Marvel’s “Thor” To Hit Theaters In 3D Next Year
Director Kenneth Branagh Makes His Case For 3D At Comic-Con
Although he has starred in a wide variety of films, from Wild Wild West to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to Pirate Radio, Kenneth Branagh’s work as a director mostly comprises his several critically acclaimed adaptations of William Shakespeare’s plays. So you might be somewhat surprised to discover that Branagh is currently helming the next Marvel Studios superhero movie, which is slated to hit theaters in May of next year.
Simply entitled Thor, the new movie expands the Marvel universe (also occupied by more familiar heroes like Iron Man), to include the Olympus-like realm of Asgard. As punishment for arrogance and reckless behavior, The Mighty Thor is cast out of Asgard, and forced to live on Earth among humans, where he becomes a superhero. And while none of that sounds particularly far-fetched in the world of super hero movies, the story does get more interesting.
Like many other big action movies slated for 2010 or 2011 release, Thor will be presented in 3D. But unlike many directors (Michael Bay, James Cameron) who have expressed concern about the 3D conversion process, Kenneth Branagh is convinced that 3D conversion will add another dimension to his film, and not just in the obvious way. On Saturday July 24th, Branagh and the cast of Thor will address the attendees of the Comic-Con International expo, both to introduce the new film and to make an argument for 3D.
As tech-savvy Comic-Con attendees are likely to know, the conversion process that turns an ordinary 2D film into a 3D film transfer has been widely criticized, partially because it is theoretically inferior to using a 3D camera (a la Avatar), and partially because movie studios have been pressuring directors to approve last-minute 3D film transfers because the increased ticket prices for 3D movies yield bigger numbers at the box office. But Marvel and Branagh believe that, when done right (a la Alice in Wonderland) the process of 3D conversion can turn 2D film into a convincing 3D experience. According to Branagh, Thor will use 3D not just as a gimmick, but as a “good friend of story and character,” an artistic opportunity to make the movie better. Although Branagh admits to initial skepticism about 3D, he now believes the technology can yield “another draft of the story that can reveal itself in a different way.”
Branagh’s approach to 3D seems to be refreshingly responsible. Branagh’s use of 3D effects in Thor was governed by some pretty reasonable question that many directors of 3D movies haven’t seemed to ask themselves. Is the use of 3D led by story, or the other way around? Can 3D offer a different type of experience, and add something to the story? Branagh believes it can. According to Marvel, the studio has taken an unprecedented amount of time and care in the conversion process, assuring fans that Thor will not resemble the last-minute slap-dash 3D that brought criticism to Warner’s Clash of the Titans. Is 3D a fading fad, or here to stay? It’s up to you to decide.
