When Taika Waititi released “Thor: Ragnarok” in 2017, the refreshingly comedic take on God Of Thunder was overwhelmingly well received, with fans loving the more irreverent take on the Norse God. Most critics and fans still consider it the best “Thor” film. However, the same cannot be said about 2022’s “Thor: Love and Thunder,” which left a bad taste in the mouth of the same franchise enthusiasts— its humor dialed up far too wacky and extreme for most.

Continue reading Chris Hemsworth Says ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’ Didn’t “Stick The Landing” & Feels He Owes The Audience One More ‘Thor’ at The Playlist.

Of all the director hires that Marvel Studios has made over the last 15 years, there are few that are more surprising than Taika Waititi to direct a “Thor” film. However, not only did the decision to bring in a young Waititi to direct “Thor: Ragnarok” pay off in a big way (the film was a huge success, both financially and with fans), but it led to a continued relationship where the filmmaker returned for another round of ‘Thor’ goodness (though ‘Love & Thunder’ wasn’t received nearly as well as the previous film).

Continue reading Taika Waititi Says He Took The ‘Thor’ Job Because He Was “Poor” & Only Read 1 Comic To Prepare at The Playlist.

Is Kevin Feige’s Marvel sniper rifle with the red-laser scope working overtime? First you get Patton Oswalt revealing that an “Eternals” sequel is in the works with Chloé Zhao in the director’s chair again. Then you get Giancarlo Esposito telling everyone he’s met with the studio and wants to play the X-Men’s Professor X, and now we’ve to Rosario Dawson blowing up Marvel’s spot by saying Jon Bernthal is returning as the Punisher.

Continue reading Taika Waititi Suggests Marvel Is Developing A Hercules/Olympians Project That He’s Not Involved With at The Playlist.

**Spoilers below for “Thor: Love & Thunder.” You’ve been warned.**

For the third time in Phase 4, Marvel Studios has used a post-credits scene in a film to introduce a brand-new character played by a major star. In “Eternals,” it was the inclusion of Harry Styles as Starfox. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” shocked fans with the introduction of Charlize Theron’s Clea.

Continue reading ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’: Taika Waititi Explains How Brett Goldstein’s Cameo Came About at The Playlist.

Most Marvel films end with a title card saying, “[Insert Hero] will return.” It’s a way to show the audience that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a living, breathing franchise with no end in sight. But apparently, at the end of “Thor: Love & Thunder,” filmmaker Taika Waititi and star Chris Hemsworth were both surprised to see “Thor will return.” It was news to them.

Speaking to Insider, Taika Waititi explained that he has no current plans to return to the ‘Thor’ franchise after the just-released ‘Love & Thunder.’ In fact, when he and Chris Hemsworth watched the film and saw the tease about the character coming back in another project, both were actually surprised.

Continue reading Taika Waititi Will Direct A New ‘Thor’ Film If It’s Like ‘Nebraska’ at The Playlist.

Taika Waititi isn’t a new filmmaker. He’s been around long enough to know not to fall into fandom traps. Unfortunately, in a recent interview, Waititi explained that his first cut of “Thor: Love & Thunder” was around four hours long. Of course, this doesn’t mean he wanted to release a four-hour cut. But the idea of a Snyder Cut-esque edit of an MCU film is enough for fandom to go crazy.

Continue reading Taika Waititi Won’t Do A ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’ Director’s Cut Because Director’s Cuts “Suck” at The Playlist.

**Warning: minor spoilers ahead of post-credit scenes for recent Marvel films, including the latest “Thor” installment.**

In the early days of Marvel, as the movie studio was just getting started—hell, they weren’t even a studio then, characters and properties still owned by disparate parties like Paramount and Universal—revealing characters in the post-credits was a big thing. Nick Fury (Samuel L.

Continue reading Marvel Returns To Introducing New Characters In Post-Credit Scenes at The Playlist.

After being disappointed with most of the films in Marvel Studios’ Phase 4, The Playlist Podcast is here to talk a bit more positively about the MCU with “Thor: Love & Thunder.” With the return of Taika Waititi behind the camera, Chris Hemsworth’s God of Thunder is back with more laughs, more adventures, and more Thors. 

READ MORE: ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’ Review: Taika Waititi Brings Mild Amusement To An Otherwise Inconsequential Sequel

“Thor: Love & Thunder” is the fourth film in the ‘Thor’ franchise—the first time a solo MCU hero gets a four-quel, as a matter of fact—and if you loved “Thor: Ragnarok,” then the odds are, you’re going to have a blast with this new film.

Continue reading ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’: More Of The Same But This Time With Screaming Goats [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

Taika Waititi‘s “Thor: Love And Thunder” opens in theaters today, and Marvel fans anticipate another wild and colorful adventure. And based on advance reviews, that’s what they’ll get, even if the movie adheres to an MCU formula that grows staler with every new film. But when audiences watch Thor and company trek to the furthest reaches of space this weekend, Natalie Portman has a funny anecdote to remind everyone that filmmaking sometimes is not so majestic.

