What we know so far - T:TDW edition (no speculation, facts only)

Good idea! Thanks! Yes the facts can get confused with speculation, that's for sure.

Official Synopsis Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself. In the aftermath of Marvel’s Thor and Marvel’s The Avengers, Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos…but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje has at least once scene with Renee Russo and Anthony Hopkins per his twitter. Anthony also has had "one encounter" with Chris Eccleston per a recent interview with Anthony.

There is a big red bus with the film title "Moral Sacrifice" on it in the film. The name Rhys Ifans is also listed on it giving a review blurb about the film, along with a bunch of behind the scenes people. Stan Lee will be driving the bus. (or is that just a rumor still?)

Richard Brake will be in it as an Einherjar Captain

Alice Krige has a small role where she may be "unrecognizable"

Malekith and Thor battle each other at least once in the film.

A set and battle scenes were filmed in Bourne Woods involving Asgardians, and a very varied group of characters and creatures.

A scene or scenes were filmed at Stonehenge

The alternate filming name for Thor The Dark World is Thursday Mourning

The film will have a "Game of Thrones" feel/vibe (per Chris Hemsworth, and I think others have said this as well...)

Thor and Loki "get down to the major bones of our conflict with everything that’s come from Thor to Avengers to now.” - Chris Hemsworth interview Nov. 2012

"Going into this one we (w/Chris Hemsworth) were - very flatteringly - involved in big creative conversations about tone, and story. Thor and Loki are these two characters that people know and love and understand - so we have to take this in the right direction. You want to do something new - you don't want to re-heat the same recipe in the microwave, you want to cook up something different and exciting - but you don't want to lose the things that worked the first time." ~ Tom Hiddleston GQ UK interview 11/14/12

"Everybody upstairs in space is going to have an opinion on what happened over the course of Avengers" ~ Tom Hiddleston interview 11/12 http://bcove.me/n5b8dygl

(and please let me know if you dont think any of this is 100% fact and I will remove it)

 

The crew filmed about one week on location in Iceland, but details of the shoot are scarce. We know from Twitter reports that Triple A was on hand for at least some of the scenes, but we don't know whether it was as Algrim or as his alter ego Kurse.

Also, Loki participated in a large-scale battle during the Iceland filming. It's not known who was fighting whom, or which side Loki was on.

 

As I recall, Zach Levi, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Hemsworth, and Chris Eccleston were all reported present in Iceland as well... anybody I'm missing?

 

Me.

I'm playing Surtur

 

Thor 2 "casting calls" stuff as listed on screenrant.com

 

Jamie Alexander (Sif) had a particularly bad injury while filming in September.

Malekith's MCU design differs significantly from his comic book look. Instead of the "80s glam rocker" look of the comics, Malekith has pale white shriveled skin; half of his face is badly burned/scarred; he wears dark armor and black robes; and wears a long platinum-blonde ponytail braid. Also, there appear to be CGI contacts located around his brows; purpose unknown.

The Dark Elves under Malekith's command wear dark armor and black robes, and appear to carry hi-tech beam weapons. Their faces are covered by unsettling metal face masks, and it is unknown if their facial/racial features are the same as Malekith's.

The battle filmed at Bourne Woods features Asgardians (in golden armor very similar to Heimdall's) battling what has been called "Marauders." The design for the "Marauders" does not show a monolithic army belonging to any one race, but many different races, both human and non-human. The Marauders display weapons from various tech levels, ranging from swords and spears and axes to high-tech beam weapons. Some of the Marauders even seem to come from different cultural backgrounds, and are seen in the gear of samurai, Chinese warriors, Middle Eastern warriors, and European warriors of the Middle Ages and ancient times. Generally, the Marauders seem to be "color coded" to a red-brown color for their armor and weaponry, although not all wear that color.

 

Some location scenes were shot in isolated tunnels of the London Underground.

 

Upon close inspection of multiple photographs warriors with headbands/red painted on their head are battling with warriors in armor, the same as the Asgardians are fighting.

Reference this picture:
(in spoiler tag due to size)

Spoiler

Horses, fire and explosions were all used in the Bourne Woods scenes. One of these warriors in armor with a 2 horned helmet appears to be the only person on an all white horse. All other horses are black or brown (from what has been photographed.)

Reference this picture:
(in spoiler tag due to size)

Spoiler

Giant obelisks with strange markings and yurts were set up to create a fictional realm/village

The official information from the studio released about this filming site is that "The sequence involves a battle between two kingdoms, ending in our comic book hero arriving to save the day."

article for more information:
http://blogs.coventrytelegraph.net/thegeekfiles/2012/09/set-pictures-filming-finishes-in-surrey-on-thor-the-dark-worlds-battle-of-two-kingdoms.html
Filming started Sept 10 and lasted 10 days or so per the above website.

By the way, in case anyone is wondering (I had to look it up myself) "A yurt is a portable, bent wood-framed dwelling structure traditionally used by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia."
FMI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yurt

 

SHHHHH! You aren't supposed to say that yet! The Marvel snipers will show up at your house!

