After months of casting, scripting and build-up, Kenneth Branagh's Thor began shooting last month and comic book fans across the globe are salivating to get a look at what will certainly be one of the biggest films next summer (alongside fellow Marvel hero Captain America.) With an entire back issue library of comics to look at, not to mention lots of artwork from Norse mythology, the director has plenty to draw from as he storyboards the film. Just in case he needs any more to draw from, however, the Shetland Islands are here to contribute.

While they aren't Norse vikings, per se, Scotland's Shetland Islands held their annual Up Helly Aa festival, which marks the end of the yule season, and the Boston Globe was there to take a couple of pictures. And by "a couple of pictures" I mean "document some of the coolest shit I have ever seen." Be it men clad in armor marching down the street carrying torches, winged helmets or a Viking galley being set a flame, these have to be some of the coolest photos I have ever seen.

Check out a couple of the coolest photos below and head over to Boston.com to see the rest. And if your name is Kenneth Branagh, this is how your movie should look.











Try and tell me that first one couldn't be a teaser poster. I dare you.