October 21, 2008 | by Rob Keyes 

Daniel Craig Turns Down Thor

Daniel Craig as ThorOn Monday, Stephanie Sanchez at IESB.net had a chance to speak with Daniel Craig in Beverly Hills for a Quantum of Solace press event.

Sanchez asked Craig if he would be up for trying something new and different in a character role such as Thor and he laughed it off. Sanchez then told him she had heard that Craig was on Marvel’s shortlist to play Thor.

In response, Mr. Craig, Daniel Craig, revealed that Marvel indeed had already approached him for this role and he had turned it down. He jokingly clarified that it would be too much of a power trip playing both James Bond and the mighty Thor.

I guess I can understand that.

With future Bond movies, Thor, Avengers and other potential Marvel followups, Craig would be booked for a long time for huge blockbusters and the corresponding millions of press events. On the other side of that coin, it’s a little crazy to hear someone turn a role like this down.

Marvel is looking for A-list actors to fulfill to roles of Thor and Captain America and Daniel Craig is certainly that. Although Craig is a tank physically and has the voice and presence, I can’t see him sporting long blonde hair, a winged helmet and a big honkin’ hammer (though you might not think that seeing the image above). Using movie magic, they’d also likely have to make him appear much bigger than he already is. Then again, I don’t think there are any real people who can fill out Thor’s physique.

I wonder who else is on that short list… It was rumored back in June that Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt were in the running for the lead roles of Captain America and Thor.

Do you think Craig could of pulled off the role of Thor? Who do you think Marvel should go after next? [UPDATE: Regular Screen Rant reader "The Old Man" thought it would be nice to give us a more "muscular" version of Craig so we could make a better decision. :-) ]

Daniel Craig as a beefy Thor

Thor will be directed by Kenneth Branagh and is due out July 16, 2010.

Source: IESB.net

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Tags: avengers, quantum of solace, thor,

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  • Jimmy
    Love the article and chatter. On my casting couch I'd give David Wenham (Faramir from LOTR) an audition. Of course he would have eat his weeties and baulk up a bit.
  • Wid
    While Craig may not have the menacing size of Thor he has that troubled air about him that could pull off the intensely intrapersonal character of Thor we've all come to know and love. And the bonus is we already know he can carry the pressure of playing weighted role. If only....
  • Mikey T-Tops
    Craig nor Mckidd are massive enough to play Thor. The pro wrestler Triple H is also up for the role. I think he would be better. HE'S HUGE!!!!!
  • Bigpete
    Maybe if Dolph Lundgren was 20 years younger....
  • Nathan
    What about Sean Bean? He isn't necessarily buff enough to be Thor but he has the face. And if they beard Thor like they sometimes do it'd be perfect. (Sean Bean of course being Boromir in Lotr.)
  • Jess
    Deadpool has got a point thoose wrestlers can fight, dosent mean they can act. Its not the case with all like the Rock but still HHH is no actor. Besides they are going to pick someone who is famouse that can sell the movie on their own.
  • Deadpool
    @Juank
    I'll give you this, HHH looks like Thor. He's got the right build. But I just don't think he has the acting chops to pull it off. I think alot of people would just laugh it off and pass on Thor because Triple H is the star. If he started taking acting lessons right now, and they delayed Thor until maybe 2013, I could see it. But you need more than just the look to be the character.
  • Juank
    The wrestler HHH, is better than anyone to represent THOR....he's the same caracter...and this is his moment like The Rock; Stone Cold, Jhon Cena, Kennedy; then HHH this movie is for him....
  • Spades
    Thats wonderful news, that he turned it down!! I love Daniel Craig and all but he's no THOR, then again neither is Brad Pitt.
  • BRAVEHEART
    The whole way that Marvel went about casting Iron Man was sweet!!!S I am sure they will do a great job getting the A-lister they'll need to launch Thor on the big stage!I think they will base the Thor movie mostly in his own world...and have it a sort of Conan/Bewolf feel...then somehow...through him into Marvel-Earth.It'll be a tough job making it work on screen...but I have every faith in Marvel to pull it off! I hope they do not do a Vinnie Jones/Juggernaut X3 and put a guy in a rubber muscle suite!
  • I can understand the philsophy, but I wonder if it would have become a case where people would have been saying, "Look it is James Bond playing Thor."

