So Marvel Studios has not been having an easy time getting its Thor sequel off the ground, what with the public troubles setting a director for the second adventure of Asgard's favorite son.  Having already moved the release date once, the project recently lost Patty Jenkins, who was set to become the first female director of a major superhero event movie (Lexi Alexander previously directed 2008's Punisher: War Zone, but that was a smaller, grittier affair).  Now, this could all be overblown rumor-mongering wrapped around a thin, gossipy thread of gender politics, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, the franchise's biggest star, Natalie Portman, is said to be unhappy with Jenkins's departure from Thor 2, a departure that may not have been as simple as it seemed.

Over the summer, Thor brought some cosmic stylings to the onscreen Marvel universe, making some good money, establishing Chris Hemsworth as a potential Really Big Deal©, and providing yet more setup for next summer's The Avengers in the process.  A Thor sequel, then, is in the not at-all uncommon position of having an announced release date, despite not having a finished script or a director, since Kenneth Branagh has opted not to return for another round of Asgardian action.  Despite previous news suggesting that Marvel Studios found their man to direct, it appears that not only is no director set, but Monster helmer Patty Jenkins is now a very likely candidate for the job.

The new teaser trailer for Gareth Edwards' low-budget wonder Monsters has just premiered at Apple.com, and it's definitely worth a look, so peep it below. Monsters, in case you're unfamiliar, was shot by newbie director Edwards for peanuts; the sci-fi movie utilized a two-man crew and a store-bought digital camera, while boasting realistic yet homemade special effects. Apparently, it cost somewhere in the neighborhood of under $10,000 to make. (And if you're thinking it's just another Paranormal Activity, check out the trailer to find out you're way off.) The flick, which has understandably drawn comparisons to District 9 (in terms of story), premiered to rave reviews at this year's South By Southwest Film Festival and has steadily gathered excited buzz ever since.