Continue reading ‘Thor: Love And Thunder’: Natalie Portman Says One Of The Movie’s Most “Stunning” Scenes Was Shot In A Best Buy Parking Lot at The Playlist.

“Thor: Love And Thunder,” Taika Waititi’s follow-up to his 2017 breakout “Thor: Ragnarok,” finally hits theaters on Friday. And advance reviews are, well, okay so far? It sounds like Waititi is still having fun making wacky, colorful superhero flicks, but for some critics, the Marvel formula is a little stale. A little? But that’s a topic for another time.

READ MORE: ‘Star Wars’: Taika Waititi Wants To “Expand The World” & Create New Characters For His Upcoming Film

Whatever Waititi’s future is with Thor and the MCU, he’s still a highly sought-after creator right now.

Continue reading Taika Waititi At Peace With His “Star Wars” Project Potentially Not Happening: “If It’s Not Right, It’s Not Right” at The Playlist.

In our accelerated age of pop culture ADHD, it is remarkable how quickly something that feels fresh, can feel awfully familiar just one solo film later. Director Taika Waititi’s “Thor: Ragnarok” (2017) was a crucial step in the evolution of Marvel’s Asgardian god, transforming the character and franchise from stuffy, airless Shakespearean theatre to comical, immature clown who has so much to learn despite the thousands of years he has lived throughout the galaxy.

Continue reading ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’ Review: Taika Waititi Brings Mild Amusement To An Otherwise Inconsequential Sequel at The Playlist.

Aside from films such as the massively popular “Top Gun: Maverick,” this summer has seemed relatively quiet on the blockbuster front. While films such as “Lightyear” and “Jurassic World Dominion” have failed to successfully stick the landing (be it critically or commercially), there’s been plenty to seek out in smaller, independent scenes. This remains largely true for July, where, despite films such as “Thor: Love and Thunder,” there are still plenty of more character-driven films worthy of seeking out — though “Nope” will likely make the argument for both being true for the same film.  

There’s a strong showing for female directors this month, from those making their debuts like Emma Holly Jones for the period-set romance “Mr.

Continue reading 13 Must-Watch July Films: ‘Nope,’ ‘The Gray Man,’ ‘Resurrection’ & More at The Playlist.

Taika Waititi‘s “Thor: Love And Thunder” hits theaters next Friday, the latest Marvel film on the big screen since “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness” a couple of months ago. And both as a sequel to Waititi’s 2017 breakout “Thor: Ragnarok” and the latest Phase 4 saga, it’s the biggest MCU release yet in 2022.

Continue reading ‘Thor: Love And Thunder’: Christian Bale Says Scenes With Peter Dinklage & Jeff Goldblum Were Cut at The Playlist.

With “Thor: Love And Thunder” hitting theaters next Friday, Taika Waititi‘s Hollywood star continues to ascend. And with another project in the books, the director looks ahead to his upcoming projects: “Next Goal Wins,” another season of “Our Flag Means Death,” and his “Star Wars” film that was announced back in 2020.

READ MORE: ‘Thor: Love And Thunder’: Natalie Portman Says Taika Waititi Would Often Throw The Script Away & “Just Spitball” While Filming

However, in an interview with The New York Times, Waititi expressed doubts about whether his “Star Wars” movie would even get made.

Continue reading Taika Waititi Has No Idea If His ‘Star Wars’ Movie Will Even Get Made at The Playlist.

What’s worse than being cut from a movie? Maybe it’s being sued by your former agency over unpaid commission fees for that cut part? That’s what “Game Of Thrones” star Lena Headey is dealing with now with the agency YMU, formerly known as Troika, for her cut role in the upcoming “Thor: Love And Thunder” and other projects.

READ MORE: ‘Thor: Love And Thunder’: Natalie Portmans Says Taika Waititi Would Often Throw The Script Away & “Just Spitball” While Filming

Variety reports that TMU claims Headey owes the agency at least $500,000, roughly 7% of her commission fee, for her role in the new Marvel movie, along with unpaid fees from other projects, bringing the total amount owed to $1.5 million.

Continue reading Lena Headey’s Cut ‘Thor: Love And Thunder’ Role Revealed In New Lawsuit at The Playlist.

“Thor: Love & Thunder” breaks new ground for Marvel Studios. After more than two dozen films and TV projects, the latest ‘Thor’ film is the first time in the history of the MCU that a character has had four solo films. This is really surprising when you think back to 2011, when “Thor” was first released and folks were concerned the character would never become popular.

Continue reading Chris Hemsworth Says Thor Has “Become More Me Over The Years” As He Talks The Character’s MCU Evolution at The Playlist.

Though “Thor: Love & Thunder” is seemingly a “solo” film focused on the latest adventures of the God of Thunder, Marvel Studios has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to A-list heroes, so many of these films quickly become ensembles. And as seen in the latest trailer for ‘Love & Thunder,’ this is most definitely an ensemble.

