Tom Hiddleston will play Loki in Marvel’s production of Thor, the studio announced Monday.  Hiddleston has previously worked with Thor director Kenneth Branagh (see “Branagh on Thor Movie”) in the London production of Chekhov’s Ivanov; they also starred together in the BBC series Wallander.

Hiddleston was nominated twice for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Newcomer in 2008, for his roles in Othello and Cymbeline; he won for Cymbeline.  Hiddleston also played Winston Churchill’s son in HBO’s The Gathering Storm.

Marvel is also reportedly close to signing Chris Hemsworth in the title role for the film (see “Thor Star Cast”).