Movies Superhero Movies

By /Nov. 14, 2023 6:00 pm EST

The Marvel Cinematic Universe created its own factory line for directors, grabbing exciting new indie filmmakers and handing them multi-million-dollar movies straight away — sometimes for their second feature ever. Some did great things, some crashed under the pressure, but when Taika Waititi joined the MCU and directed “Thor: Ragnarok,” it came as a breath of fresh air for the cinematic universe. He added a visual flair and completely reinvented the God of Thunder as the star of a comedy, making him one of the best characters in the MCU.

Then, things went south in “Thor: Love and Thunder.” The movie failed to capture what made its predecessor special, and suffered from some of the worst VFX in a Marvel movie, as VFX artists became fed up with Marvel’s horrible crunch culture. It didn’t help that Waititi himself seemed to make fun of the VFX in his own movie at one point, or that he threw out his own script.

Despite “Love and Thunder” ending with a new beginning for the God of Thunder, it seems Waititi will not be a part of the future of the character. Speaking with Business Insider, Waititi addressed rumors that “Thor 5” is already in development. “I wouldn’t know if that’s accurate,” Waititi said of the rumors. “I know that I won’t be involved.”

“I’m going to concentrate on these other films that I’ve signed on for,” he added.

The idea of post-credits scenes that teased the future of the MCU was once part of what made those films special and turned Marvel into a cultural powerhouse. But clearly, things have changed. Nowadays, we get more teases than the MCU knows what to do with. There have been plenty of characters introduced years ago who we still haven’t heard from yet, and entire storylines teased at the end of movies that were abandoned or outright ignored in sequels. Just look at how “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness” completely ignored the end credits tag from the first “Doctor Strange” and did away with the threat of Mordo off-screen.

“Love and Thunder” ended not only with Thor living with an adopted daughter, but with the reveal that Zeus is now declaring war on the God of Thunder and sending his son Hercules after him. Whether Waititi wants to return or not, it would be a shame to see those plotlines just dropped. Here’s hoping whoever sits in the director’s chair next can incorporate those elements into the next film.

 Taika Waititi helped redefine Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But when Chris Hemsworth returns for another solo film, Waititi won’t be joining him.  Read More  

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