Things are not off to a good start for the Thor sequel.

According to Deadline, Patty Jenkins was set to direct the sequel to the original after Kenneth Branagh decided to pass on it.  Now, with a November 15, 2013 release date hanging in the air, Ms. Jenkins has left the production over reported “creative differences.”  (Hollywood-speak for she wasn’t getting along with someone.)  Reportedly she may move on to another Marvel movie, but it will more than likely will be the first in a series as opposed to a sequel.  About the only thing certain at this point is that Chris Hemsworth will be back in Thor 2 in the title role.

This is one of the issues with the new Hollywood model of picking a release date and then working backwards from that goal.  If the slightest thing goes wrong, you then have to scramble to try to fix things as you don’t want to lose your locked date.  It’s like a 21st century version of a land rush as everyone wants to stake their claim to a weekend and hope that no one else picks it in an attempt to usurp them.  Although, in this case, I’d say move it.  November is not a month known for comic book film adaptations and November 15 of any year just seems an odd time to release a film like this.  Of course, Marvel has already laid claim to two dates in the summer of 2014 already that they haven’t even announced what the films will be yet.

Having finally watched Thor on a recent cross-country flight for business, I have to say it was a far better film than I expected, and probably the best Marvel film since the first Iron Man.  (I just watched Captain America on the flight back from England and wasn’t quite as happy with it although I didn’t hate it.)  I’m not even a big fan of the comic series and I enjoyed the movie, so I have high hopes for a strong sequel, but this is certainly not the way to get it off of the ground.

[via Deadline]