Thor 2 is still in its early phases, and though it lacks a director, it has found a writer in scribe Don Payne. Deadline reports that Payne, a co-screenwriter on Thor, will return to script the sequel. That means, despite possible differences in character or direction between the original and the sequel, at least audiences can expect consistency in tone.
News of Payne’s attachment to the project comes just days after Marvel and Disney committed to making the superhero pic sequel and announced that star Chris Hemsworth would return to play the titular god of thunder. Thor director Kenneth Branagh will not be returning to direct the sequel, though he may be involved as a producer.
Marvel Studios chose Payne to pen the Thor 2 script, perhaps given his past experience with superhero-themed films. Besides co-writing the screenplay for Thor, he wrote My Super Ex-Girlfriend and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. He also re-wrote the script for the comic book film adaptation Lobo, though Warner Bros. hasn’t moved that film into production yet.
Perhaps his past film work doesn’t elicit complete confidence, but he did co-write the very well-performing Thor. He’s also written 16 episodes of the Simpsons over the years, which means he can handle some subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) satire and humor.
Disney plans a July 26, 2013 release for Thor 2. We’ll keep you updated on the film as more news emerges.