Hi °C | Lo °C 
Kenneth Branagh will not be returning to direct Thor 2, it has been claimed.
Chris Hemsworth will reprise his role as the titular superhero in the eagerly anticipated sequel, but Marvel Studios and Disney are on the hunt for a new director, reported Deadline.
It looks like Kenneth, whose exit was said to be "mutual and amicable", will continue to be involved in some producing capacity.
He has said that he initially wanted to helm the superhero movie because of its challenges.
"The surprise that was going to scare me and excite me was the scale of it and knowing that an army of comic book fans would be hanging on every word of it. That was exciting but it was not without a little pressure. But it was just too exciting not to pursue," he said.
Thor 2 is scheduled for release in summer 2013.
