Tom Hiddleston Is Loki In Marvel's Thor

Over the weekend, news broke that Chris Hemsworth (who played George Kirk in Star Trek) had been cast as Thor in Kenneth Branagh's big screen adaptation of Marvel's Thor and the Summer 2012 superhero team-up film The Avengers. Nikki Finke is reporting that British actor Tom Hiddleston, who is almost a complete unknown to American audiences, has been cast as Thor's nemesis Loki

Of course, the actor has ties to director Branagh, who starred with him in Ivanov on the London stage and the BBC miniseries Wallander. Hiddleston was also one of the actors on the short list being considered for the part of Thor, which should tell you something.

Based on the character from Norse mythology, Loki first appeared in Venus #6, published in August 1949, and was created by writer Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber and penciller Jack Kirby. According to Marvel.com, Loki is the son of Laufey, king of the frost giants of Jotunheim, one of the Nine Worlds of the Asgardian cosmology. The Asgardians discovered the small god-sized baby hidden at the giants' main fortress after a war.

"Because Loki was the son of a king fallen in battle, Odin elected to adopt him and raise him as a son alongside his blood son Thor, the future god of thunder." ... "As Loki grew to adulthood, his inborn propensity for mischief had begun to manifest itself, and he earned the nickname God of Mischief. Loki attempted many times over the centuries to destroy Thor and seize the throne of Asgard for himself." ... "Finally, Odin magically imprisoned him within a tree as punishment for his many crimes to learn from his actions. Loki, fed up with Asgard, used his magic to escape his cell, and eventually met Eldred the sorcerer, who increased his training in the black arts. Finally, Loki confronted the fire demon Surtur of Muspelheim and offered him Eldred's soul in exchange for power. Surtur accepted, and Loki assumed ownership of Eldred's lands and minions. His foray into the black arts earned him the title of "god of evil" among the Asgardians, and he forged alliances with many of the realm's enemies."