'Thor: The Dark World' Features A Comedic Cameo

Marvel Studios has become such a moneymaking juggernaut that it is able to bring a diverse approach to casting. Look at some of the great names that have decorated Marvel movies in the past couple years: Stanley Tucci, Idris Elba, Hugo Weaving, and Tommy Lee Jones are just a few. The studio is pulling in other talents, too, and is drawing from the world of comedy to populate some of its second wave films. Chris Pratt of Parks and Rec is in Guardians of the Galaxy, and Kat Dennings returns for Thor: The Dark World.

Also appearing in Thor 2 will be an actor who cut his teeth on British comedy shows before appearing in one of the biggest US comedies of the past few years. Sounds like his Thor appearance will be a cameo only, and to spare those who don't want spoilers, we've got the details below the break. 

The actor in question is Chris O'Dowd, who moved from shows like The IT Crowd to Bridesmaids, and then to Girls, among other projects. And he's got a minor part to play in the Thor sequel.

O'Dowd told Indiewire:

I think I'll do more dramatic stuff and I think I have some stuff coming out that's a bit more dramatic. I don't know if I'd do an action movie because I don't know if I could keep a straight face honestly, I just think it's so silly. Like I love watching them but I can't imagine me doing one. Actually, you know what I've done, just for fun because I didn't think there was any way that I could be in a superhero movie, so I've done a scene in the new "Thor" movie, just for that. I just do like one scene, which was fun.

What will he do in the film? A tweet from late last fall puts him into context:

Sounds like Portman's character is trying to move on with her life after Thor went back to Asgard. O'Dowd is a great guy, but he might seem like a pale replacement for the Thunder God. (Or could he be playing Donald Blake? That would be fun, too.) We'll see how it all works out when Thor: The Dark World, from director Alan Taylor, hits on November 8, 2013.