Forget what we do in the shadows. Taika Waititi might be preparing to tell audiences around the globe what we do in Asgard.
The Wrap has a report that Waititi – who helmed Eagle vs. Shark and the vampire comedy What We Do In The Shadows -- is in negotiations to helm Thor: Ragnarok for Marvel Studios. A representative for Marvel refused to comment on the story, but The Wrap says that Waititi beat out Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland, 30 Minutes or Less) for the opportunity to direct the third standalone Thor movie.
Two comedy directors? That says a lot about the possible tone that Marvel is going after for Thor: Ragnarok -- which is very strange given the storyline that we believe the sequel is going to follow. Ragnarok, from what we know from the comic books, is an end-of-days battle launched by Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the God of Mischief, that brings death and destruction to Asgard and the surrounding realms. It’s not supposed to be a laugh riot. Why, then, is Marvel looking at directors who have a comedic background?
Taika Waititi has a diverse creative background. Back in 2005, he actually was nominated for an Oscar for his work on the short film Two Cars, One Night. Here’s a clip:
But his biggest credits since have been comedies. He helmed episodes of Flight of the Conchords, Super City and The Inbetweeners. And he made a big splash at Sundance with the mockumentary horror comedy What We Do In The Shadows:
If, in fact, Marvel goes with this hire, I think it sends a clear message that the approach to Thor on screen so far has not been working. Kenneth Branagh and Alan Taylor each treated Odin’s son like Shakespeare, and the result in both Thor and Thor: The Dark World were mixed. Marvel has been bold with their hiring choices, handing Iron Man 3 over to the relatively untested Shane Black and, of course, hiring genre guru James Gunn for Guardians of the Galaxy. They both worked out.
Thor: Ragnarok is due in theaters on July 28, 2017. Let’s see if Marvel confirms this hire before the weekend is up.
