UPDATE, 7:57AM: Marvel.com now has the official word. As readers speculated below, David’s casting ideas were utterly ridiculous. 
From Marvel:
Fandral will be played by Stuart Townsend. The job of Hogun goes to Tadanobu Asano. And Volstagg will be portrayed Ray Stevenson.
Now read on, and everyone point and laugh at David. Go on, it’s okay this time. -The Management
UPDATE, 11:48PM: Variety has since taken down the link to the story — no word yet as to the reasons why. It could be incorrect, or it could be simply because it was posted prematurely. Until they repost the article, I’d take this all with a grain of salt. That said, this is Variety we’re talking about here, so if anyone’s to be believed at this point, it’s them.
11:24PM: Wow, that was some quick turnaround — while Chuck’s Zachary Levi was reported today to have backed out of playing Fandral the Dashing, Variety seems to have announced that Kenneth Branagh has found his Warriors Three!
According to Variety (from left to right), Stuart Townsend (from the Anne Rice film Queen of the Damned), Ray Stevenson (from Punisher: War Zone), and Tadanobu Asano (from Mongol) have been cast as the Warriors Three. The film is due out May 2011.
I could certainly see Townsend and Stevenson as Fandral the Dashing and Hogun the Grim, but that leaves me wondering where Asano would fit — he certainly isn’t as massive as Volstagg the Voluminous, but perhaps they’re toning down the humorous aspect of the character? That said, this could also be a slip on Variety’s part as well — this comic book continuity stuff is hard work! But what say you, Rama readers? You ready to ride into battle with the Warriors Three?
November 16th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
I suspect that Tadanobu Asano would be cast as Hogun; he has the ‘stache for it. I agree that Townsend is probably Fandral. I would argue that Gimli humor didn’t hurt LOTR, so Volstagg humor won’t hurt Thor.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Asano as Hogun makes more sense.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
“he certainly isn’t as massive as Volstagg the Voluminous, but perhaps they’re toning down the humorous aspect of the character?”
Two Words: Fat Suit.
(But hopefully something less ridiculous and more believable, perception-wise.)
November 17th, 2009 at 6:10 am
Asano is clearly playing Hogun.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:21 am
Was Punisher War Zone such a bad flick that Marvel has chosen to ignore it and cast Stevenson again anyway???
November 17th, 2009 at 8:15 am
Well I’m not so unreasonable as to expect that characters look 100% like the actors, but Volstagg needs to be a big fat dude.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:46 am
comic_dude, Ray Stevenson was not the reason the Punisher War Zone sucked. That fault lies with the script, the direction, some of the other actors, pretty much everything BUT Stevenson. He’s a fantastic actor and I can’t wait to see him in this film.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:22 am
I hate when they recycle actors from one Marvel film into another one. Why would the “Punisher” suddenly show up as a Thor supporting character?
Kinda like Ryan Reynolds playing two different characters in the MU. Blah.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Ray Stevenson was awesome in HBO’s ROME. I agree that the failure of Punisher could not be his fault. Anyone who has seen ROME will agree that Stevenson was always a joy to watch; especially when he was let loose to paint the scene red.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Who cares if they reuse actors? Are you seriously that incapable of distinguishing the characters apart? Blade was its own thing, Wolverine is its own thing. The only Marvel movies that overlap at all at this point are Iron Man and Incredible Hulk.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Good cast.
But, i was looking forward to seeing Brian Blessed as Volstagg.
A shame.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Good casting choices. If the script matches, then this should be another Marvel hit. Ray Stevenson is the MAN. It would have been great if Kevin McKidd had been cast as Thor, then we’d have a mini Rome reunion. McKidd and Stevenson were dynamic on Rome.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:24 am
No one ever mentions that Rebecca Romijin was in both X-men and the Thomas Jane Punisher.
“Was Punisher War Zone such a bad flick that Marvel has chosen to ignore it and cast Stevenson again anyway???”
I think it shows Marvel supports the work he did or they wouldn’t have hired him again.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Marvel.com is reporting that Stevenson will be Volstagg and Asano will be Hogun.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Ben Foster was in Punisher and X-Men 3 too.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
It’s not like there’s going to be a Punisher/Thor crossover movie either.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
It’ll be interesting to see Volstagg. I think they can do a believable fat suit though and the face WILL be covered by the beard. Anything’s better than the Juggernaut muscle suit, though.
November 18th, 2009 at 7:02 am
Dude, what the eff? Brian Blessed being replaced Odin should have led to nothing other than him playing Volstagg, dagnabbit!
November 18th, 2009 at 9:17 am
I must’ve missed all those Norse Asians.
November 18th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
omg actors from other comic book movies are being casted in gaspppppppp! more comic book movies. the horror! the horror! there goes the career for the guy who played the comedian in the watchmen film all he wants to do are comic book movies. and who’s to say that stuart townsend is gonna be the dashing one maybe he’ll play against type and wear the fat suit?
November 18th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
WHAT ABOUT BALDER!?!
November 19th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
@Chris Hutton – IIRC in Hogun the Grim’s first appearances it was made clear that while he is an Asgardian, he is not Aesir proper; It might not be “out of continuity” if they decide to cast an Asian actor. Hogun’s homeland was destroyed by Mogul of the Mystic Mountain (that name is vaguely asian-y)… it’s all Mogul’s fault that you haven’t seen more Norse Asians
January 2nd, 2010 at 5:10 am
No Brian Blessed as Volstagg? That’s too bad. He’d have been fantastic.
The ideal Warrior’s Three formula essentially reads: Fandral=Errol Flynn’s Robin Hood; Volstagg=Brian Blessed+Obelix the Gaul; Hogun: The lead of Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo and Sanjuro movies.
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