Looks like Captain Kirk's father had a destiny even greater than his son's; actor Chris Hemsworth is rumored to have been chosen to play the title role in Marvel's upcoming Thor movie.
Deadline Hollywood's Nikki Finke broke the news yesterday, along with explaining the to-and-fro process that preceded it:
Chris had read for the part of Thor but wasn't given a test because a casting director had nixed him early on. I'm told Chris' younger brother Liam (who's also a ROAR client) then tested for the role of Thor, but Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige passed. Then, after a conversation with Ward ("You've got to reconsider Chris, he's your guy"), Feige decided to let Chris read again. And once Marvel put him on tape, it was "Oh my god". [Thor director Kenneth] Branagh came to town last week and saw the Chris test and made the final casting decision today.
Hemsworth can currently be seen as George Kirk in JJ Abrams' Star Trek, and is filming Joss Whedon's horror movie Cabin In The Woods potentially as you read these very words, but you've got awhile before you'll see him as the Asgardian Thunder God; Marvel recently moved the release of the movie back to May 20, 2011.
Chris Hemsworth Is 'Thor' [Deadline Hollywood Daily]