May 2011 will see Spider-Man 4 pitted against Thor at the box office.

Variety reminds us that Spider-Man 4's May 6, 2011 release date is a mere two weeks before the May 20 opening of the Kenneth Branagh-directed Thor.

So why is this significant? Isn't a month of two Marvel movies better than not?

It may be for fans, but let's face it: Sony's Spidey 4 is the bigger movie that will most likely be the film to beat that summer. It is a proven commodity, a commercial sure thing. That can't be said for the Marvel-produced, Paramount-distributed Thor, which will surely find itself compared, fairly or not, to the box office performance of Spidey 4.

Marvel has a lot riding on Thor, which will -- along with The First Avenger: Captain America -- help set-up the Avengers movie that's due out in 2012. What does it mean for The Avengers, or any of Marvel's long-term plans for those franchises, should either or both Thor and Captain America under-perform? (By the way, Captain America opens a mere two months after Thor on July 22.)

Disney's pending acquisition of Marvel certainly gives the latter company a financial safety net should its game plan of self-produced movies leading up to and culminating with The Avengers fall short of expectations. But the question remains if there isn't more going on (studio politics-wise) behind this game of chicken between Sony and Marvel's comic book movies than is immediately apparent.

Marvel obviously profits regardless of which film comes out on top that summer, but a dominant Spider-Man 4 in summer 2011 might make Marvel's self-produced films seem like weaker commercial prospects by comparison.

Alexander Skarsgård who plays Eric in True blood would be a great choice - he has the size and looks and not a bad actor.

Or They could get around the size issue for Pitt by casting midgets in ever other role.

Director Kenneth Branagh has cast two more actors in his forthcoming adaptation of Marvel Comics' Thor, which starts filming early next year.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, those actors are Jaimie Alexander (Kyle XY, Rest Stop) and Colm Feore (24, The Chronicles of Riddick).

The trade says the 25 year-old Alexander will play "Sif, a skilled Asgardian warrior who can hold her own against any man. She also is one of Thor's loves."

But what's more interesting is that they claim "Feore's character is shrouded in mystery -- the studio isn't even sending the actors the script -- though it is known to be a villain."

Wonder who it will be...

I'll admit that I'm not too familiar with Thor's baddies beyond Loki...but I'm still pumped to see Colm Feore in the cast. Such an overlooked actor; he's wonderful in everything he does.

Anyone more familiar with the rogues gallery have any guess who he might play?

From my understanding, isn't Loki a woman now?

I've heard that myself...a quick bit of research seems to show that he is, in the comics at least, now a she (using the body of Sif, apparently). Very, very strange.

Still, it seems they'll be keeping him a dude in this version...unless Tom Hiddleston needs to tell us something, I suppose.

Thor doesn't really have a traditional rogues gallery as such - I mean his thing is Asgard and the more mythic realms etc, the rest of the time he's on earth, he's usually helping out with the avengers and their more heavy hitting villains, or the Hulk...lotsa times the hulk.
The rest of the time it's Loki and his machinations, giants, dragons, that kinda shit, along with Loki periodically manipulating other Asgardians against him?

Has anyone said the villain specifically isn't Loki?
I mean he's pretty much the definitive "villain" to Thor, and would serve well for an origin tale perspective (both sides would be cool) and at least could be the instigator of a bigger threat?
Not to mention, the guy looks like he *could* quite easily work as Loki.

Loki is confirmed, and has already been cast: Tom Hiddleston.

_V_'s post implies that there's going to be another villain, to be played by Colm Feore.

If they weren't going for younger actors, I think he would absolutely be a great Loki. But that was announced months ago...I'm rather intrigued who he'll be playing because, like you said, Thor doesn't really have a typical assortment of villains.

Could be the absorbing man?
I mean he's bald, he's previously absorbed some of the power of the mjolnir and faught Thor a fair few times? I mean if it's an Earth-bound villain they're looking at?

He could also be Skurge or Malekith.