Marvel is keeping things a (Ragna)rockin’ in Phase 4. Okay, shitty puns aside, The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that a fourth Thor film is happening and Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi is set to return.
Best known for his vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows, the New Zealand director is credited with ‘fixing’ Thor by most MCU fans. Before Ragnarok, the God of Thunder was one of The Avengers ‘Big 3’ but his films failed to resonate with audiences in the same way. Ragnarok changed all that by embracing a tone similar to the one James Gunn nailed in the Guardians films.
If you need proof though, look no further than Def Pen’s Definitive Ranking of Marvel’s Infinity Saga. Thor landed at #20 and its sequel, Thor: The Dark World, landed at #22, just one short of the lowest spot. Ragnarok though? It landed at #6 and has a strong case to be in the top 5 depending on who you ask.
Waititi’s unique style was immediately coveted by a number of studios after Ragnarok. The director took on quite a full plate after the film released. So sadly, as exciting as it is, Thor 4 will see the death of one of those projects. (Or, re-death maybe?) The project in question is Waititi’s live-action Akira adaptation for Warner Bros. He was apparently fully committed and in the midst of an extensive talent search for the lead in that film. But, when Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios come knocking, it’s pretty hard to say no.
Thor 4 doesn’t have a release date (or even a title for that matter), yet. But, with Marvel’s grand return to Comic-Con literally days away, I’d expect that to change very soon.
