Production on Thor: Ragnarok is a little over a week out from kicking off in Australia, and as we showed you just a few days ago, Marvel Studios is hard at work building the massive, and highly impressive, sets. For director Taika Waititi, who is gearing up to tackle the third Thor installment, this is a pretty big change for his typical style of films. Currently promoting the US Limited Release of Hunt for the Wilderpeople (it’ll get an expanded release in July), Waititi sat down with the folks at the Verge and explained what it’s like going from films like Wilderpeople and What We Do in the Shadows to something like Thor: Ragnarok.
It hasn’t been that different. So far it’s been good! I’ve been more organized, which is saying something, for a guy like me to be organized. I’m surrounded by really intelligent, amazing people. I’ve got access to great minds and great resources. So I’m at a real advantage. In terms of the studio thing, these people don’t act like a studio. They’re cool, smart storytellers. I’ve been enjoying hanging out with them. And I’ve made commercials, so I’ve worked with the worst people in the world. Nothing could be more restrictive than working with people in advertising.
Over the years, Waititi has established his own very specific sense of humor within his films. However, as he joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and more specifically the Thor franchise, it’s hard to imagine that Ragnarok will reflect that same humor. For Waititi, he hopes to make the film as much ‘his’ as possible.
Yes, it will. Until it doesn’t. [Laughs] I don’t know, I can only hope. I’ve got to bring as much of myself as I can to this, and then see how it goes. You obviously need people overseeing the bigger picture, the next five movies or whatever. Otherwise we’d all be left to our own devices, and God knows what would happen.
With that said, how much control does Waititi hope to have over Ragnarok? According to the director, he’s not too worried about that. As he notes, having not created Thor, he doesn’t feel as strong a need to have complete creative control over the character.
I don’t think it’s as important with someone else’s source material, with someone else’s stuff. I didn’t invent Thor, so I don’t feel a passionate need to have creative control over him. I wonder how Stan Lee feels about me doing a Thor film? [Laughs]
Thor: Ragnarok, which will be directed by Waititi, stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Cate Blanchett as Hela, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk. Also appearing in the film are Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster, Karl Urban as Surge, Idris Elba as Heimdall, and Anthony Hopkins as Odin. Ragnarok will hit movie theaters on November 3rd, 2017. Until then, you can follow along here for any and all updates concerning the movie.
Source: The Verge.