A couple of tantalizing rumors about possible casting of Kenneth Branagh's proposed Thor movie have emerged.

IESB.net reported Tuesday that Josh Hartnett (30 Days of Night) has met with Branagh and is currently on "a very short list" to play the villain Loki in the film, based on the Marvel Comics series.

Hartnett is reportedly very interested in the part because he has never played a villain before, and after Heath Ledger's Oscar win for the latest comic-book villain, Hartnett is intrigued by the character, the site said.

That rumor followed one the same day by Latino Review, which cited an anonymous source saying that Branagh had dined with tall, blond actor Alexander Skarsgard (of HBO's True Blood and Generation Kill). He is the son of Stellan Skarsgard and certainly looks the part to play the Norse god superhero, though the site did not go so far as to suggest the dinner was about the movie.