Just last week, Marvel movie honcho Kevin Feige revealed intentions for sequels to this summer’s impending hero introductions: “Thor will go off into a new adventure, and Captain America will continue to explore the modern world in another film of his own.”
While most of us presumed this would happen (since the studio is building a contained movie universe and tends to tie its actors into multiple movie contracts), nobody at Marvel thought to let THOR director Kenneth Branagh know about the plan. When Movieline approached Branagh today about the topic of a sequel, he responded: “Do you know, if that is true, that is literally the first I’ve heard of it? You are telling me news.”
When asked if he’d be interested in another adventure of the Thunder God, Branagh said: “It’s is kind of news to me. Here’s what I would say to that: It’s that I’m thrilled they’re that confident. I shall wait for the audience to tell us whether there should be a second one, and then if that’s a nice conversation to be had between all of us, that’d be thrilling. But I’ve got too much Irish superstitious blood in me to assume that THOR 2 will happen. But if Marvel says so, then I guess it must be true.”
In a way, Branagh’s neglect isn’t too much of a surprise considering Marvel’s recent history of questionable communication skills. You may recall their public spat with THE INCREDIBLE HULK star Edward Norton (who, as you know, won’t be reprising Bruce Banner or his green alter-ego in THE AVENGERS), and some reports of tenuous shallow-pocketed offers to actors for other projects. And before that, director Jon Favreau supposedly waited several weeks after IRON MAN starting gathering giant cash stacks before he got officially asked to return for a sequel (Favs is listed as an exec producer on THE AVENGERS, although likely as a courtesy, as his creative input on it is apparently minimal outside of establishing characters in IRON MAN 2).
Still, if THOR’s hammer strikes gold at the box office, Branagh can probably expect a call from Marvel (eventually). Otherwise, it’s safe to assume that if the Asgardian gets a second solo movie, the studio will be looking for another director to hurl Mjolnir in a different direction. Verily.