Walt Disney Pictures have finally confirmed what we’ve suspected for a while, Thor 2 will be released in Summer 2013. Thor grossed $437 million worldwide, and Marvel Studios has a public mandate to release two movies a year. In 2011 it was Thor and the upcoming Captain America: The First Avenger. In 2012 it will be the superhero team-up The Avengers with no second release yet announced (is anything planned? If so we’d need to see an announcement very soon, or like, yesterday). In 2013 we’ll get Iron Man 3 on May 3rd and Thor 2 later that Summer, on July 26th.

Chris Hemsworth is contracted to return, as is love interest Natalie Portman (although its entirely possible she won’t). Director Kenneth Branagh will not return, and Marvel will need to find a new director to helm the sequel.