Thor 3 Director Explains Movie's Comedic Tone

Screen Rant

Thor: Ragnarok Director Wanted Audiences to Feel 'Uplifted'

By Chris Agar

Published Jul 26, 2017

Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi explains his approach to the film, saying he wanted audiences to feel 'uplifted' while watching it.

Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi has opened up about the shift in tone he's implementing in the solo Thor trilogy, remarking that he wants the audience to go on an entertaining and fun ride through the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The God of Thunder's first two standalone movies were conceived more as homages to Shakespearean drama, but Ragnarok is an entirely different beast altogether. The film's marketing has sold viewers on a colorful and humorous journey with Thor and the Hulk, with trailers set to catchy tunes showcasing wild action set pieces. Ragnarok looks like a fresh spin on Marvel mythology, moving things in an exciting new direction.

Waititi made a name for himself helming comedies such as What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, so it isn't surprising he brought those sensibilities over to his first franchise movie. Based on the footage that's been released thus far, it's safe to say Ragnarok is shaping up to be one of the funnier MCU entries to date, and that's by design so moviegoers have a rollicking time at the theater when it opens this fall.

Following Marvel's Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2017 (where the second official Ragnarok trailer debuted), Waititi spoke with Comic Book and discussed his approach to making the film:

"It’s fun. I wanted to make an adventure that people could leave the cinema feeling uplifted and feeling like they’ve been on an adventure, it’s been fun, and just being entertained."

Based on the reactions to the two trailers, it's apparent Waititi was successful in accomplishing his goals. While the first two Thor movies are arguably afterthoughts in the larger MCU canon, Ragnarok is poised to be one of the studio's biggest hits thanks to its unique style and supremely talented cast. The return of Thor and his friend from work is enough reason to be excited, but new additions like Cate Blanchett's Hela, Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster, and Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie have only increased the levels of anticipation. Waititi realized he was working with a murderer's row of actors, and gave them all the freedom to play up to their strengths. Roughly 80 percent of the film was improvised, allowing each actor to deliver a natural performance.

What's most interesting about all this is that Ragnarok essentially means "the end of all things," but the movie that bears its name looks like one of the more boisterous and lively Marvel films. It's a fascinating dichotomy Waititi will have to pull off, but there have been numerous lighthearted blockbusters in the past that dealt with catastrophic stakes and consequences successfully and didn't come across as tonally inconsistent. With the combined abilities of the Thor 3 creative team, there's no reason to believe they won't be able to realize this vision and deliver another strong story to the MCU.