'Star Trek's' Chris Hemsworth picks up 'Thor's' hammer

Let the halls of Valhalla rejoice: Marvel has named its Mighty Thor.

Sources say Chris Hemsworth, who played James T. Kirk's father George in "Star Trek," will take up the hammer Mjolnir for the big-screen comic-book adaptation.

Thor, the Norse god of thunder, has long been a member of Marvel's Avengers team, so expect to see him in future "Iron Man" and "Hulk" movies, as well as the upcoming Captain America flick. In the Ultimate line comic books, which Marvel seems to be using as a guide, Thor is a mysterious eco-warrior who is portrayed as a mental patient by his trickster brother Loki.

Hemsworth should be in good hands: Shakespearean actor/director Kenneth Branagh will be behind the camera.

Release is tentatively -- and we mean that; the movie's date keeps changing -- for July 17, 2011.

Related:

'Thor' release date pushed back
Kenneth Branagh takes a hammer to 'Thor'
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