Director Taika Waititi, the visionary behind both Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, recently divulged his thoughts on the essentials for an upcoming “Thor 5”. High on his list? A nemesis even mightier then Hela.
Waititi shed light on his vision during an interview for Titan’s forthcoming Thor: Love and Thunder The Official Movie Special book. Though fans will have to wait until September 19th for the book’s release, one particular quote from Waititi has already created a buzz amongst the Marvel community.
Discussing the future trajectory for our beloved Asgardian, Waititi remarked, “What challenges can we present him with next? The aim should be continuity in character evolution, yet infusing fun and setting up hurdles that seem to augment his past challenges.” He added, “It’s unthinkable to introduce an antagonist less powerful than Hela. We ought to escalate the stakes by presenting a foe even more menacing.” This suggests an imposing task, given Hela’s formidable credentials as Odin’s daughter, and sibling to Thor and Loki. She’s the Asgardian Goddess of Death and their principal executioner. The emphasis on Hela raises questions about the potential villain’s prowess, especially compared to Thor: Love and Thunder‘s adversary, Gorr the God Butcher.
Waititi further hinted at drawing inspiration from Thor’s mythological origins, expressing a desire to pit him against “increasingly fantastical beasts, monstrous figures, and extraterrestrials that are expansive, innovative, and vibrant.”
The preceding Thor installment, Thor: Love and Thunder, hit theaters in 2022, receiving mixed reviews. This was somewhat disappointing for many, especially given the widespread acclaim for Thor: Ragnarok. At IGN, Ragnarok was lauded and placed third in the entire Infinity Saga of the MCU rankings.
Our review of Thor: Love and Thunder pinpointed its generic plotline and subpar handling of secondary characters. However, the movie shone as the MCU’s pioneering romantic comedy, chiefly due to the palpable on-screen chemistry between Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman.
