Thor 5: Seemingly Sad Update Actually Gives Fans a New Hope

Summary:

• After the massive success of Thor: Ragnarok, Taika Waititi was hailed as Thor's savior, only to disappoint fans with the fourth film
• Still, the filmmaker had some ideas for the character's future
• Now, however, Waititi has announced that he will not be involved in the next Thor movie

Despite the fact that the mid-credits scene of Thor: Love and Thunder clearly suggested that the titular hero's journey is not over and that he will eventually face Hercules himself, Thor has been relegated to the sidelines after the events of the film.

While his brother Loki has recently become the most important character in the entire MCU, there are currently no concrete plans to continue the story of the God of Thunder, especially considering how much of a disaster the fourth film was.

Taika Waititi's Success With Thor Was Short-Lived

The third film based on the character, Thor: Ragnarok, was directed by Taika Waititi and felt like a breath of fresh air after the bland and mediocre second film, Thor: The Dark World.

Combining stunning and creative action with the director's signature humor, it was arguably the best Thor solo movie to date and was praised by critics and fans alike.

Unfortunately, the success was short-lived, and Love and Thunder highlighted the problems with Waititi's creative approach, as the filmmaker got too carried away with the humorous aspect of the film.

Ragnarok had a nice balance of action, drama, and humor, while its successor consisted mostly of flat jokes that completely overshadowed the tragic elements of the story and pretty mediocre action.

This led to a massive backlash from fans who were disappointed with the wasted potential and how the movie was turned into an utter clown show, suggesting that perhaps the next Thor movie should be directed by a different filmmaker.

For some time, Waititi remained silent, although he did share his ideas for Thor's future in the Thor: Love and Thunder Special Book, mentioning that the hero should face "more outlandish and crazy" foes who would be even more formidable than Hela.

Waititi Takes a Break From the MCU

Now, however, it looks like those plans may never see the light of day, as Taika Waititi has set the record straight in an interview with Business Insider, revealing that he won't be involved with the next Thor movie.

While the filmmaker isn't sure if Thor 5 is actually in the works, he is certain that he won't be attached to it, as he wants to focus on the projects he's already signed on to.

Waititi is absolutely fine with passing the torch to another filmmaker and would never feel betrayed as he and Marvel have an "open relationship," but he doesn't rule out the possibility of returning to the franchise at some point in the future.

Fans are actually relieved to hear this, as the aforementioned failure of Thor 4 made it clear to them that Taika may not be the best director to take charge of the Thor movies, despite his one-time success with them, and perhaps he should take a break from the MCU.

For now, the director is preoccupied with his untitled Star Wars movie, although he hasn't provided any satisfying updates on it, saying only that it's "still marinating."

His other upcoming projects include an adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel Klara and the Sun and a live-action adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's iconic 1988 anime Akira, though no release dates have been announced.

Sources: Business Insider, Reddit