Anthony Hopkins Joins Thor

Oscar-winner Sir Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs) has committed to playing Odin in the big budget Marvel Studios/Paramount Pictures production, Thor. Hopkins will play dad to Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Tom Hiddleston as Loki in the action drama directed by Kenneth Branagh, according to Variety.

In Thor, the Norse god of thunder is forced to spend time on Earth in order to learn humility. Production on the film is expected to begin early next year, with Paramount and Marvel eyeing a May 20, 2011 release.

Sir Hopkins' last big studio film was the performance capture piece Beowulf. He'll next be seen on the big screen in The Wolfman opposite Benicio Del Toro and Emily Blunt.

_{(Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)}

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