Kiwi director Taika Waititi spotted meeting with Hollywood star Ryan Gosling

Taika Waititi was photographed leaving a Los Angeles restaurant with Ryan Gosling. Photo / AP & Supplied.

Is Kiwi director Taika Waititi recruiting more big Hollywood names to star in Thor: Love and Thunder?

Marvel fans are excited that one of Tinseltown's biggest actors, Ryan Gosling, could be joining the likes of Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson and Natalie Portman in the new Thor sequel, after the La La Land star was seen meeting with Waititi over the weekend.

JustJared.com captured photos of the pair leaving a Los Angeles restaurant on Saturday, with production on Thor: Love and Thunder set to get underway early next year.

The pair are yet to announce any collaborative projects but the photos fueled speculation Gosling could be set to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Is Ryan Gosling set to join Chris Hemsworth, Taika Waititi and Natalie Portman in Thor: Love and Thunder? Photo / AP.

However, the lunch date may simply have been in celebration of Waititi's 44th birthday, although Cinemablend.com notes that the duo haven't shared a public history of friendship.

But the 38-year-old actor has previously been linked to the role of Marvel's Doctor Strange and also a spot in Waititi's film Akira, which has been put on hold due to his commitments with Thor: Love and Thunder.

Cinemaland.com report that Waititi also has a British football documentary Next Goal Wins in the pipeline, but given that project focuses on Samoan soccer players, early speculation has instead linked Gosling with the new Thor project.