‘I think she needs to be less mythical and more real and go for the fighting,’ actress says about her character Io’s role in next installment.

“Clash of the Titans” fought its way through withering critical reviews and a ho-hum domestic box office this spring to become a worldwide hit with almost $500 million in ticket sales. For the upcoming sequel, Warner Bros. is changing up key pieces of the franchise — from bringing in a new director to shooting the movie in 3-D rather than converting in it post-production — in a quest to make the next “Clash” even more successful.

Other aspects of the swords-and-sandals epic will remain the same, including the return of Sam Worthington and, as MTV News has now learned, Gemma Arterton.

“I think I am doing the second ‘Clash,’ ” the 24-year-old actress told us while promoting “The Disappearance of Alice Creed.” “I don’t know anything about it yet though. It’s one of those things.”

Arterton went on to give the standard line about how actors that sign on to franchises are optioned for further installments, but in previous interviews, she has indicated that no such deal was in place. In any case, now we know: Arterton will return as Worthington’s love interest Io. What’s more, she’s hoping her character gets to kick a little more ass in the sequel.

“I think she needs to be less mythical and more real and go for the fighting,” she said. “It’s fun, as well, doing all that stuff.”

Dan Mazeau (“The Flash”) and David Leslie Johnson (“Orphan”) are developing the story with Greg Berlanti (“Green Lantern”), and then Mazeau and Johnson will pen the script. Louis Leterrier is out as director, and the top name mentioned to take over helming duties is Jonathan Liebesman (“Battle: Los Angeles”). The film will be shot with 3-D cameras and is being developed for a release as early as spring 2012.

Source