In the greater Marvel Cinematic
Universe film franchise, certain superheroes and their associated films tend to
represent particular storytelling genres from the original comic books they
were sourced from. We have Iron Man as the tech-using hero, Captain America as
the empowered soldier, Hulk as the monstrously strong force of nature, and
Doctor Strange for the magically-themed adventures. Then we have Thor, whose
genre seems to shift from “supernatural” to “cosmic” to “comedy” in three
successive films. The third, 2018’s “Thor: Ragnarok,” actually was helped by
its combination of spacefaring action and quirky hijinks. Marvel Studios seems
to be sticking with that for “Thor 4.”
Entertainment Weekly notes that Taika Waititi, the New Zelander filmmaker
that has been instrumental in the tonal shift of the MCU “Thor” films from
straight super-heroics to potentially zany misadventures, is on board for “Thor
4” as both writer and director. Ostensibly this also means that, despite the definitive
finale of “Avengers: Endgame” last April, Thor played by Chris Hemsworth has a
feasible reason to return, as he is merely off-world (with the Guardians of the
Galaxy) rather than dead, aged (via time travel) or retired from the superhero
gig.
The fact that Waititi’s return to
Thor and the MCU was confirmed now is notable, although it could also serve to
sweeten fandom attendance at the upcoming 2019 San Diego Comic Con, where
Marvel Studios does have a panel to discuss the post-“Endgame” scenario of the
franchise. Another thing confirmed by word of the director’s return to the Marvel
Studios production, is that Waititi is now officially off the planned Warner
Bros. Pictures’ live-action remake of the seminal 1988 anime film “Akira,”
which was due to be released in 2021.
While already established as a
hit filmmaker in his native New Zealand with local blockbusters like 2016’s “Hunt
for the Wilderpeople,” Taika Waititi became an internationally prominent auteur
following “Thor: Ragnarok.” The retooling of the genre and aesthetics made the
third MCU Thor film into the best-reviewed and highest-earning of its
mini-trilogy. Waititi also followed fellow MCU director Jon Favreau by acting
in the production, providing motion-capture and voice to the rock-like humanoid
alien Korg, who immediately became a dark horse breakout character as well.
Any further information on “Thor
4,” such as if other surviving characters of the sub-franchise like Tessa
Thompson’s Valkyrie and Jeff Goldblum’s Grandmaster could return, will probably
be revealed at the Marvel Studios panel at SDCC 2019, happening July 18-21.
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