It has been almost exactly a year and a half since Marvel first announced that they would developing an Avengers movie, as well as solo movies for all the members. A few months later, Kenneth Branagh signed on to direct Thor. In the 14 months since, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Jamie Alexander, Colm Feore, Stellan Skarsgård and, most recently, Anthony Hopkins have all joined the cast, some as heroes, some as villains and some in roles that remain a mystery. Now it is being reported that, after 20 months of pre-production, the filming of Thor is ready to begin.

On Twitter, Production Weekly has announced that the film will begin production mid-January in Los Angeles, before moving to Santa Fe for shooting during March and April. The film is currently scheduled for a May release in 2011, a summer that will also see the release of The First Avenger: Captain America.

Do you hear that sound? Kind of like an off-distance waterfall? That's the sound of every geek in existence peeing their pants simultaneously, and you should get used to it. For when you are sitting in your town's movie theater and Thor lifts Mjolnir for the first time, you can be certain that the yellow puddle developing around your feet is not Mountain Dew.