Taika Waititi has shot to mainstream recognition over the last several years by directing Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster Thor: Ragnaork, which is widely regarded as one of the franchise’s finest entries, as well as winning an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay thanks to anti-hate satire Jojo Rabbit, which was also nominated for Best Picture.
Not only that, but the filmmaker was a key part of The Mandalorian‘s first run having scored an Emmy nod for voicing droid IG-11 and also directing the season 1 finale, as well as having a Star Wars movie of his own in development. Of course, Waititi already had a reputation as one of independent cinema’s brightest talents after writing and directing the acclaimed Boy, What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople long before he entered the world of beloved mega budget properties, but his next effort will find him once again in a studio blockbuster.
The 45 year-old will be seen on the big screen later this year in Free Guy, which sees him re-teaming with Green Lantern co-star Ryan Reynolds, even though the two of them like to pretend that the movie never existed. And in a recent social media exchange between the duo, Reynolds claimed that the footage left on the cutting room floor would be more than enough to give Waititi’s character a movie of his own.
Your outtakes should be its own movie. In fact, it might be.
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) October 5, 2020
With Waititi playing one of Free Guy‘s real world figures and Reynolds remaining stuck in the game, there likely won’t be much onscreen interaction between the two, which is a shame given their combined comic talents, but the action comedy is certainly shaping up to be one of the most entertaining movies of the year, not to mention a rare high profile release to hit theaters before 2020 mercifully draws to a close.
