Writer and Release Date Announced for THOR 2

Even though "Thor" wasn't exactly the top earner Marvel Studios expected, it still managed to earn about $437M worldwide, which qualifies it for a sequel. And, indeed, Marvel and Disney are moving forward with the project. Chris Hemsworth will reprise his role as the thunderous superhero, but no other cast members have announced their return. Also, Kenneth Branagh, the director of the first movie has declined the offer to helm the sequel, which leaves the studio scrambling for a new director. Creative differences or negotiation breakdowns have been speculated to be the reasons for his departure. He will, however, participate as a producer for the movie.

Yesterday, it was announced that "Thor" co-writer, Don Payne will write the script for the next installment all by himself. I'm hearing all kinds of disapproving comments on the Internet which complain that Payne's previous writing assignments, "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" and "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer", as well as his job as staff writer on "The Simpsons" between 2000 and 2010, do not really qualify him for such an epic task as writing the "Thor" sequel alone. I say give the man a chance. It's not Shakespeare. Nobody thought Jerry Zucker, who wrote and directed "Airplane" and "Top Secret!" could make a movie like "Ghost" into the timeless classic it turned out to be, but there you go.

And finally, Disney has decided on a release date for the sequel : July 26, 2013. Other Marvel movies on the way are "The Avengers" on May 4, 2012 and "Iron Man 3" on May 3, 2013. "Captain America: The First Avenger" has already been released in the US. We'll see if the ambitious plans to weave an intricate design of superhero movies functioning in the same universe can actually work. If it does, God help us, there will be a never-ending wave of similar concepts, which means dozens, maybe even hundreds of new comic book adaptations. It will be the end of original filmmaking as we know it.

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