With Thor: Ragnarok, director Taika Waititi brings ‘comedy of the mundane’ to Hollywood
Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Anthony Hopkins and Jeff Goldblum are among the stars in what critics are calling the most fun film to come out of the Marvel Universe
Known mostly for his inventive, low-budget comedies, Taika Waititi joked last year that his deeply affecting and funny adventure Hunt for the Wilderpeople was “The Revenant, without any money.”
If that sounds like a stretch, it should be noted that Waititi’s fourth feature went on to become the highest-grossing locally-made release in New Zealand history, smashing his own record for 2010’s Boy.
Film review – Thor: Ragnarok is the funniest film yet from Marvel Cinematic Universe
A year on, New Zealand’s most talked about director since Peter Jackson is on the cusp of releasing his first Hollywood feature, having been trusted with the US$180 million third instalment in Marvel’s Thor trilogy.
“What goes through your head is, ‘OK, well Marvel’s lost their mind and they’re just asking anyone to do movies now’,” says the 42-year-old, recalling the moment the Disney-owned studio came calling.
Early reviews for Thor: Ragnarok have been glowing, with Waititi widely praised for turning what many believe to be Marvel’s dullest Avenger into the wisecracking Cary Grant of the comic book genre.
“We knew it was there when we watched Ghostbusters and he had a couple of lines in the other Marvel films,” says Waititi.
“Just from knowing him, I thought, ‘I like you more than the version of Thor that I’ve seen in the other films – I’d much rather hang out with you’.”
