First Official Photo Of Anthony Hopkins And Tom Hiddleston In Thor; Marvel Confirms Thor And Captain America For 3D

First things first: that's the debut official look at Anthony Hopkins as Odin and Tom Hiddleston as Loki, from Kenneth Branagh's Thor. Additionally, that's the first image of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) with hammer in hand.

Perhaps more important, there is confirmation that Thor and Captain America will both be released in 3D. But you might remember that despite a brief, erroneous supposition, Thor wasn't shot in 3D. And while Joe Johnson tested native 3D rigs for Captain America, which started shooting last week, he found them bulky and restrictive. So it's post-conversion for both films. More details after the break.

The LA Times talked to both Branagh and Johnson on the subject of 3D. Their comments are both pretty much 'new to 3D' boilerplate: it's a challenge, it has to serve the story, it can be seen as gimmicky, but theirs will be different.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige was a little more up front:

I'd say there's not a great feeling out there for conversion based on some of the films that may have succeeded financially but had their artistry come under fire.

So, referring there to Clash of the Titans, Alice in Wonderland, maybe even The Last Airbender? Yeah, check, check and check. Feige says that "an unprecedented amount of time" will be devoted to post-conversion on these films, and says that the effects for both films have been conceived from day one in 3D. And if you've wondered if some of the more fantastic elements of Marvel's vision of Asgard will be in the film (as if that photo above left any doubt) the LAT suggests 'yes': "Feige said, the citadels of Asgard and the rainbow bridge at its gates lend themselves to 3-D."

Expect to see a 3D presentation for at least Thor at Comic Con; the whole thrust of the LAT article is basically that Marvel and both directors know they have to convince audiences that their post-conversion won't suck. Comic Con will be the first chance to get that message across.