London, Oct 12 (IANS) Actor-director Kenneth Branagh has claimed he took on the job of directing superhero movie "Thor" because it reminded him of a Shakespeare play.

Branagh - 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, reports contactmusic.com.

"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," he said.

"When you get down to it, this is pure Shakespeare it's a great drama about familial problems concerning those who possess great power," he added.

The 49-year-old star admitted he has harboured 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," he said.

"Thor" is due for release in May 2011.