THOR

Superman isn’t the only superhero to achieve status through the movies and cover treatment at EW. Batman’s been there; ditto Captain America. And in the “Superman issue” of EW (February 25), we find a handy role call of forthcoming superhero movies, a positive orgy of status symbols: Thor gets the season off to a hammering start on May 6 (the door-opener for this year’s Free Comic Book Day on May 7); “X-Men First Class,” June 3; Green Lantern, June 17; Captain America, July 22. Next summer’s offerings are all apparently definite enough that EW can announce opening dates for all but the Wolverine flick: the Avengers will debut on the silver screen on May 4; Spider-Man’s back on July 3 and Batman on July 20. And more — many many more — are doubtless in the offing.

Thor is being played by Chris Hemsworth, who, for USA Weekend (April 15-17) recalled the first time he donned the requisite costume: “I walked onto the set, and Anthony Hopkins and I were in our full get-ups. We looked at each other, and he said, ‘Well, there’s no acting required here, is there?’”