READ MORE: Chris Hemsworth Is Down For More ‘Thor’ Films & Kevin Feige Is “Excited” To See It Happen

The new trailer for the fourth ‘Thor’ film focuses on the various folks who comprise the team that will fight bad guys in Taika Waititi’s new film.

Continue reading ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’ Trailer: Chris Hemsworth Is Joined By A Whole Team In His Latest Marvel Adventure at The Playlist.

“Thor: Love & Thunder” isn’t just the return of Chris Hemsworth as the God of Thunder for yet another appearance in an MCU film. It actually marks the first time in Marvel Studios history that a solo character has returned for a fourth feature. There are officially more ‘Thor’ films than ‘Captain America’ and ‘Iron Man’ features.

Continue reading Chris Hemsworth Is Down For More ‘Thor’ Films & Kevin Feige Is “Excited” To See It Happen at The Playlist.

After hearing many of his collaborators talk about how much they love working with him, it’s clear that Taika Waititi runs a fun set while making films and TV shows. But for some people, such as Natalie Portman, who are used to more buttoned-up productions, working with Waititi can be a bit daunting. 

READ MORE: ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’: Christian Bale Didn’t Know What “MCU” Meant & Was Worried About Wearing A G-String When He Signed On

Speaking to Variety about the production of her new superhero film, “Thor: Love & Thunder,” Natalie Portman opened up about how she was a bit thrown off by how loose Taika Waititi can be about the script while on set.

Continue reading ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’: Natalie Portman Says Taika Waititi Would Often Throw The Script Away & “Just Spitball” While Filming at The Playlist.

Christian Bale is no stranger to blockbusters and superhero films, specifically. This is the guy who wears the cape and cowl in three Christopher Nolan-directed ‘Batman’ films, of course. But that doesn’t mean Bale is well-versed in the current superhero film landscape. So, apparently, when he took on the role of Gorr for the new “Thor: Love and Thunder,” he didn’t even understand what the term MCU means. 

Continue reading ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’: Christian Bale Didn’t Know What “MCU” Meant & Was Worried About Wearing A G-String When He Signed On at The Playlist.

It’s Memorial Day Weekend in the U.S., and you know what that means— Summer Movie Season is upon us. Kicking off the first true summer of film since 2019, we have Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun: Maverick.” But the highly anticipated sequel is far from the only major blockbuster getting released over the next three months. And in this episode of The Playlist Podcast, we go through the major films being released this summer to preview the highs and lows of what should be an interesting season.

Continue reading Summer Movie Preview 2022: ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ ‘Thor: Love & Thunder,’ ‘Nope’ & More [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

After the audience-pleasing “Thor: Ragnarok,” MCU fans are excited to see Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman return to the franchise with “Thor: Love & Thunder.” The God of Thunder is sort of dealing with a mid-life crisis after the events of “Avengers: Endgame” as he discovers his ex-girlfriend has her own god-like powers now. This has led some to assume that the torch will be passed to her character, but that might not be the case.

Continue reading ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’: Taika Waititi Downplays Passing Of The Torch To Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster at The Playlist.

After the success of Marvel’s latest theater release, “Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness” (2022), fans of the MCU are looking forward to the studio’s next big outing, “Thor: Love and Thunder.”

Directed by Taika Waititi, who’s been thought to have brought Thor back to greatness with his previous movie, “Thor: Ragnarok” (2017). Waititi is known for films such as “Jojo Rabbit” (2018), “What We Do In The Shadows” (2010), and “Our Flag Means Death” (2022). 

READ MORE: ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’: Taika Waititi Hypes Christian Bale As “One Of The Best” Villains In A “Mid-Life Crisis” Marvel Film.

Continue reading ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Trailer: Taika Waititi’s Highly Anticipated Return To The Thor Franchise at The Playlist.

Summer is almost here and one of the bigger films on the horizon is Marvel’s “Thor: Love & Thunder.” The blockbuster looks to explore the fallout after the events of the massive blockbuster “Avengers: Endgame” along with introducing Natalie Portman‘s Mighty Thor, as Jane Foster takes more of heroic role in the MCU in the new adventure.

Director Taika Waititi recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly, where discussed the sequel’s villain and gave some insight into what they’re doing differently between installments.

Continue reading ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’: Taika Waititi Hypes Christian Bale As “One Of The Best” Villains In A “Mid-Life Crisis” Marvel Film at The Playlist.

Callin’ out around the world, are you ready for a brand new beat? Summer’s here and the time is right, for dancing in the street. They’re dancing in Chicago (dancing in the street), down in New Orleans (dancing in the street). In New York City (dancing in the street). All we need is music, sweet music, there’ll be music everywhere. There’ll be swingin’ and swayin’ and records playing, dancing in the street. Oh, it doesn’t matter what you wear.

Continue reading Summer 2022 Movie Preview: 50 Must-See Films To Watch at The Playlist.