Now, this is a set. No green screens, no motion sensors, no forced perspective… this golden throne room was actually built. What you’re looking at here is the latest THOR publicity photo that’s been making the rounds on the ‘net. The thunder god’s kneeling before Odin and some assembled Aesir in the All-Father’s chambers, presumably right before he gets banished to Earth from Asgard as punishment for his arrogance. From right to left, you’ve got Thor’s friend and family, including… Loki (Thor’s evil half-brother,) Frigga (Thor’s Mom,) Odin (Thor’s pops,) Hogun (Thor’s buddy, 1/3 of the Warriors Three) and Fandral (another third of the Warrior’s Three.)
While I’m positive that there’ll be no shortage of that famous imp, CGI, in THOR, I’m glad to see that there’s going to be at least some practical set design to balance it all out. If any of you Comic Vine maniacs have seen Kenneth Branagh’s staging of HAMLET, you’ll be well aware that the man knows how to frame an elaborate set piece like this.
I hadn’t realized until seeing this that Hogun’s played by Japanese actor, Tadabanou Asano. I’m sure Marvel must’ve been impressed with his turn as Genghis Khan in MONGOL. With Idris Elba joining him as Heimdall, it’ll be interesting to see a Viking pantheon with a bit more diversity.
The other notable detail in this picture (and you really have to squint to look at it) is that Loki will, indeed have horns on his helmet. There was small controversy about the trickster lacking his… points in the last publicity photo which made the rounds this past week (peep it to the right.) I imagine he’ll only be wearing that helm in battle and for ceremonies like this, because… well, it’d be awkward for Tom Hiddleston to wear all the time. He’d have to duck every time he walked through a door frame!
-- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Studios and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia. Pre-order the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover now on Amazon.com.