Irish actors Stuart Townsend (Battle In Seattle, About Adam) and Ray Stevenson (Rome, Punisher: War Zone) have reportedly joined the cast of ‘Thor’, the latest comic book adventure from Marvel Studios. The film is being directed by Northern Irish born Kenneth Branagh and will also star Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman and Samuel L Jackson.

Townsend and Stevenson will join Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano (Ichi the Killer) as the Warriors Three. Townsend will play suave skilled Fandral, Stevenson is Volstagg the Valiant and Asano is Hogun the Grim. The trio of Asgardian warriors fight alongside Norse god Thor.

Shooting is scheduled to begin in January 2010 with buzz for the project already growing. Chief of Marvel Comics Joe Quesada tweeted recently: "I could listen to [director Kenneth] Branagh talk about Thor all day long. Cast is in place, sets are being built and screenplay is brilliant. Marveldom rules!"