“You know what? I had no interest in doing one of those films,” he said on the podcast.
Taika Waititi and Chris Hemsworth on the set of "Thor: Love and Thunder". Photo / Jasin Boland, Marvel Studios
“It wasn’t on my plan for my career as an auteur. But I was poor and I’d just had a second child, and I thought, ‘You know what, this would be a great opportunity to feed these children.’
“And Thor, let’s face it - it was probably the least popular franchise,” he continued, admitting he’d never read the comics as a child.
Thor: Ragnarok earned $853 million (NZ$1.3bn) at the global box office. Thor: Love and Thunder topped out at a still-strong $760 million worldwide ($1.2bn).
Director Taika Waititi poses for a portrait to promote his film "Next Goal Wins" during the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2023, in Toronto. Photo / AP
While promoting his brand-new film, Next Goal Wins - which premieres in New Zealand on December 7 — the director spoke to Business Insider revealing whether or not he will return for another Thor movie.
Responding to rumours that Marvel Cinematic Universe is developing a fifth film, Waititi said: “I wouldn’t know if that’s accurate,” adding, “I know that I won’t be involved ... I’m going to concentrate on these other films that I’ve signed on for.”
Noting that the projects all together will equate to “six, seven years”, he continued to say that another Thor film will need to be in production much sooner and insisted, “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.”
While Marvel has not announced whether a fifth Thor film is in their plans, the character is still very much alive in the fictional universe, presumably leaving the door open for his return.
The bombshell revelation comes after the Academy Award winner – and his stunt double – took time out of a big HBO production being filmed in Aotearoa to promote New Zealand to the overseas market.
The writer, director, actor and producer helped make and starred in an advert targeted at the valuable North American market and will be launched around his HBO Max show, Our Flag Means Death, which he’s making here.
The ad was filmed last December over three days, with the opening scenes at Piha. Waititi and his team worked closely on the concept and scripts with Tourism NZ, which had the goal of displaying the parts of the tourism experience it wanted to promote.
