Movie Make-out

Marvel has announced that Natalie Portman has signed on to Kenneth Branagh’s Thor film, confirming the months-old rumor broken by Nikki Finke. Despite being only sorta-news, movie bloggers everywhere are happy for another excuse to post hot pictures of her, and Marvel is happy to bump down articles about that traitor Ryan Reynolds headlining a DC super-hero movie.

Not previously known and now official: Portman will be playing Jane Foster, who was  — in the early comics — a mortal nurse who became Thor/Dr. Donald Blake’s first love. The release states that her character will be updated for the new movie, though.

According to the release, the film centers around Thor (Chris Hemsworth) being “cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment” after reigniting an ancient war. “Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world (Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston) sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.”

Portman will next hit the screen in In America director Jim Sheridan’s Brothers, with Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire. She recently wrapped production on Hesher, opposite Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Don Roos’ Love and Other Impossible Pursuits, both of which she executive produced.

Coming up, she is just about to start filming her role as a warrior princess or something in David Gordon Green’s Your Highness, and she’s still attached to the supernatural ballet-thriller Black Swan for Darren Aronofsky.

The film will shoot early next year and is on track for its May 20, 2011, release date.

Related Post: Natalie Portman joins cast of Your Highness; Kenneth Branagh may have found his Thor