No Thor for Vaughn?

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by: Dave Davis May. 7, 2008

Last summer, it was announced that Matthew Vaughn (LAYER CAKE, STARDUST) would direct the live-action version of Marvel's Thunder God THOR.

Apparently that's not the case anymore. Buried in the Hollywood Reporter's article about Marvel's new film schedule is this little tidbit of info:

"Matthew Vaughn no longer is attached to direct the project because his holding deal expired December."

This is a particularly interesting revelation as the studio just announced a release date of June 4, 2010 for their THOR movie. The popular version of the comic character is a powerful god who shares a body with a disabled mortal in between summoning lightning and hitting things with his hammer Mjolnir to protect humanity.

The HR article also states that writer Mark Protosevich (I AM LEGEND) is working on a "polish" of the script... but if Marvel plans to use a version of the character resembling the one comic fans are familiar with, he's already done plenty of rewriting. His original draft was set during the days of the Vikings instead of the modern day, with a substantial part also taking place in the fantastical realm of Asgard (the script also seemed like more of a Norse mythology lesson than a comic superhero story), which doesn't exactly fit their possible plan to include the character in their already-announced AVENGERS flick.

Vaughn is currently working on the script for the live-action adaptation of Mark Millar's rather uninspired new comic series KICK-ASS.

Thanks to 'Rafael' for the heads up!

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Extra Tidbit: This makes the second time Vaughn has exited a Marvel movie -- he was originally going to direct X-MEN 3. Hmmm, wonder how that would've turned out...

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Kid_Zombie
12:51PM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Could go either way
You left out in the article:"It's very much a Marvel superhero story but against the backdrop of nothing you've seen before," Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said in describing 'Thor' as a period fantasy in the vein of 'The Lord of the Rings.' so there must not be alot of re writing going on just to cut it down cuz of the budget problems they've been having. I like this idea he's a god he ...
You left out in the article:"It's very much a Marvel superhero story but against the backdrop of nothing you've seen before," Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said in describing 'Thor' as a period fantasy in the vein of 'The Lord of the Rings.' so there must not be alot of re writing going on just to cut it down cuz of the budget problems they've been having. I like this idea he's a god he can be at this time period for his movie and for avengers be in that time period. It does suck that Vaughn has left though.
 
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Cigarette Burn
12:31PM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Well, there goes another one.
This ruined my day. Like THE WOLFMAN, I was looking forward to this film based solely on the fact that the studio had hired a director with vision. Then something HAS to come along and ruin that, forcing said studio to hire some shlub for the job who will no doubt churn out complete mediocrity (Joe Johnston, I'm looking at you).

Kaly1984 - are you retarded?
This ruined my day. Like THE WOLFMAN, I was looking forward to this film based solely on the fact that the studio had hired a director with vision. Then something HAS to come along and ruin that, forcing said studio to hire some shlub for the job who will no doubt churn out complete mediocrity (Joe Johnston, I'm looking at you).

Kaly1984 - are you retarded?
 
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cricker
12:10PM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
sucks
Vaughn gets a lifetime pass for working on Lock Stock, Snatch and Layer Cake. His resume says it all and if stardust didnt surprise the heck out of me. He would be a great big-budget director I think its a shame bc he could have saved the X-Men
Vaughn gets a lifetime pass for working on Lock Stock, Snatch and Layer Cake. His resume says it all and if stardust didnt surprise the heck out of me. He would be a great big-budget director I think its a shame bc he could have saved the X-Men
 
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Mut
11:44AM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Bummer, man! I was really looking forward to this one. Especially because (beware: short rant) I'm sick and tired of all the comic book movies having to take place in the real world. Every single freakin' one of them has been altered to be more "believable." You know what? It's a goddamn comic book! It doesn't have to be believable! Anyway, this was the one franchise that had no chance o...
Bummer, man! I was really looking forward to this one. Especially because (beware: short rant) I'm sick and tired of all the comic book movies having to take place in the real world. Every single freakin' one of them has been altered to be more "believable." You know what? It's a goddamn comic book! It doesn't have to be believable! Anyway, this was the one franchise that had no chance of being logically explained, so I was pretty excited. And with Vaughn at the helm ... oh, well. Just have to wait and see what happens.
 
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X-KID
10:16AM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
sad :(
I was really looking foward to THOR, especially because it was supposed to be directed by Vaughn, I hope they get a good director for it.
I was really looking foward to THOR, especially because it was supposed to be directed by Vaughn, I hope they get a good director for it.
 
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Dave Davis
7:55AM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
KICK-ASS is published by Marvel, but it's a creator-owned property.
KICK-ASS is published by Marvel, but it's a creator-owned property.
 
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Racci
7:09AM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
I'm kinda sad now. I really liked Layer Cake and Stardust. I just hope Marvel won't get Ratner as the replacement. ;p

Btw, Kick-Ass is a Marvel comic as well...
I'm kinda sad now. I really liked Layer Cake and Stardust. I just hope Marvel won't get Ratner as the replacement. ;p

Btw, Kick-Ass is a Marvel comic as well...
 
