Who’s this Taika Waititi bloke we’ve been hearing a lot about then? Well, he’s the 2017 New Zealander of the year, an Academy Awards and Sundance nominee, and the Southern Hemisphere’s best kept secret. He’s the man behind New Zealand’s highest-grossing film, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and cult horror comedy, What We Do in the Shadows. He’s also the dapper little bugger who’s directing Marvel Studio’s next big hit, Thor: Ragnarok. You know, the film with the former Home and Away stud and his pet hammer.
Despite his impressive resume, some people are still questioning Waititi’s credentials as the man in charge of the project. Some may have been satiated by the unexpected trailer that landed a few hours ago, but others still need convincing. Well, we here at Horror Geek Life are here to tell you to remain calm. Our man has everything under control. If you still need reassurance though, here’s a few reason why he’s the right man for the job.
5. Weird is Wonderful
It is not uncommon for Marvel to make ‘out there’ choices when it comes to their directors. Over the years the company has courted names like Quentin Tarantino and Edgar Wright for projects. Even eventual Iron Man director Jon Favreau had only made 3 feature films before landing the film that launched Phase One, and one of those was Elf.
Fans should know by now that these so-called lesser known directors are exactly what keeps the Marvel Cinematic Universe thriving. Sure, a guy like Stephen Spielberg might make great movies, but what the genre needs is new ideas and fresh talents, and that’s precisely what Waititi is.
4. Taika-esque
It is an important quality, for any man or woman chosen to direct a Marvel movie, to have their own voice. The best entries in the MCU back catalog have always been the ones made by director’s with a distinctive style. It makes what could be a run-of-the-mill superhero yarn into something unique, something special, and in some cases something that has a broader appeal than your average comic book fans.
In an interview with The Guardian, Taika described his films as being like “a fine balance between comedy and drama. And they deal mainly with the clumsiness of humanity.” That’s his USP. That’s what Taika Waititi can bring to the Marvel Universe that no one else ever has. There’s no doubt that when Thor: Ragnarok lands in cinemas, it will infallibly be “Taika-esque.”
3. He’s the Best in the World at What He Does
If you’ve never seen a Taika Waititi film then go out and watch them all now! OK, so we can’t physically force you to lock your doors, draw your blinds and binge watch everything Waititi has made prior to Thor: Ragnarok, but you’re strongly encouraged to go out and do it.
Whether it’s his misfit love movie Eagle Vs Shark (2007), the partly biographical Boy (2010), the Vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows (2014), or New Zealand’s highest grossing movie of all time Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016), Waititi has not made a dud flick. In fact he gets better and better with each new project.
Thor: Ragnarok will be his first big budget, studio movie. As long as he treats it like a small, indie comedy about a guy with a hammer then we’re pretty damn confident Thor will be another hit. Where that will lead for Waititi going forward is anybody’s guess.
2. Team Thor
If you’re worried that Waititi has never made a comic book movie before, nor has he ever expressed a love for comics, then simply watch the hilarious Team Thor.
Once you’ve watched this, all you need to do is imagine it on a much grander scale and you’ll have Thor: Ragnarok. Now that doesn’t look too bad, does it?
1. The Trailer
Still not convinced? Then watch the trailer. There really isn’t anything left to say after that.
Let us know your thoughts on Taika Waititi as director of Thor: Ragnarok, or anything else on the subject, in the comments section below.
Thor: Ragnarok stars is released on November 3, 2017.