Marvel Wants Natalie Portman For 'Thor'; A Few Relative Unknowns Vying For Plus Josh Hartnett Lead Role?

So is Natalie Portman going to star in Marvel’s “Thor”? That’s the word on the street from blogger/journo Nikki Finke (who insists she’s not a blogger even though she basically is) who generally has some spot-on sources.

She says despite Marvel wanting to go after Josh Hartnett for the villain Loki (Thor’s mischievous evil brother) they want to cast a relative unknown for the part of Thor and the suggestions so far jive with the gossip — as Alexandar Skarsgard, who was already rumored to be up for the role, is part of her list of actors that the studio is eyeing.

Apart from Skarsgard, also reportedly in contention to play Thor are British actors, Charlie Hunnam (The British expat from Apatow’s “Undeclared”!) and Tom Hiddleston (HBO’s “The Gathering Storm”), Liam Hemsworth (who was apparently offered a role in “The Expendables”), and Joel Kinnaman (a Swedish-American actor). Though evidently Marvel wouldn’t mind seeing Hartnett play Thor as well.

Portman would presumably play the love interest of Thor’s alter ego Donald Blake, Jane Foster, no? Firstshowing also speculates she could also play Sif a Asgardian female goddess or a female version of Loki that appeared in some of the comics, but Portman seems to meek (even if she was in “V for Vendetta”) for that and we’d assume she’d play Foster if anyone.