Thor Director Opens Up on Casting Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston

The Marvel Cinematic Universe began 12 years ago with Iron Man, and soon sparked a series of films that would feature actors still playing their beloved roles. Two such performers are Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Tom Hiddleston (Loki) who first appeared in the MCU in 2011's Thor. The movie was helmed by Kenneth Branagh who has been giving a lot of interviews lately due to the fact that he directed Disney+'s Artemis Fowl and will soon be seen in Christopher Nolan's Tenet. In a recent interview with Collider, which you can watch in full above, Branagh talked about his continued relationship with Hemsworth and Hiddleston, and shared some info about their casting.

"I keep up with the pair of them," Branagh revealed. "They've become good friends. I think they think of me as an old crusty professor," he joked. "You know, kind of an older advisor, occasionally. They're both terrific guys, I'm so fond of them." He added, "They did a wonderful job…. I just didn't know how much it would change their lives, but it did and I'm glad it did. It changed mine, too." The director went on to share that Hemsworth's original audition "was not his best" and Randi Hiller, the "head of casting at Disney and now Fox," recognized that he deserved another shot. "Both Tom and Chris owe Randi a few cards and Sarah [Halley Finn] as well over the years, too," he added.

After nine years in the MCU, Hemsworth and Hiddleston aren't done. In fact, Hemsworth's Thor will be the first MCU hero to get a fourth installment to their respective franchise within the Marvel franchise. The movie will also see the return of Natalie Portman as Jane Foster and Tessa Thompson King Valkyrie. As for Hiddleston, it's not yet confirmed if Loki will be in Taika Waititi's new movie (although, we find it very hard to believe he won't be), but he is getting his own standalone series on Disney+.

As for Branagh, the director recently shared why he didn't return to the MCU to direct Thor: The Dark World. "Sometimes with these stories I like to plan them as trilogies, but it's much harder in this world for that to work out because the stakes are so high you've gotta really see how the first one does," Branagh told Collider. "When the first one was finished, essentially it had been three fantastic years of my life, but I needed to recharge on something else. I was too close to the glass on that one, so I would definitely never say never again because it changed my life and changed my career and I'm profoundly grateful for it."

All three Thor movies are currently streaming on Disney+.