Over the past few years, filmmaker Taika Waititi has become a household name. His Marvel debut Thor: Ragnarok introduced the director to a larger audience, and he even won an Academy Award for his work on Jojo Rabbit. Marvel fans are eager to see what Waititi has up his sleeve for the upcoming fourth Thor movie, titled Love and Thunder. And the director recently trolled the rabid fanbase by presenting a "script" which featured a very much alive Tony Stark.
Iron Man's death came in Avengers: Endgame, and was an emotional end to the character's story. While it was unlikely that we'd ever see Robert Downey Jr.'s signature hero on the big screen again, Taika Waititi added some salt to that wound on a recent Instagram Live. In addition to doing a watch party for Thor: Ragnarok, the acclaimed director/writer/actor also teased what's to come for Love and Thunder. Including... Tony Stark?
During his recent Instagram Live, Taika Waititi showed off pages from Thor: Love and Thunder's script. This includes a surprising reunion between Thor and Iron Man. While this excited some fans, a closer look at the dialogue reveals that his is obviously a practical joke by Waititi. The pages read as follows:
Thor: Tony?!Tony: Wazzuuuuurrp!Thor: You're back!Tony: In the sack, baby!Thor: But how? I saw you die.Tony: Science. Also, Thanos is back.Thor: Mother Frigga, no. So... we're assembling again?Tony: Again, again. It's GO TIME. Everyone who died is coming back. And this tim we're avenging even more than ever. From now on we'll be known as... The Avengerers.
Way to mess with our emotions, Taika. While some fans may have been excited to see Tony and Thor's name on the page, a closer examination of the "script" shows that it was just one big joke. We probably should have known that the filmmaker wouldn't be sharing pages online before Thor: Love and Thunder has even started up production.
Taika Waititi has a unique sense of humor, and is constantly cracking jokes on social media. As such, his live re-watch of Thor: Ragnarok was no exception. While the filmmaker peeled back the curtain on how the beloved threequel became a reality, he also took the time to mess with the rabid Marvel fanbase. Because can't we all use a laugh during these uncertain times?
The Thor franchise has had an interesting life in theaters. While the first movie was a simply fish out of water tale, The Dark World failed to resonate with audiences and critics when it hit theaters back in 2013. Taika Waititi breathed new life into both the property and the character itself, allowing Chris Hemsworth to flex his comedic muscles in the threequel. And the success of Thor: Ragnarok was so significant that the God of Thunder is the first hero to get a fourth solo movie.
Thor: Love and Thunder marks Taika Waititi's sophomore effort helming a Marvel movie. But he also plays a role himself, Thor's rock friend Korg. Korg got to pop up for a brief but hilarious role in Avengers: Endgame, and even participated in the movie's epic final battle. Smart money says he appears in the upcoming fourth movie, alongside some other familiar faces.
While the story of Thor: Love and Thunder remains a total mystery, Taika Waititi is playing with some very exciting concepts. The biggest revelation thus far was that Natalie Portmans' Jane Foster will return to the MCU. What's more, she'll be taking on the mantle of Mighty Thor throughout the movie's runtime. Fans are eager to see if Jane's cancer storyline from the comics will be adapted onto the big screen, although the director has been cagey about that possibility.
Vin Diesel also recently let slip that the Guardians of the Galaxy will appear in some fashion during Thor: Love and Thunder. This makes sense, as Thor joined the team aboard The Benatar during his final moments in Avengers: Endgame. Although how substantial their role will be remains a mystery.
Thor: Love and Thunder is currently expected to arrive in theaters on February 18th, 2022. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
