Christopher Eccleston cast as the villain in Thor 2, geekdom is immediately overwhelmed

This is bigger than Zachary Quinto playing Spock, and even bigger than David Tennant showing up in a Harry Potter movie. Christopher Eccleston, best known in Nerdville for playing the ninth incarnation of the Doctor on Doctor Who, has snagged the lead villain role in Thor 2: The Dark World. How will those of us who are both Marvel and Doctor Who geeks even handle this news? I mean, can you just picture Eccleston and Tom Hiddleston joining forces and bringing all that 'Ston-cold badness in one movie? (Sorry, that was lame.) (Just kidding, not sorry at all.)

This casting news comes a couple of weeks after Mads Mikkelson backed out of the then-unnamed villain role, citing scheduling conflicts with his work on NBC's Hannibal series. When he was cast, and even when he'd left, we still didn't know which Thor foe he was supposed to be playing. But now, with news of Eccleston's casting, we finally have a name: Malekith! Malekith the Accursed! Malekith, ruler of the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim! And according to io9, "he dresses like a Mardi Gras float crashing into a Scandinavian black metal music video." And that? That is fantastic.

Eccleston, a seasoned British actor whose career includes a twisted role in Danny Boyle's Shallow Grave, has played his fair share of villains, such as Major Henry West in 28 Days Later and Destro in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. And when he played the Doctor in the first series of the new Doctor Who, he was happy-go-lucky while also war-torn and scarred. So my prediction is that his Malekith will be an evil combination of badass and impish. Oh, the slumber parties he and Loki will have!

Christopher Eccleston will play Thor 2's villain, Malekith the Accursed! [io9]

• [Snig]

  Alright, I’ll admit to a mild case of the vapours. 

• [Ramone]

  I was so skeptical of the first Thor until I saw it–and loved it. And then I bought the blu ray, and honestly, I think the more times I’ve watched it, the more I think it’s one of my favorite of the Marvel movies. Yeah, it’s got a simplistic plot, but it’s really a lot of fun. And the whole magic is science is magic message is something I wish was more prevelant in movies. I’m really looking foward to Thor 2!

• [Manny]

  Squee!

• [Ari B.]

  Aw, yeah!

• [retepslluerb]

  By Grabthar’s hammer, by the suns of Warvan, these are good tidings.

  • [stillcantfightthedite]

    They certainly are, by Vectron!

• [Thad Boyd]

  even bigger than David Tennant showing up in a Harry Potter movie.

  Erm, I should think so, given that David Tennant showed up in a Harry Potter movie before anyone knew who the fuck David Tennant WAS.

  • [Karlen Kendrick]

    That and I wouldn’t say that being the 9th Doctor was his “Best Known For” role.

    • [Thad Boyd]

      Well, it probably is among people who hear the name “Christopher Eccleston” and know who that is.  But GI Joe’s probably the thing the most people saw him in.  Or Heroes.

• [Fornicus]

  Is it bigger than Benedict Cumberbatch being cast as the villain in Star Trek 2?

• [mr theriault]

  Based on how he looks I’m going to guess Absorbing Man. 

• [sam1148]

  He doesn’t look well. 

• [NelC]

  Ecclestone has been in so much good stuff since Shallow Grave (and before, come to that).  It’s odd to see so many people who have no idea who he is beyond the tenth Doctor.

• [RedShirt77]

  Destpite having a Doctor I still would put my money on the movie being of Iron Man 2 quality.  But I will watch it anyway.

  Sometimes I think I should just send Marvel 10 bucks and read a book.

• [Seriously]

  Poor Christopher Eccleston.  He is always the villian unless he’s The Doctor. I think he is awesome and more than a little bit “yummy”

  • [Antinous / Moderator]

    His performance in Shallow Grave is the standard for creepysexy.

• [Lysandwr Blaidd]

  THANK YOU for recognizing potential for ‘Ston cold awesomeness!  (Loki/Henry V and the Ninth Doctor? I swoon… ; ) )