Corona | Coming Attractions

Marvel Studios now sees a potential new franchise with Thor because they just committed to a release date and hiring a screenwriter to tackle the script for a sequel movie.

Hiring a writer to work on a second film isn't that big of a sign the next movie will happen for sure; there has been loads of written sequels that have never moved past the early development stage. But announcing a release date? That shows a lot more confidence that Thor 2 will reach you, as Marvel now states, on July 26, 2013.

Iron Man 3 is also scheduled for release that year, specifically May 3. That picture already has a writer and a director working on it, namely Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and screenwriter of the first Lethal Weapon movie.)

Chris Hemsworth is confirmed and will reprise the thunder god. However, Marvel will have to look for a new leader to guide Thor in his second big screen outing. While Kenneth Branagh directed the first Thor and received commendations for finding a way to not make it hokey, he won't be coming back on the second film. Branagh may take a producer credit on Thor 2 but that's going to have little bearing on how the next movie shapes up.

The first new major hire is getting a screenwriter to work on developing the next movie's story, and that now rests on the shoulders of Don Payne. Whether he's the man that instills confidence that you'll get a kick-ass tale in Thor 2 is up to your judgment as his resume is filled with good credits like working as a staff writer on The Simpsons for 10 years and then creative misfires like My Super Ex-Girlfriend (but how much of the blame for that picture rests on director Ivan Reitman's shoulders?) Payne is also credited with the screenplay for the second Fantastic Four movie, Rise of the Silver Surfer, so Marvel already has established a relationship with him.

Options for the other Thor cast members, like Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Natalie Portman (Jane Foster) and everyone else are available if the story calls for their return.