With PHASE TWO commencing in just a few short days with the fantastic IRON MAN 3 (you’ll have our official review the minute the embargo’s lifted, promise!), Disney and Marvel are already looking ahead to their next film, THOR – THE DARK WORLD. We were treated to the debut poster on Saturday, and we’ll apparently have the trailer tomorrow, but in the meantime, here’s two official images courtesy of USA Today. Chris Hemsworth was also on hand to tease what’s in store, and dropped the following nuggets:

On Thor having to turn to his (adopted!) brother Loki for help in his fight against new big bad Malekith the Accursed (Christopher Eccleston)…

“Needing Loki’s help turns everything on its head. And it allows us to explore the underlying complexities of their relationship. It really ends up being a kind of chess match.”

And as for Natalie Portman’s role in the movie…

“While Thor was a fish out of water on Earth in the first two films, this time Jane is very much a fish out of water in Asgard,” says Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige.

Head over to USA Today to read more. Here’s those pics we promised…

We didn’t say they were any good! 

Official Synopsis:

Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself.  In the aftermath of Marvel’s “Thor” and “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos…but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness.  Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Zachary Levi, Tadanobu Asano and Jaimie Alexander with Rene Russo and Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” is directed by Alan Taylor, produced by Kevin Feige, from a story by Don Payne and screenplay by Christopher Yost and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely and is based on Marvel’s classic Super Hero Thor, who first appeared in the comic book “Journey into Mystery “ #83 in August, 1962.

“Thor: The Dark World” is presented by Marvel Studios. The executive producers are Alan Fine, Nigel Gostelow, Stan Lee, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and Craig Kyle.The film releases in the UK on October 30, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

MARVEL PHASE TWO Release Schedule:

April 25th 2013 – IRON MAN 3

Oct 30th 2013 – THOR: THE DARK WORLD

(TBC) 2013 – AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.

April 4th 2014 – CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

Aug 1st 2014 – GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

May 1st 2015 – UNTITLED MARVEL’S AVENGERS SEQUEL

MARVEL PHASE THREE Release Schedule:

Nov 6th 2015 – ANT-MAN

(TBC) – DOCTOR STRANGE

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