Kenneth Branagh Will Not Direct Thor: Ragnarok

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has insisted there is no truth to rumours that Kenneth Branagh may return to direct the third ‘Thor’ movie, the upcoming ‘Ragnarok.’

Reports had emerged that the studio might be courting the esteemed British film and theatre director, who helmed the original 2011 ‘Thor,’ to come back to the franchise at the behest of leading man Chris Hemsworth.

However, Feige tells Collider these claims are “not true. I don’t know where that came from.”

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Given that Feige is a master of whipping up publicity, often with teasing hints at what might be in the pipeline, it seems comparatively rare that he gives so blunt a denial as this. Subsequently, this seems a pretty definitive answer on the matter.

As for who will direct, and for that matter write ‘Ragnarok’ - these remain unknown at present, which is perhaps surprising given the film was initially scheduled to hit cinemas in July 2017, before the new ‘Spider-Man’ solo movie saw the third ‘Thor’ pushed back to that November.

Feige says, “probably towards the end of the summer we would announce a filmmaker and a writer. May be the same person, I don’t know, may be two different people.”

‘Thor: Ragnarok’ is one of only four movies of Marvel’s announced release schedule to not have a director attached yet, the others being ‘Black Panther’ (due July 2018), ‘Captain Marvel’ (due November 2018), and ‘The Inhumans’ (due July 2019).

‘Thor: the Dark World’ director Alan Taylor does not seem likely to return, after the well-publicised behind the scenes difficulties and reports of tensions with the studio on that troubled production.

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Picture Credit: Marvel