Tom Hiddleston Cast as Loki in Thor

While Marvel Studios has just cast Chris Hemsworth as their hammer-wielding superhero, it seems they've found their villain as well.

Marvel Studios announced today that Tom Hiddleston has been cast to play the villain Loki in the studio's highly anticipated movie Thor. Kenneth Branagh will direct the film penned by Mark Protosevich and Ashley Miller & Zak Stentz.

The news comes on the heels that Hemsworth, who can be seen in a small role as Captain James T. Kirk's father in Star Trek, was cast as the title character. Kenneth Branagh is set to direct the film.

Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige will produce the film. The film will be released in the US on May 20, 2011 and distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Marvel Studios expands its film universe with a new type of superhero: Thor. This epic adventure spans the Marvel Universe; from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is The Mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

Thor reunites Hiddleston with Branagh, with whom he worked on the London production of Chekhov's Ivanov. The talented actor and Branagh also starred together in the BBC miniseries Wallander.

Hiddleston's credits also include Othello, in which he starred with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Ewan McGregor at the Donmar Warehouse, and he played Winston Churchill's son in HBO's The Gathering Storm.

Thor Marvel Studios is scheduled to release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including Iron Man 2 on May 7, 2010, The First Avenger: Captain America on July 22, 2011, and The Avengers on May 4, 2012.