Disney has set May 1, 2015, as the release date for Marvel Studios' sequel to The Avengers.

Last week, Disney revealed that Joss Whedon, who co-wrote and directed The Avengers, is returning for a sequel after signing an exclusive deal with Marvel through June 2015.

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The original, released in early May, is the third-highest-grossing film of all time worldwide ($1.46 billion) and domestically ($617 million).

The studio is in production on Iron Man 3 -- Disney said Thursday that star Robert Downey Jr. hurt his ankle on-set, causing a slight production delay -- and will release the threequel May 3.

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After that, Marvel plans to release sequels Thor: The Dark World on Nov. 8, 2013, and Captain America: The Winder Soldier on April 4, 2014. Next will be a Guardians of the Galaxy movie, which still is seeking a director. The release date for Guardians is Aug. 1, 2014.