Chris Hemsworth is gonna use that hammer next summer when Marvel Studios releases 'Thor'

Credit: Marvel Studios

Oh, my.

So we start the day with some images of Captain America, clearly production art designed to show how the costume might look on the actor.  Reaction to those images have been mixed all day, and I understand... it's a pretty striking thing to suddenly see Captain America rendered "realistically."

Well, that reaction should be nothing compared to the conversations that some leaked images of Chris Hemsworth in his full Thor costume should inspire.

Over at Collider, they were sent two pictures that definitely show you the final design for the way Thor looks in next summer's "Thor."  However, I've been to the set for that film, and I've seen Hemsworth in final costume tests, and I've seen the overall aesthetic for Asgard.  While what you're seeing in the Collider images is indeed the design for the costume, there are several details about it that are ill-served by those images.

For one thing, it does not appear to be made of vinyl or plastic when you see the costume in context and in motion.  I'm surprised by how disco-shiny those photos make him look, because that's not at all what it looks like in the film.  There's a real cloth and metal feel to all of the costuming, especially the Asgardian stuff.

That early official shot of Hemsworth did a nice job of setting a mood, and that's something these leaked images lack completely.  Also, whoever did the Photoshopping on these has some real issues with scale.  Forget that cape that looks snapped on... what about the way his head and hands look freakishly large?

Look, these images weren't meant for public consumption.  If you're looking at these and thinking, "Oh, man, they got him totally wrong," relax.  The world of "Thor" is big and rich and surprising, and I think once people actually see moving footage, they're going to let go of any minor issues they have with button sizes or color palettes.

One final note on these images... they make Mjolnir, Thor's enchanted hammer, look fairly dinky.  I've held that hammer.  That thing is heavy as hell, and the real trick of what Hemsworth's got to do in the role is make it look not just menacing, but imposing as well.

"Thor" will be in theaters May 6, 2011.  We'll have plenty more on the film, including details of that set visit and what we saw there, in the next year right here on HitFix.

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