Erik Selvig

Erik Selvig
Marvel Cinematic Universe character
Stellan Skarsgård chose to appear in Thor to have a unique experience in film.
First appearance	Thor
Created by	Ashley Edward Miller Zack Stentz Don Payne
Portrayed by	Stellan Skarsgård
Information
Nationality	Norwegian-American

Erik Selvig is a fictional character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which crosses over several Marvel Studios superhero films. Selvig first appeared in Thor (2011), where he was portrayed by Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård. Skarsgård then reprised the role in The Avengers (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). The character has sinced been introduced to the main Marvel Comics continuity, as well as other, non-MCU media.

Concept and creation

Stellan Skarsgård's casting in Thor was confirmed on October 5, 2009. Skarsgård stated that he was not initially familiar with Thor. As to why he took the part, Skarsgård remarked, I "chose Thor because of [director] Kenneth Branagh. The script was nice and we got to rehearse and talk to the writers and do some collaborating in the process to make it fit us. So I had a very happy time on it. What I always try to do is immediately do something I just haven't done so I get variation in my life. I've made about 90 films and if I did the same thing over and over again I would be bored by now. I try to pick different films, I go and do those big ones and having done that I can usually afford to go and do some really small obscure films and experiment a little".

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Feature films

Main articles: Thor (film), The Avengers (2012 film), Thor: The Dark World, and Avengers: Age of Ultron

In Thor, astrophysicist Erik Selvig works with, Jane Foster the daughter of a former colleague of his, on her wormhole research. He subsequently becomes involved in an encounter between Thor and S.H.I.E.L.D., leading to his employment by the latter to study the Tesseract—he accepts the job due to influence by Loki. In The Avengers, Loki uses the Tesseract to travel to Earth, and places Selvig under the control of the Mind Stone. Selvig is eventually freed of this control and able to help stop Loki's invasion of Earth, but is left near insane by his experience. Selvig is able to help Thor again in Thor: The Dark World and Avengers: Age of Ultron, having seemingly returned to his former, sane self by the time of the latter. After the defeat of Ultron, Selvig is seen working at a new Avengers facility in Upstate New York.

Tie-in comics

Main article: Marvel Cinematic Universe tie-in comics

Selvig appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe tie-in comics Avengers Prelude: Fury's Big Week and Thor: The Dark World Prelude.

Other appearances

• In the video game Lego Marvel Super Heroes, Selvig is mentioned by S.H.I.E.L.D. Deputy Director Maria Hill in the prelude to a story level within the game.
• Dr. Selvig appears as a playable character in the 2016 video game Lego Marvel's Avengers.
• During the 2016 "Avengers: Standoff!" storyline that ran in the comic books published by Marvel Comics, the Earth-616 version of Dr. Erik Selvig made his debut. He is a doctor and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent who is positioned in the gated community of Pleasant Hill (which serves as the most unlikeliest of supervillain prisons). While running a clinic in Pleasant Hill, Erik Selvig was also Kobik's caregiver. During the Avengers' fight with Baron Zemo's villain allies, both Baron Zemo and Erik Selvig tried to get Kobik to come with them. Kobik ended up teleporting Erik Selvig and Baron Zemo away from Pleasant Hill. They were last seen in the Himalayas trying to make their way back to civilization. Baron Zemo brings Erik Selvig with him where he plans to use him in one of his next plans.