'Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist' Star Joins 'Thor'

Kat Dennings, who played one of the title characters in the 2008 musical romantic dramedy "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" has signed on to star in the Marvel Studios production of "Thor."

According to an article on Variety.com, "[‘Thor'] centers on a partly disabled med student who discovers his Norse god alter ego."

Other members of the cast include Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Samuel L. Jackson, Stuart Townsend, who is best known for playing the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt opposite the late Aaliyah in 2002's "Queen of the Damned," Stellan Skarsgård, who starred as Bootstrap Bill Turner in 2006's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" and Chris Hemsworth, who played George Kirk in 2009's "Star Trek," as the title character.

Kenneth Branagh will helm the film, which was scripted by Mark Protosevich, Zack Stentz and Ashley Miller.

Protosevich also wrote the screenplay for the 2007 Will Smith science fiction thriller " I Am Legend" and the 2006 remake of the action adventure thriller "Poseidon," which starred Kurt Russell and Richard Dreyfuss. Both Stentz's and Miller's previous writing creduts include penning several episodes of Fox's "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," and writing the screenplay for the 2003 Frankie Muniz/Hilary Duff family comedy "Agent Cody Banks."

Paramount will release "Thor" on May 20, 2011.