Two major players in the MCU became the talk of Twitter last week when racy paparazzi photos of them went viral. Director Taika Waititi and actress Tessa Thompson were snapped on the balcony of Waititi’s home in Bondi, Australia, with the pair captured during an intimate moment along with British singer Rita Ora. None of the three individuals have publicly responded to the photos yet, but there’s been much speculation that they’re in an open relationship.
As you’d expect, all this interest in Waititi and Thompson’s personal lives has reached up the ladder to Disney execs and, according to one report, they’re not happy about the situation. The Daily Telegraph Australia has shared that Disney/Marvel’s anger stems from the fact that this is “not exactly the image” they’re looking to project in relation to one of their biggest franchises.
The Telegraph goes on to write that, while the studio has always been well aware of Waititi’s reputation for being a “party animal,” they feel that these pictures “cross a line” when it comes to the family-friendly image they like to maintain. The outlet also confirms that Waititi has been reprimanded in some fashion over the incident, though it’s unclear how much trouble the filmmaker is in.
In any case, the director and Tessa Thompson are busy shooting Thor: Love and Thunder in Australia, with Ora also believed to be involved in some capacity, likely as one of the many celebrity cameos – including Matt Damon, Melissa McCarthy and Russell Crowe – that will be squeezed into the pic. The New Zealand native is involved with Disney’s other jewel in the crown, Star Wars, too, as he’s attached to helm a future installment in the saga.
Taika Waititi is a hugely popular figure, then, not to mention an Oscar winner. As such, Disney will no doubt be keen to keep hold of him despite any displeasure they might have over these racy photos making their way online.
Thor: Love and Thunder is scheduled to hit theaters on May 6th, 2022.