Just a few short years ago, Taika Waititi was best known for his offbeat indie comedies like What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople. He’s now viewed as one of the most in-demand filmmakers in the business, and that’s without even mentioning his on-camera roles as an actor.
It’s been a rapid rise to the top of the Hollywood pile to say the least, after he followed up Thor: Ragnarok, regarded by many fans as one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s best-ever entries, with the satirical Jojo Rabbit. Waititi landed an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, with the movie racking up an additional five nods including Best Picture.
Having recently wrapped Thor: Love and Thunder, the 45 year-old can currently be seen in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, and he plays the erstwhile villain in Ryan Reynolds’ Free Guy, which hits theaters tomorrow. On top of that, he’s also developing a new Star Wars blockbuster, and in a recent interview Waititi offered the merest of hints as to the direction he’s planning to head once he dives into a galaxy far, far away.
“It’s still in the ‘EXT. SPACE’ stage. But we’ve got a story. I’m really excited by it because it feels very me. I tend to go down that little sincerity alleyway in my films. I like to fool the viewer into thinking, ‘Ha it’s this!’, and then them going, ‘Damn it, you made me feel something!’.”
The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker split opinions right down the middle, and with the Skywalker Saga now over, Lucasfilm needs to ensure that it gets everyone back on board for the next era of Star Wars cinema. There are three new films in the works scheduled for release in 2023, 2025, and 2027, with some big names attached.
Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron is out of the gate first, while Kevin Feige and Loki creator Michael Waldron are in charge of another. But Waititi’s may be the most exciting based only on the quality of his filmography to date.
