As you may remember, Kenneth Branagh politely declined to direct Thor 2. Marvel didn’t even let us have much time to spin a wish list, as Variety reports they’ve entered into talks with Brian Kirk to direct.
Kirk’s name is probably known to you if you’re a devotee of HBO’s recent slate of programming. He was most recently shifting players around on Game of Thrones (and if I’m not mistaken, they were some of our favorite episodes around here on CHUD), and has also dabbled in Boardwalk Empire. He’s also been behind Luther and Dexter. Basically, Kirk makes awesome television. He’s currently filming a made-for-television remake of Great Expectations, which ought to be a delight.
Marvel is reportedly impressed with the way he juggles ensembles and fantasy settings. They’re right to be. There wasn’t a single episode of Thrones that couldn’t have shone on the big screen. It’s a hell of an audition reel, and while none of us said “Hey, how about Brian Kirk?”, I think he will be the ideal man for the job.