Summary
Chris Hemsworth’sThor 5is reportedly being developed at Marvel Studios, but with one notable name potentially missing from the project as Marvel Studios searches for a replacement: Taika Waititi.
While the firstThormovie was well-received, its sequel,Thor 2: The Dark World, wasseen as a let-down. The third installment,Thor: Ragnarok, performed better and saw director Waititi put a more light-hearted spin on the character, netting him an opportunity to direct the fourthThorfilm. Unfortunately, lightning wouldn’t strike twice for Waititi, and while it was by no means the worst Marvel Studios movie,Thor:Love and Thunderwas still a flop, with many fans voicing concerns aboutwhether the MCU could still salvage Thorafter such a major drop-off for the character in his solo outings.
While evenHemsworth had a negative outlook onThor 4, Marvel Studios still has plans for the character and has zeroed in on what needs to change. According toDaniel Richtman, who reliably reports on such matters, a fifthThorfilm is getting in gear at the studio. However, Waititi won’t return to direct the upcoming project. According to Richtman, the studio is actively seeking a replacement for the filmmaker behind the last twoThorfilms, likely indicating that confidence in his more humorous take on the character backstage has shifted after the failure ofLove and Thunderto make good on one adapting of the most exciting storylines from the comics in years.
WhileWaititi expressed conditional interest inThor 5, it was apparent that the director wouldn’t be called back to helm the next project, as many cited his unique approach to the character as a major reason forLove and Thunder’s failure to connect with audiences, relegating the success ofRagnarokto novelty. For his part, Waikiki sees no fault in his approach and defendedLove and Thunder.“Some audiences really loved the humor part of it. Some audiences really wanted it to be just like the comics,” Waititi said in an interview for a Movie Special Book. “But, you know, I always say, if you want it to be exactly like the comics, read the comic. You’ve got to change things here and there to make it a film.”
That viewpoint aside, there’s a lot of potential for another film, withSecret Invasionsetting up a potentialThor 5storylinewell in the view of many. However, with three different directors already on the books (Kenneth Branagh forThor,Alan Taylor forThor: The Dark World,and Waititi helming the last two), there’s no doubt that the job has taken on a daunting aspect that might scare off a few potential filmmakers. With the current phase of the MCU slowly making its way back to the high-stakes territory that tends to bring heroes together, a connection to the rest of the MCU will also have to be taken into consideration when planning out the nextThorfilm.
One way or another, keeping Thor in the MCU is important to Marvel Studios' plans, as aLokiproducer confirmed a Loki and Thor reunionis coming eventually and is the endgame for the much beloved Disney Plus series. For now, fans must wait to see how the nextThorfilm plays out and what role the brothers will play in the MCU’s future.
TheThorfilms are currently available for streaming on Disney Plus.
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