Patty Jenkins to direct Thor 2?

Having had Kenneth Branagh hold the reigns for Thor , is Marvel making it a trend to have weighty directors handle movies in its comic-book franchise?

It seems so, given that Patty Jenkins - best known as the director of the 2003 film Monster – is apparently in talk to helm Thor 2 .

While there has been no official confirmation from Marvel that Jenkins is even up for the job, Entertainment Weekly says “several sources close to the project” have confirmed that talks are happening.

Jenkins is also known for her work directing TV episodes, including the pilot for AMC’s The Killing , Arrested Development and Entourage .

The project could see Thor exploring The Nine Worlds mentioned in Branagh's film, possibly in a bid to widen the Marvel universe and introduce new characters from those worlds.

“[Thor 2] will primarily be the journey of that character, of he and Jane Foster [ Natalie Portman ] and how the new dynamic with his father [ Odin, played by Anthony Hopkins ] is working out, as well as what are the broader stakes for The Nine Worlds,” Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige previously told EW .

Thor 2 already has a release date set for July 2013 and is expected to start shooting in April 2012.