Kat Dennings, the young actress who has appeared in several popular movies over the last few years, including The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, has joined the growing cast of superhero blockbuster Thor. According to an article at Variety, Dennings will play the role of Darcy, a close friend and co-worker of female lead Jane Foster, who will be portrayed by the previously confirmed Natalie Portman.
Based on the Marvel comics character first introduced in 1962, who was actually based on the Norse mythology character of the same name, Thor tells the story of a hammer-wielding Thunder God who resides on Earth, where he endures a variety of heroic hardships. Thor is one of the final famous Marvel characters to receive the big-screen, big-budget treatment, following in the footsteps of Spider-Man, Hulk, and the X-Men.
The cast for Thor has been slowly coming together over the last few months, with the majority of roles being cast belonging to the God characters. Chris Hemsworth will play the titular hero, while Tom Hiddleston appears as villain Loki. Anthony Hopkins, Ray Stevenson, Stuart Townsend, Tadanobu Asano, and Idris Elba round out the cast of super-powered beings.
Dennings and Portman are the only two cast members confirmed to play human roles. There is no word on how many other major roles are left to fill, but the casting process is likely nearing completion. Director Kenneth Branagh (Henry V, As You Like It) will begin shooting Thor in mid-January, according to a recent Production Weekly announcement on Twitter. The blockbuster movie is slated for release on May 20, 2011.
Comments