Chris Hemsworth may have gotten your attention as the mighty Norse God in last year's "Thor" (a role he will reprise in the upcoming "Avengers"), but his first big lead role hasn't seen the light of day. Until now.

The long-shelved horror pic "Cabin in the Woods," which EW calls "gloriously grotesque," is finally hitting theaters April 13 after a debut to appreciative audiences at SXSW.

The then-unknown Hemsworth landed the role of jock Curt just by walking in the room, as director and co-writer Drew Goddard told EW. "I was looking for actors that can break your heart. He just had that. As soon as he walked out of the room I said, ‘That guy’s got the job.’"

The movie, co-written and produced by "Avengers" director Joss Whedon, was a response to "torture porn" like "Saw." "We wanted to go back to old-school thrilling scares," Whedon said.

A lot has transpired since "Cabin" was filmed, including a brief moment when Tom Cruise was overseeing production and the studio demanded the movie be in 3D. Another cast member, Jesse Williams, is also better known these days, thanks to his turn as sexy doctor Jackson Avery on "Grey's Anatomy."

In an ironic twist, the movie ended up at Lionsgate, which puts out the very movies Whedon and Goddard were reacting against. “It is actually perfect that it’s them,” Whedon says. “'Cabin' is an insane frolic in some ways, but it is a horror movie. Their passion for horror is a great match.”

Head over to EW for the film's twisted backstory and five new photos.

[via EW]