Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi has a very special birthday message for Chris Hemsworth. Marvel has certainly made some out-of-the-box hiring choices when it comes to who they select to helm their films. The most unique, however, has to be the choice of Taika Waititi as the director for the third Thor film. Known for his quirky indie films focusing on life in New Zealand, Waititi was sought to bring out the already-present comedic elements of the Thor franchise. And with word that 80% of the upcoming film was improvised, it looks like he did just that.

The trailers we've seen so far for Thor: Ragnarok have certainly generated more buzz than the last installment in the franchise. Part of that is down to the tone of the film, equal parts absurd, action-packed, and uplifting. It's also helped that Waititi has regularly taken to social media to interact with fans. Rather than providing earnest insights into the film or sharing details like James Gunn does, however, Waititi's posts are generally playful. He's confident in his voice as a filmmaker and is certainly not trying to win over fans or Hollywood. As a result, his idiosyncratic nature can shine through.

Taika Waititi's latest tweet comes in the form of a birthday greeting for Thor: Ragnarok star Chris Hemsworth. The New Zealander and Aussie seem to have become fast friends on the set, evident from a funny new image of the duo that the director shared.

Along with the tongue-in-cheek nature of the photo, you can see Waititi in the motion capture suit he wore for the character of Korg. A character from the Planet: Hulk comic, Korg will be one of the combatants on Sakaar who join with Thor and Hulk during their rebellion. Waititi often has either a small or large role in his films, but this will be his first time as a mo-cap character.

As we get closer to the release of Thor: Ragnarok, promotion for the film has offered new insight into the movie. We recently got a new set of images from the film, along with two new magazine covers featuring the Hulk and Thor. The latest Japanese poster for the film also put Hela front and center, looming over the rest of the cast.

Along with the new visual material, we also finally learned that Sif will be returning for Ragnarok. The character has been critically underused in the franchise so far, and her absence from marketing doesn't bode well for her arc in the new movie. Still, it's good to know the powerful warrior will be back to battle Hela and her forces in Thor: Ragnarok.

Next: Thor 3 Trailer Leads in Post-SDCC Buzz

Source: Taika Waititi