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disposablepal
6:52AM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
meh...
i dont think the idea of a Thor movie is a bad one, especially with Vaughn directing (Layer Cake was awesome) i just dont think the character of Thor has ever been very interesting, if they did the Ultimates version (which seems to be the idea being that they used the Ultimates version of Nick Fury) i might have alot more faith in the film. But if they set it during viking times this movie will...
i dont think the idea of a Thor movie is a bad one, especially with Vaughn directing (Layer Cake was awesome) i just dont think the character of Thor has ever been very interesting, if they did the Ultimates version (which seems to be the idea being that they used the Ultimates version of Nick Fury) i might have alot more faith in the film. But if they set it during viking times this movie will flop, the target audience wont go to see a movie about vikings. BTW i think Vaughn's version of Xmen 3 would have been soo much better than Ratner's, Ratner is a fucking hack.
 
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deadshot
6:18AM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
And...
KICK-ASS is only 2 issues in. But it's already awesome.
KICK-ASS is only 2 issues in. But it's already awesome.
 
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deadshot
6:17AM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Vaughn...
...seems to be a very demanding director. After the resounding thud that STARDUST made at the box-office and the somewhat disappointing LAYER CAKE, you figure that this guy would be primed for anything thrown his way.

Although according to some sources, the Protosevich script would cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $150 million. And... Thor, while being cool, is just not tha...
...seems to be a very demanding director. After the resounding thud that STARDUST made at the box-office and the somewhat disappointing LAYER CAKE, you figure that this guy would be primed for anything thrown his way.

Although according to some sources, the Protosevich script would cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $150 million. And... Thor, while being cool, is just not that interesting.

Now, if they do like a 300-style Thor with some Asgard frost giant battles and things of that nature on Earth, that would be kinda cool.

Besides, who can they get that would be a good thunder god? In THE ULTIMATES, he looks like a bleached Ted Nugent. In the regular Marvel U, he looks like Vince Neil. And neither of those candidates are anywhere close to being good ideas.

Especially after ROME, I still like the Kevin Mckidd casting idea.
 
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drwcomics
1:36AM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Well
Thor never really interested me. But then "The Ultimates" came out. A comic that was a part of marvel's Ultimate line (If you don't know what that is, then look it up on wikipedia). That version of Thor, a former psychiatric male nurse who had a nervous breakdown right before his 30th birthday and began claiming that he suddenly "remembered" that he was the Norse God Thor, sent to Earth to prot...
Thor never really interested me. But then "The Ultimates" came out. A comic that was a part of marvel's Ultimate line (If you don't know what that is, then look it up on wikipedia). That version of Thor, a former psychiatric male nurse who had a nervous breakdown right before his 30th birthday and began claiming that he suddenly "remembered" that he was the Norse God Thor, sent to Earth to protect mankind, was interesting. It was interesting because throughout most of the series, the other characters in the comic (as well as the readers) weren't really sure whether Thor actually WAS a Norse god, or whether he was just a VERY powerful crazy person. It's later revealed that he is, indeed, a God. My point: THAT version of Thor is interesting. make a movie about THAT Thor and I'll go and see it.
 
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BriZai
1:33AM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
I think it is going to be difficult to make Thor and Captain America movies, since both do not relate to modern times and would stretch what could be plausible. Iron Man worked because you can think that technology could do something similar and the great cast and direction, but having a guy with a hammer and shield in this day an age... not sure if audiences would buy it.. especially non comi...
I think it is going to be difficult to make Thor and Captain America movies, since both do not relate to modern times and would stretch what could be plausible. Iron Man worked because you can think that technology could do something similar and the great cast and direction, but having a guy with a hammer and shield in this day an age... not sure if audiences would buy it.. especially non comic book fans. But we will see....
 
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KcMsterpce
1:28AM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
bleh
Thor only interested me in previously-stated ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING.
Thor only interested me in previously-stated ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING.
 
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Ayestrain
12:58AM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Based on "Layer Cake", Matthew Vaughn could've made a damn better "X-Men 3" than Brett Ratner.

Maybe not a loss that he's not doing Thor, though.
Based on "Layer Cake", Matthew Vaughn could've made a damn better "X-Men 3" than Brett Ratner.

Maybe not a loss that he's not doing Thor, though.
 
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cupajoe
12:14AM on 05/08/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Thor is one of them superheros that people know but dont know shit about. Movie studios should take into account that if the average person so to speak cant name a superheros arch villan or a villan he fights regurally theres no point to invest money in that said property. Unless that character is fertal with potential.
Thor is one of them superheros that people know but dont know shit about. Movie studios should take into account that if the average person so to speak cant name a superheros arch villan or a villan he fights regurally theres no point to invest money in that said property. Unless that character is fertal with potential.
 
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xxxoverridexxx
11:41PM on 05/07/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Neon
The only time I took interest in Thor was when he was probably going to bang out Elizabeth Shue in Adventures in Babysitting.

Shue can get it in any movie
The only time I took interest in Thor was when he was probably going to bang out Elizabeth Shue in Adventures in Babysitting.

Shue can get it in any movie
 
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Neon October
11:36PM on 05/07/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
meh
Maybe I'm just ignorant, but Thor never interested me.
Maybe I'm just ignorant, but Thor never interested me.