Thor 2 gets a director: Patty Jenkins

The long wait for a director for Thor 2 finally over.

Via a post in Superherohype, it's now confirmed that Patty Jenkins, who directed the Charlize Theron starring movie "Monster" and the pilot episode of AMC TV series "The Killing", has been selected to direct the second movie starring Chris Hemsworth as the titular Norse God of Thunder, based on the Marvel Comics' hero of the same name. Jenkins will succeed Kenneth Branagh, who directed the first film, and it's also been confirmed that Natalie Portman and Tom Hiddleston will also return alongside Hemsworth as Jane Foster and Loki respectively. For more details, visit the source post at SHH!

Thor, which will be under Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Pictures, will be released on November 15, 2013.

Iron Man 3 Update: Shane Black describes film as a "Tom Clancy" styled thriller

Since Jon Favreau's departure from the director's chair of the Iron Man film franchise, director Shane Black was chosen by Marvel to step in and take over the job for the next sequel Iron Man 3, with more expectations rising from fans as to how the Kiss Kiss Bang Bang director would deliver the next film starring the Armored Avenger. At the recent Omaha Film Festival, Black confirmed that not only will he be helming the film, but he'll also be penning the script as well, and given his extensive writing resume and contributions to Hollywood hits like the Lethal Weapon franchise, we may be expecting big things for Ol' Shellhead's next adventure in the big screen.

Via a post from Ain't It Cool News, Shane Black will begin work on the screenplay of Iron Man 3 by meeting with the star of the show and Tony Stark himself, Robert Downey Jr. Having previously worked and directing the actor in his first and only directorial feature to date, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, it's a sure bet Black and Downey have chemistry, but how it will turn out when it comes to all things Iron Man remains to be seen. The director also states that because of the disappointment the studio had with the direction of Iron Man 2, things are going to be a little different this time around for Iron Man 3. Black describes the film as "Iron Man fighting real world villains in a Tom Clancy-styled thriller". If that's the case, then the third film returns in some way to the humble origins of the first film, where Tony Stark was forced to build a suit of armor to flee captivity from real life terrorists.

In a way, it makes perfect sense to ground Iron Man and have him fight real life villains. Iron Man 2 strayed too much from the sincerity and realism I felt from the first film, especially since the sequel was built as a springboard to slowly introduce The Avengers into Hollywood (which resulted on Jon Favreau leaving in the first place over creative differences with the studio). Having too many heroes will just confuse the direction of the movie altogether, and it's a relief to hear that Shane Black says there will be no other heroes appearing in Iron Man 3 other than Tony Stark, his alter ego, and his supporting cast. There will be references still, but since Iron Man 3 comes out a year after The Avengers hits theaters, things will shift back into single hero stories, and that's truly a good thing to expect. It's too soon to tell how this all plays out, but here's hoping Black, Downey, and the rest of the Iron Man film crew have something good to offer for the third film! For more info on the story, visit the source posts over at Ain't It Cool News and Slash Film!

Iron Man 3 soars into theaters with a new direction on May 3, 2013

Iron Man 3 Update: Shane Black being considered as new Director/ Writer!

Looks like Robert Downey Jr. may be getting a familiar face to work with even with Jon Favreau's departure as director of the Iron Man franchise, as Marvel is now in talks with director Shane Black to helm the next installment of the armored avenger's adventures in film!

The Hollywood Reporter and several other movies sites like Screen Rant report that Black, who directed RDJ in his post-rehad comeback film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, is in negotiations to direct Iron Man 3, and he may also be attached to the project in a writing capacity as well. If this ends up being true, then not only is it reuniting Downey Jr. with Black, but it may also add a new layer of action that's much needed in the franchise. Shane worked on all four Lethal Weapon films, and it's action comedy punch may be what ol' shellhead's next film needs after the lukewarm reception everyone got from Iron Man 2 (not that it was a bad film, but it lost the charm the first film possessed and had too much emphasis on leading on to The Avengers rather than being a stand alone film). Since things haven't been confirmed yet, let's hope Shane Black wins the director's chair for Iron Man 3. For more info, visit the source posts at THR and Screen Rant.

Iron Man 3 comes bursting out to theaters on May 3, 2012.

Iron Man 3 Update: Jon Favreau won't be returning as director...

This news is just as disappointing to hear as any recasting and reboot issues Marvel films have had in the past. Having viewed the rumors this morning and now getting wind of confirmed reports via Comic Book Resources, it seems that Jon Favreau, the director of the Iron Man films, WILL NOT return to direct Iron Man 3.

This is pretty sad news to hear, considering Favreau is one of the few and rare directors with the passion and understanding for comic books and characters such as ol' shellhead. Were it not for his contributions and vision, Iron Man wouldn't have turned into the blockbuster franchise that it is today, and given the success of said franchise, the director has moved up the Hollywood ladder and is now going on to direct other sweet projects such as the upcoming "Cowboys & Aliens" and Disney's forthcoming "Magical Kingdom". Admittedly, "Iron Man 2" did not share the same quality of enjoyment as the first film, but Jon Fav had a tight 2 year schedule to work around with, and the final product was still enjoyable despite the pacing issues. Still, Favreau's recent tweet confirmed a rumored report by Vulture that he won't be returning to direct the next sequel, which is a bummer in every sense. Robert Downey Jr. is still contractually obliged to return as Tony Stark/ Iron Man, but we won't be getting the heart and soul behind the franchise... unless he returns to star as Happy Hogan, which Jon has done in the past two films as well. Still, this change in creative control issue is far depressing for this Iron Man fan, and who knows what the future will bring for the franchise come 2013. For more details on the story, visit the post over at CBR.

Iron Man 3 soars into theaters on May 3, 2013