Thor is one of the only original Avengers left standing, and he’s about to make MCU history.Thor: Love and Thunderwill mark the fourth feature film centered around the God of Thunder, which is a feat no other Marvel hero has been able to accomplish over the last 14 years. AfterThor: The Dark Worldwas so poorly received in 2013, the future of theThorstandalone franchise was put into question. Even though the film made more money than its predecessor, the character was in dire need of a refresh after falling behind Iron Man and Captain American in terms of audience investment.
EnterTaika Waititi, who completely reinvented Thor in 2017 withThor: Ragnarok. Waititi’s manic style was unmistakable, resulting in a wild ride through the galaxy that unlocked the true potential of both Thor andChris Hemsworth. After the success ofRagnarok, it was no surprise that Kevin Feige and the Marvel brass would want the director to helm a follow-up.Love and Thunderwas quickly greenlit, but as Waititi recently toldIndieWire, the idea of coming back for a sequel was quite daunting:
“In some ways it was harder on this one because I put everything into Ragnarok, thinking that Marvel only makes three films per superhero so there wouldn’t be another one. Then they instantly asked us to do another one. That’s when I had to come up with all these new ideas to try and make something as good if not better than the last one. That was harder because it’s like a second novel. Trying to figure out what to do with this character that feels new, satisfies the fans, but also gives Chris [Hemsworth] something interesting to do with the character.”
Waititi says he and Hemsworth ultimately decided to take Thor on a journey of self-discovery, putting him through a midlife crisis as he figures out his role in the universe. The beauty of where Thor was left off inAvengers: Endgameis that Waititi could literally take the character in whatever new direction he wished. After appointing Valkyrie as the new king of Asgard, Thor was completely free to do anything he liked as opposed to staying stationary and ruling over his people. For the first time in his life, Thor decided to do what he wanted to do instead of what he was meant to do, which is what leads into the wild adventure that’s in store inLove and Thunder.
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Could There Be a FifthThorFilm FollowingLove and Thunder?
Obviously, it will be made more evident by the end ofLove and Thunder, but it’s hard to imagine Waititi and Hemsworth not teaming up one last time for a fifth and finalThorfilm. TheThorfranchise has made more and more money both domestically and worldwide with each subsequent release, which is expected to continue withLove and Thunder,given the rebounding state of the box office. Marvel would likely be leaving a lot of money on the table by not doingThor 5, but the decision will probably rest with Waititi on whether to keep the franchise going.
Waititi recently said he didn’t think ofLove and Thunderas part of anew trilogy, even though it definitely feels like that’s the case. After the first twoThorfilms didn’t quite hit the mark, Waititi’s work with Marvel has resulted in the definitive version of the Thor story, which is in need of an epic conclusion. The future of Thor will be revealed followingLove and Thunder, and hopefully, it results in one last ride for Waititi and the God of Thunder.