    I personally think that Downey was a genius choice for Iron Man. I am still wondering of Thor will ever end up hitting the screen.
  • you're exactly right Showtime,

    Marvel wants hot a-listers who can sell a film on there own since Thor and Cap might be a slightly more difficult sell then Iron man.
  • The only reason why Craig was even considered as Thor was because he is a hot actor right now. The same reason why Bale was considered for W. Both are terrible casting calls in my opinion.
  • bigDragon
    You want a good physical build for Thor? Nathan Jones, you'd just have to get past the Australian accent...
  • It's hard to imagine anybody as Thor - whoever it is will most likely look drastically different then they do in real life, heh.
  • Jess
    Just a thought im running out of suggestions
  • Hey gang, have another look at the post. "the old man" gave us a beefier photoshop of Daniel Craig. :-)

    Vic
  • 90caliber
    @ Jess

    I like Gerard Butler as either Loki or the Executioner. Maybe even Odin but not Thor.
  • Jess
    If were not looking for young actors now then I vote for someone who looks like they could be a bodyguard with the name bubba, lol

    I was thinking Gerard Butler for the part. He is an amazing actor and his physic isnt too bad either. He may be pushing 40 or already is but i think he could pull off the part.
  • INK
    I know he may not have the physical (muscular) traits for Cap but I think Matt Damon would be great as Cap. Jason Bourne, to me, is a new-age Cap without the serum. Tough, resourceful, gritty, nice as pie until provoked.
  • good call Rampage,

    Typo has been corrected.

    I can't see McKidd as Daredevil personally. I don't think his voice and look fits.
  • DiCaprio is the proper spelling.

    I like McKidd better for Daredevil personally.
  • 790
    I've seen that guy walking down the beach in Venice...
    He sometimes wears a cape during the evenings...
    He Grunts a lot, we all laugh at him (behind his cape of course)... 8-)
    ^
    Bond as Thor,,, stupid..!
    Some of Marvels casting prospects are horrible. Seems we really got lucky with Downey, and Norton...
    Watched Hulk last night on Dvd Norton really nailed that one!
  • blipvert
    Daaamn. When Brad Pitt is referred to as an old guy and reminds one of ones grandpa, I know I'm getting old. 80
  • @90calibre,

    Robert Downey is 43 years old, and will be 46 for the Avengers.

    I'm not sure Marvel will be choosing actors nearly half his age, heh.

    Their goal is to have huge-profile actors who can sell a film on their own. For that reason, I can see them picking older actors.
  • RastaZen
    whoever did that graphic of Craig as Thor ... well done , thats hilarious!!
    I don't blame Craig for turning it down , Bond must be a ton of work as it is .
    I think he's a good enough actor to do it but I think he's the wrong physical presence for the part.
    I know you can do most anything these days with good FX , however , I would really prefer they get someone who is actually physically imposing ( i.e. a big Dude ). Thor is supposed to be a god . Leo Decaprio is a good actor but I just can't imagine he could bulk up enough to look like a Norse god of thunder.
    I read something over at comicbookmovie.com about a
    Dr. Strange movie. I would looooooooooooooooove for this one to happen. I realize that the Master of the Mystic Arts might be a hard sell for the mainstream audience but I still hope they do it. I'm a big fan of the good doctor.
    I'm not sure who would be a good choice to play Dr. Strange.

    Any suggestions ?

    what do you think ?
  • Deadpool
    You know, I was just thinking about the whole A list vs unknown actor to play the god of thunder, and I think I know why Marvel wants an A lister. Obviously, with the whole Terrance Howard debacle currently going on, Marvel should realize that the bigger the name, the bigger the paycheck. However, for a character like Thor, it might be hard for an everyday/average, mainstream audience to accept a character like that with an origin story like his. Might seem like a silly character (I certainly used to think so, until I started reading the comics) So they bring in the big name talent, and maybe people go see the movie just because of the actor playing Thor. If they had the right script, it could be a great movie that no one would see without the help of a little A lister like Pitt.

    And I already know what some of you are thinking. "What about Ghost Rider with Nick Cage?"
    Well, it couldve worked if the big name actor wasnt Nick Cage and the script wasnt total Sh*t!
  • Joe
    I know everyone is calling for a young guy, but for me the perfect Thor is (and always has been) Sean Bean. He certainly has the voice and lofty tones for it (think Lord of the Rings), and he's a pretty tall guy who I'm sure could bulk up quite a bit. I'd definitely be sold on the movie if it was announced that Sean Bean was cast as Thor
  • SK47
    There should be tons of young actors out there with the acting creds & physical shape to correctly play Thor (or Cap). Cast an unknown, it is cheaper and wiser!
    Sign them to an easy deal, I would guess they would sign onto anything just to get to work, right?
    I see no reason to go with a so called 'A-List' star. The property itself will sell on its own.
  • justtalent
    they need to find unknowns to play thor and other characters for 3 reasons
    1)it's probably easier to find some that looks the part from the large pool of small time actors
    2)the less the actor is known the more the audience can believe they are the character
    3) it will be easier to commit lesser known actors to future movies
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