Much has been made about how different Thor: Ragnarok is from the God of Thunder’s previous two solo outings. While they definitely still had some enjoyable moments, 2011’s Thor and 2013’s Thor: The Dark World were much more serious-minded than the anarchic, energetic and joke-filled Ragnarok. A big part of the upcoming movie’s unique tone is, of course, down to director Taika Waititi, previously known for his indie comedies like What We Do In The Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
It’s not surprising, then, that Waititi has decided to break away from prior films in the series and treat Ragnarok as if it were the first ever Thor movie. While he respects the work done by Kenneth Branagh and Alan Taylor, Waititi clearly wants to put his own stamp on the Asgardian’s world.
“I think the main challenge, for me, was actually working at getting away from the other two films. And again… Yes, the other films are there, and it’s great to watch them. I think they’re good films. But I don’t mind if people start with this film. In my mind, for me, this is is my ‘Thor 1.’
I’ve seen the other films, and I respect them a lot. But I can’t spend too much time thinking about this as a threequel. Because then I’ll get tied up too much in respecting what went before, and respecting what’s going to come after. It just, for me, has to be a standalone thing. Because this could be the only time I do this. And I just want to make it a version of a Marvel film in the best way possible.”
While we haven’t seen the film just yet and as such, can’t say for sure, the overwhelmingly positive response to the trailers released for Thor: Ragnarok so far suggest that Waititi’s on the right track with his approach to the threequel. The last two Thor movies are generally considered to be mid-level MCU entries, but Ragnarok has got the fans excited in a way that past films haven’t.
It’s likely that Waititi’s rebooted version of the God of Thunder will be the preferred incarnation of Chris Hemsworth’s character going forward, too. For instance, we know that Thor will team up with the Guardians of the Galaxy in Avengers: Infinity War and their unlikely alliance will no doubt provide much of the movie’s comic relief.
With that in mind, we’re definitely curious to see what direction Waititi takes the hero in when Thor: Ragnarok storms theatres on November 3rd.
