Marvel to delay Thor and Avengers films; sets Spidey 4 date

Here’s Marvel Super Hero Schedule:

Iron Man 2: May 7, 2010
Spider-Man 4: May 6, 2011
Thor: June 17, 2011
The First Avenger – Captain America: July 22, 2011
The Avengers: May 4, 2012

Marvel’s moviemaking mojo just got s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d. Sony on Thursday set “Spider-Man 4″ for release on May 6, 2011, while co-producer Marvel Studios locked into later slots than previously announced for three other comic-book actioners. As a result of the changes, Marvel pics will launch on the first weekend of May and kick off the boxoffice summer in three straight years, starting with “Iron Man 2″ on May 7, 2010. The moves also get Marvel off the hook of a commitment to produce two pics for release next year — a pledge always considered a bit overambitious in some quarters. Among key date changes, Marvel will delay “Thor” by almost a year — shifting its release to June 17, 2011, from the previously announced July 16, 2010 — and moved “The First Avenger: Captain America” to July 22, 2011, from the previously announced May 6, 2011, which it has ceded to “Spider-Man 4.” Marvel also postponed the release of “The Avengers” until May 4, 2012, from a previous July 15, 2011, slot. “Avengers” is positioned last among its upcoming pics so that characters figuring in the ensemble-superheroes action including Thor and Captain America can be introduced with their own movies. – From The Hollywood Reporter