THOR Welcomes Home the Warriors Three

Kenneth Branagh is bringing in some gods of Asgard to fight along side Thor.  According to Variety, Stuart Townsend, Ray Stevenson, and Tadanobu Asano has signed on to co-star in THOR as the Warriors Three, Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogun.  Though it was pretty much at an end, anyway, this ties the rumors off from a month or so back when Jude Law and Robert De Niro’s names were orbiting the film.

In the original comics, the three were travelling companions to Thor who often fought alongside him.  Townsend, Stevenson, and Asano join a cast that already includes Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston as the film’s villain, Loki, Anthony Hopkins, and Stellan Skarsgard.

For those of you curious as to how the actors match up with their respective characters, check out these side-by-side comparisons:

Fandral to be played by Stuart Townsend

Volstagg to be played by Ray Stevenson

Hogun to be played by Tadanobu Asano

Townsend and Stevenson aren’t exactly green when it comes to comic book adaptations.  Townsend starred as Dorian Gray in the 2003 adaptation of THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN and Stevenson starred as Frank Castle in 2008’s PUNISHER: WAR ZONE.  Asano, on the other hand, is a newcomer to both comic book films and American films in general.  His choice to play Hogun is, by far, my favorite bit of casting news to come along in awhile.  Asano was amazing in ICHI THE KILLER, SURVIVE STYLE FIVE, and MONGOL, and he is long overdue for his spotlight in American cinema.  Here’s hoping this choice of casting is the first in a long line of films we can expect to see him in.

THOR is set to release on May 20th, 2011.