse God.
I demand
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