Joe Quesada Says 'Thor' Movie Will Redefine The Superhero Genre

MTV.com, 30 November 2009
By Josh Wigler

Not long ago, Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Joe Quesada and writer Brian Michael Bendis gushed about their excursion to the set of "Thor," the Kenneth Branagh-directed superhero movie filming in January.

Despite the creative duo's enthusiasm, however, it's difficult for some fans to imagine how the fantasy-based "Thor" will align with the more realistic universe established in Jon Favreau's "Iron Man" films. But according to Quesada, those worriers should cast aside any doubts in "Thor," as the film promises to overhaul the superhero genre entirely.

"['Thor' is] so cool, and I don't want to use the word unusual, but it is unusual in the sense that it redefines what a super hero movie can be," Quesada told Comic Book Resources regarding the upcoming film. "It's not the expected story or settings. That part of it is incredibly exciting to me."

In addition to the "terrific" casting and the "breathtaking" costume and set design, Quesada pointed towards Branagh's own enthusiasm as a reason for his confidence in "Thor."

"There was a point during the discussion of the most recent draft of the screenplay where a particular plot point was put up to the group for discussion," said the editor-in-chief. "Branagh and some in the group had a particular idea of how it should play, while some others felt differently. I was in the opposite camp, but as we discussed the differences, I'm sitting there listening to Branagh act out his version of the scene with gusto and passion and I had to stop him and say, 'If you said to me right now, 'Then Thor kills 100 puppies in an animal shelter' I'd say it was fantastic.'"

Despite having high hopes for "Thor," Quesada admitted that moviegoers will undoubtedly approach the film with pre-established expectations.

"If you're a comics fan, you'll have a preconceived notion of what you're going to get," he said. "If you're a non-comics fan, you'll have another notion of what the movie is all about. And what's really amazing is that both groups will walk away going, 'I've never seen anything like this before within the super hero genre.'"


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