Monster director Patty Jenkins has dropped out of the director’s chair for Marvel’s Thor 2. Jenkins signed on to direct the sequel earlier this year, and it was the director’s involvement that was said to be a major draw card for the returning Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins.
Even though the two are under contract for three films, it seems they were intent, and so was the studio, in getting a director to match the class of Kenneth Branagh. The reason for Jenkins’ exit was said to be because of creative differences, and there are already rumours that she is talking to Marvel about helming another comic book film, that isn’t a sequel.
Many people believe that this will in fact be the rumoured S.H.I.E.L.D. film. The proposed S.H.I.E.L.D. film will fit in to the second round of Marvel films after The Avengers, which currently has Iron Man 3 and Thor 2 in 2013, and possibly S.H.I.E.L.D. and Captain America 2 in 2014, before a sequel to The Avengers in 2015. Marvel sure likes looking ahead.
Marvel are moving fast to try and secure a director for Thor 2, so they don’t have to push production. Some names that are being thrown around as potential replacements for Jenkins include Kevin Feige, Atom Egoyan, Jim Jarmusch and Wim Wenders, but it is unclear who will get the job.
As soon as we find out though, we’ll let you know.