 

Filming in Iceland commenced 12 October 2012 and finished 18 October 2012.
(sources: http://reykjavik.travel/index.php/item/122, http://reykjavik.travel/index.php/item/143)

Natalie Portman was confirmed filming the (untitled) Terrence Malick film in Austin, Texas on 11, 14, 15, and 18 October (source: http://www.natalieportman.com/npcom.asp?page_number=1&p_page=4,
http://www.natalieportman.com/npcom.asp?page_number=1&p_page=5)

Jaimie Alexander was recovering from the spinal injury during that time (https://twitter.com/JaimieAlexander, see 6 October and 1 November)

Edit: Elizah found that a double/stand-in for Natalie Portman was in Iceland: http://forums.superherohype.com/showpost.php?p=25005957&postcount=761

 

Official release from Shepperton Studios filming of Thor 2 at Greenwich University

"To set the scenes we will be creating a set at the top of the steps between the Chapel and the Painted Hall, and also a set across the college way, to give the impression the ground has been churned up by a surprising event! We will be dressing in abandoned cars on college way to give the feel Greenwich has been deserted!"

Image in spoiler tags due to size:

Spoiler

 

Adding a few quotes that may be of interest to some...

“The look of the film is a lot bigger than what we did even previously. The first one worked and people loved it, but this is with a different director and just has a totally different feel. There’s a definite Game of Thrones vibe thanks to [director] Alan [Taylor].” Chris Hemsworth

"I have read a script and we start shooting in August. I met with Alan Taylor a couple of months ago and Natalie Portman and I and Alan and a couple of Marvel guys and it was hugely exciting. Ken Branagh did such a wonderful job and, with scheduling or what have you, he didn’t end up doing this one, but I’m a big fan of the Game of Thrones series, which is Alan’s latest work, and I think that is what’s exciting about the second one: making it sort of more tangible and having a more organic feel to Asgard and that world. I think the science fiction element to Thor... the danger is it falls a little bit into the world of it’s "tough to throw a light to." I think of big waterfalls and mountains and a Viking influence, where the Norse mythology kind of grew from. Having that in Asgard is going to make it all the more special and that’s what Alan wants to bring to it. I think that would be the new aspect to this one." Chris Hemsworth

“I love the way he adds an incredibly organic element to the fantastical world of Thrones, and I think that’s what Thor could benefit from. It’s grounded in reality, no matter how mythical or science-fiction-like it becomes. There’s a truth to it all. Certainly, working with him now, you can see he doesn’t want Thor or the Asgardians to seem like some distant race or god-like. He still wants them to be relatable.” Chris Hemsworth

"We’re going to see the other side of Asgard. It’s not all polished and golden in this film. And the events of Avengers will have affected Thor for sure. His relationship with Loki will continue to evolve, and the biggest part is Natalie and Thor returning with Jane Foster." Kevin Feige

"So while the relationship between Loki and Thor certainly has changed and has progressed, a lot of Thor 2 is picking up where it left off in terms of Jane, who you just saw for a moment on a computer monitor, and also what’s been going on in the nine realms without the Asgardians being able to use the Bifrost? I will just say it’s not good." Kevin Feige

"Well it’s sort of the crux of the whole sequel and it’s what Hemsworth is most excited about diving into, and it’s what is the heart of story; it’s Thor and Jane, to continue that dynamic. Really they were only together for three days, and do they love each other? Do they like each other? Do they know each other? We’re acknowledging that that love story in the first movie was sort of a quick crush, essentially, over the course of three quick days in the middle of the desert. And [the heart of the movie is also] the relationship between Thor and Odin, which does change drastically as it did over the course of the first movie, and picks up and continues from there." Kevin Feige

"[The sequel] will literally take Thor to other worlds," Feige said. "[Thor 2 would] primarily be the journey of that character, of he and Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and how the new dynamic with his father (Odin, played by Anthony Hopkins) is working out, as well as what are the broader stakes for The Nine Worlds." Kevin Feige

"In the new film we're going to get to know Heimdall the Asgardian a bit better, and we're going to get to know Asgard a bit better," Elba said. "I can't say too much, but the expansion of Thor in his world is going to be huge." Idris Elba 8/29/2012

 

Insignificant, but regarding costume, we know Thor will be battling in his armorless outfit, or his casual one. The image of the student double in the costume proves so. And obviously, it must be for a battle, since he is the double

 

just adding to the above...

One of the actors at the Stonehenge shoot is playing a tv reporter

 

I LOVE that. It brings a human perspective into this. brings the audiance in

 

A rough cut of parts of the movie were shown at a film festival in Sorrento, Italy yesterday. English translations of the scene descriptions are still a bit iffy right now, but this much can be gleaned:

 

“It’s going to be a bit of a darker feel, and obviously a lot more action. We get to explore the different Realms a lot more and you see a lot more Asgard, and you get to know the people of Asgard. We sort of explore the Thor-Sif relationship a little bit. It’s more like getting a feel of who these people are, and the way they are with each other. It was fun for me and fun for Chris. Again, he and I are almost like brother/sister types too, so I was like ‘maybe that translates into ooh they love each other on camera.’ [laughs] We had a good time making that movie.”

“It’s always great working with new people, and Alan Taylor has brought a whole new vision to Thor. We’ve remained our own characters obviously, so there’s still that similarity between the first and second one. But there’s a darker feel to this one. A little more Gladiator-ish, a bit more viking-ish. So I’m really excited to see how it turns out.”

Jaimie Alexander. Jan. 2013
hthttp://www.iamrogue.com/roguetv/video-interviews/item/7969-exclusive-video-jaimie-alexander-talks-thor-the-dark-world.html