Taika Waititi, the genius behind the wildly successful Thor movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, recently got candid about what drove him to tackle superhero territory. While he’s known for his unique directorial style and offbeat storytelling, his initial foray into the MCU was a surprising turn in his career trajectory.
During the latest episode of the SmartLess podcast, Taika peeled back the curtain on his decision to dive into the world of Thor. He confessed that, initially, directing a Marvel property wasn’t on his radar as a filmmaker. In fact, it wasn’t part of his grand plan for his career as an auteur. But life had its own plans, as Taika candidly revealed.
He opened up about a pivotal moment in his life, acknowledging that financial circumstances played a significant role in his decision-making process. With the weight of financial responsibilities and a growing family on his shoulders, Taika expressed his rationale for taking on the gig in his characteristically candid style. “I had no interest in doing one of those films,” he admitted. “It wasn’t on my plan for my career as an auteur. But I was poor and I’d just had a second child. I thought, ‘You know what, this would be a great opportunity to feed these children.’”
It’s a refreshingly honest take on how life’s practicalities sometimes steer creative decisions. Despite his initial reservations, Taika took the leap into the Marvel Universe with Thor: Ragnarok, a film that injected new life and humor into a franchise that might not have been the most popular among Marvel fans at the time.
Reflecting on his unfamiliarity with the character and franchise, Taika admitted that Thor wasn’t a hero he grew up with. “They called and said ‘do you want to do this?’ And Thor – let’s face it, was probably [Marvel’s] least popular franchise,” he mused. His research consisted of diving into just one comic, yet even after that, the character remained a bit of an enigma to him.
Despite his success with Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, Taika humorously confirmed his absence from the next installment, expressing a lighthearted perspective on the franchise moving forward without him. He playfully likened his relationship with Marvel to an open one, expressing his willingness for them to explore other directors, saying, “I would never feel like they are cheating on me. 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.”
Taika’s candidness about his motivations and his relaxed attitude toward the MCU’s future showcase his refreshing honesty and humility—a rare sight in the glitz and glam of Hollywood. His journey from reluctant director to a pivotal force in the MCU is a testament to embracing opportunities, even when they don’t align with initial plans, and finding humor in the ever-evolving nature of creative collaborations.
