Taika Waititi has to be one of the busiest people working in Hollywood right now, which makes a change from just over a decade ago when the New Zealand native had yet to get his big break and was slumming it with bit parts in the likes of DC’s Green Lantern. But over the past few years, Waititi has risen up the ranks, going from acclaimed indie movies to major blockbusters to awards-bait and back again.
Part of what makes Waititi such a coveted filmmaker is that he has fingers in all of the pies, as he typically writes, directs, produces and even stars in his own works. This means that the Kiwi director’s projects always sport a unique tone that makes it obvious who the creative force behind them is, even if the subject matter varies from, say, a vampire comedy to a story about a child living in Nazi Germany.
With Waititi’s latest Marvel flick, Thor: Love and Thunder, hitting theaters this July, let’s take a look at every single movie and TV show that Waititi currently has in the works. Note: we’re only going to run through those productions that have Waititi behind the camera in some form, as we’d be here all day if we included all of his upcoming acting roles, too.
Upcoming movies
Next Goal Wins
Sports comedy Next Goal Wins has actually been in the can for a couple of years now, as filming occurred back in 2019, but so far Disney has yet to release it through its Searchlight Pictures banner. A classic underdog story, it’ll tell the story of how American Samoa, viewed as the world’s worst soccer team, fought for qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Michael Fassbender and Elisabeth Moss star.
Untitled Star Wars film
No offense, Next Goal Wins, but the most exciting upcoming Waititi movie has to be his untitled Star Wars flick. Not much is known about it as of yet since the director has admitted he’s still working on getting the script right, but Waititi has promised that he’s dedicated to capturing the correct tone and will introduce brand-new characters into the saga in order to “expand the world.” Yup, we’re into that.
Tower of Terror
Last November, Disney’s long-percolating Tower of Terror movie ⏤ based on the theme park ride of the same name ⏤ finally got a shot of new life when Waititi boarded the project. Scarlett Johansson has been nominally attached to the film for years, but it remains to be seen if she’ll be interested in partnering up with her Jojo Rabbit director again on this one.
The Incal
Yet another would-be blockbuster Waititi is on course to write and direct is The Incal, an adaptation of the 1970s sci-fi comic series of the same name from Alejandro Jodorowsky and Moebius that centers around an intergalactic private eye. The original source material spawned what fans call the Jodoverse, so Taika must be hoping for this to be the opening chapter in a major new franchise.
Movies stuck in development
Akira
Waititi fans no doubt already know all about his long-in-the-tooth Akira movie. Warner Bros. has been trying to bring the seminal anime to live-action since acquiring the rights in 2002, with Waititi boarding in 2017. Unfortunately, the project has yet to have a breakthrough. Nevertheless, Waititi is not letting it go. “I’m still trying [to make ‘Akira’],” he stressed in fall 2021. “I don’t wanna give up on that.”
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon was clearly a big influence on Thor: Ragnarok, so it came as no surprise when Waititi was hired to direct Fox/Disney’s reboot of the classic sci-fi property in 2019. While it was initially announced as a live-action film, producer John Davis revealed last summer that Waititi had elected to switch it to an animated production instead. No further updates have arrived since then.
We’re Wolves
Following 2014’s What We Do In the Shadows, co-directors Waititi and Jemaine Clement unveiled plans to do a spinoff all about Rhys Darby’s Anton and his werewolf pack, to be titled We’re Wolves. While the Shadows-verse has expanded to TV since then, this sequel movie has yet to be green(or rather moon)lit. Darby is still dedicated to making it happen, however.
Upcoming TV series
Time Bandits
Over on the TV front, Waititi was hired by Apple TV Plus back in 2019 to write and direct a TV adaptation of Terry Gilliam’s classic ’80s fantasy-comedy Time Bandits. The original film sees an 11-year-old boy embark on time-traveling adventures with a band of piratical dwarfs. Reports say that Peter Dinklage was offered a lead role this April, and Gilliam is attached to produce.
Oompa Loompas/Untitled Roald Dahl series
Netflix is developing a bevy of Roald Dahl adaptations including Oompa Loompas, an animated series set to explore the origins of Willy Wonka’s workforce from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Waititi is also confirmed to be working on a second Dahl-based animation for the streamer, although specifics are unknown right now, as updates has been slim since this news came out in March 2020.
Returning TV series
What We Do in the Shadows (season four)
In addition to new projects, Waititi will also continue to serve as producer on a bunch of returning TV series. First up is What We Do in the Shadows, which returns to FX for what will no doubt be another acclaimed season on July 12.
Reservation Dogs (season two)
Waititi struck gold again with FX teen comedy series Reservation Dogs, which premiered to much acclaim last summer. The show, which follows a group of Indigenous kids living in rural Oklahoma, is back for its sophomore run this August.
Our Flag Means Death (season two)
On top of executive producing and directing, Waititi also stars in HBO’s pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death as the legendary Blackbeard. He’ll be back alongside old pal and on-screen love interest Rhys Darby for a second season, which was ordered this June.
