In one of those rare cases where the rumor mills are actually accurate, director Taika Waititi confirmed that if Marvel Studios decides to make a fifth Thor movie, he won’t be involved. “I wouldn’t know if that’s [a Thor 5 happening] accurate,” Waititi said to Business Insider. “I know that I won’t be involved.”
Waititi completely revitalized the Thor character and franchise with the release of 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, which took the previously more stoic hero (played by Chris Hemsworth) and upped the comedy and weird factors. That continued into 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder, which had the same tone but without as much success, critically or financially. After the release of that film, rumors began to spread of Waititi leaving the character and franchise behind which, now, actually seems to be true.
So what’s the reason? Well, certainly there are many factors but the one Waititi is comfortable admitting to is timing. His next film is likely to be Klara and the Sun, based on the book by Kazuo Ishiguro. It’s about a robot girl who falls in love with a human family. Waititi is also, apparently, still working on a Star Wars movie, though that seems to be a bit more on the back burner (“It’s still marinating, he said. “I’ve been writing it.”). He’s also attached to other projects. “So that’s six, seven years gone,” Waititi said. “I’d imagine another Thor would be a lot sooner than that.”
“But I love Marvel,” he continued. “I love working with them. I love Chris.” And he has no problem with someone else picking up the Thor movies where he left off. “I would never feel like they are cheating on me,” Waititi laughed. “We’re in an open relationship, and it’s like if they want to see other people, I’m happy for that. I’d still get back into bed with them one day.”
Waititi’s right that a six or seven-year wait between Thor films seems excessive, especially with Love and Thunder so directly teeing up a new one with the Gorr’s daughter Love, as well as Hercules. But there’s a lot of Marvel on the way and Thor certainly has to be involved. If things go to plan, there will be two Avengers movies in the next four years. Thor would probably play a role there, and wouldn’t that suggest more story sometime in the next three or four years beyond that? Only Kevin Feige knows.
What we know is that Waititi’s next film, Next Goal Wins, opens this week. Marvel’s latest film, The Marvels, is now in theatres.
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