Thor: Ragnarok director Taiki Waititi is explaining why he's open to directing more stories in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but has no interest in helming a Star Wars movie. Even though the release of the third Thor solo movie is a little under two weeks away, critics are already declaring the movie "a triumph" and "boldest Marvel Movie yet," crediting in Waititi for the film's distinctly different tone that is much more lighthearted than the previous two installments featuring the God of Thunder.
And while stellar critics' notices don't always equate to box office success (read: Blade Runner 2049), long-range box office projections are targeting Thor: Ragnarok to open in the neighborhood of $90 million domestically, all but securing that the film as yet another MCU blockbuster. That's obviously good news for Waititi, who comes from the indie world and has a distinct, freestyle filmmaking approach different to how most tentpoles work. The movie industry clearly has taken notice of Waititi's gifts, and Warner Bros. has already approached the director about helming its live-action version of Akira. On top of that, there appears to be plenty of room for Waititi to do more films in the MCU, per Marvel Studios President Kevin Fiege's recent revelation that he would "love, love, love to work with Taika again and I have every confidence that we will."
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While a world of opportunities has clearly opened up to Waititi, it appears that he's going to be consciously limiting himself, as least when it comes to venturing to a galaxy far, far away. In a new interview with the New York Times for Thor: Ragnarok, Waititi says the structure of the Star Wars universe simply wouldn't afford him the sort of creative freedom that is allowed in the MCU, and ultimately, he just can't picture himself doing a film in the space saga created by George Lucas. He says:
"That particular franchise seems really hard. There’s not much room for someone like me. Through its narrow canon, the tone of Star Wars has always been determinedly self-serious, whereas the Marvel movies, like the decades of comics they sprang from, veer wildly from high drama to low comedy. And improvisation has been a tool in every Marvel movie since Robert Downey Jr. riffed his way through Iron Man."
You have to appreciate Waititi's honesty about the prospects of directing a Star Wars movie, and respectfully explaining why he and the franchise simply wouldn't be a good fit. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, unfortunately, found out the hard way that comedy, improvisation and Star Wars simply don't mix (thus leading to their dismissal from Solo: A Star Wars Story), so Waiti is simply being proactive by saying there's no sense into trying wedge his directorial style into the strict parameters established by Lucasfilm in the 40 years since the original film debuted.
This isn't the first time Waititi has addressed the idea of directing a Star Wars film. Following the exit of Star Wars: Episode IX director Colin Trevorrow in September, a fan asked Waititi if he'd be up to directing a Star Wars movie, to which the filmmaker cheekily replied, "I'd be fired within a week."
NEXT: Thor: Ragnarok Clip – Hela Destroys Thor’s Hammer
Source: New York Times
