Becoming an increasingly well-known name both here and across the Atlantic, Tom Hiddleston will soon be returning to the big screen to reprise his role as Loki from Thor in Joss Whedon’s upcoming The Avengers.

Hiddleston has been speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, via ComicBookMovie, and has said that the sequel to last year’s Thor will be going before cameras a little earlier than expected, and will start shooting this spring rather than the summer.

Just after Christmas, we heard that Marvel had finally found its director in Alan Taylor, best known for his work handling directing duties on Game of Thrones, and it looks like they’ll be ready to press on with the film very soon.

“There is a Thor 2. It’s been green-lit, and I think it will start shooting in London in the spring. Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman are coming back. I haven’t seen the script. This is where I feel the Marvel snipers are waiting and watching across the street…”

Excellent news. Though the search for the director has been a complicated one, with Patty Jenkins exiting from the job over creative differences late last year, the project is clearly well underway with Taylor now on board, and it sounds like things should be starting up here in the UK very soon. If you’re living in London, keep your eyes peeled for catching Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, or Tom Hiddleston walking down the street. You’ll be able to spot Hemsworth especially on account of the awesome hammer he’ll be wielding.

The project is one of two that have been officially announced as in development, with the other of course being Robert Downey, Jr.’s return in Iron Man 3. The third in the Iron Man arc will be out on 3rd May next year, with Thor 2 following a few months later on 15th November.

And before all that, we can of course look forward to seeing the whole Marvel superhero cast together in one epic film in the form of The Avengers in just a few months’ time. In case you’ve missed any of it, you can catch up on all of our coverage for it here. The Avengers will be out here in the UK in 3D on 27th April, which puts the countdown clock at less than three months. Anybody else just a little bit excited?