Thor 4’s Taika Waititi Reveals How He Finally Convinced A Studio Like Marvel To Take A Chance On Him
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Thor 4’s Taika Waititi went from being New Zealand’s best-kept secret to one of Hollywood’s most celebrated creators. But that wasn’t always the case. When the New Zealander was announced as the director of Thor: Ragnarok, Marvel’s decision left the public scratching their heads. Given the success of the sequel, the director proved himself to the naysayers. The Oscar-winning director revealed how he finally convinced a studio like Marvel to take a chance on him.
Taika Waititi’s rise in Hollywood has been a hard-fought one. But like many directors from outside of Hollywood, executives wanted him to repeat his previous success instead of giving him a real shot. The multihyphenated creator said about his early Hollywood offers:
I must give Taika Waititi kudos for showing the film industry his range rather than giving up his dreams. His story doesn’t sound too far from comparable stories of other prominent figures. Oftentimes, Hollywood wants creators to replicate the work that first caught executives’ eyes. Sometimes, this practice works for translations, but it can also pigeonhole the artist. Fortunately Waititi was able to change the studios’ minds.
During his Interview Magazine conversation with Godzilla vs. Kong’s Eiza Gonzalez, Taika Waititi revealed his versatility caught the eye of Marvel. That’s when Marvel picked him to direct Thor: Ragnarok. He commented on the life-changing moment:
Marvel’s risk-taking decision paid off for Taika Waititi in so many ways. As Waititi stated, the studio backing him led to other Hollywood executives opening their doors to his unique ideas. The Oscar-nominated Jojo Rabbit and Thor: Ragnarok proved the director’s unique vision can be successful.
Now Taika Waititi is everywhere from television to film with many projects in the works. But one project viewers are waiting on from the Oscar winner is Thor: Love and Thunder. But Marvel fans will have to wait until May 6, 2022 to see the director’s vision come to life.
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A boy from Greenwood, South Carolina. CinemaBlend Contributor. An animation enthusiast (anime, US and international films, television). Freelance writer, designer and artist. Lover of music (US and international).