Kenneth Branagh believes Thor is like a Shakespeare play.

The actor-and-director - best known for his adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays - says he took on the job of directing the forthcoming superhero movie, because it reminded him of the English playwright’s works:

“I read the script and saw an epic adventure with, at the centre, human dynamics - which for me is what really works in comics. I looked at the relationships and saw brothers, mother, father and sons: the tight royal circle. When you get down to it, this is pure Shakespeare it’s a great drama about familial problems concerning those who possess great power.”

The 49-year-old star admitted he has harbored the dream of working on Thor - since he read the comics as a child. “It was Thor itself rather than an urge to tackle comics per se. I have a very clear memory of seeing the comic on a shelf as a child in Belfast. I had this image of Thor: a big primitive man, with something of a Viking licence about him, and a space traveller who moves between worlds. I thought it could be a pretty exhilarating film and I wondered if I would be good at it.”

Thor is due for release in May 2011.