Three years after the divisive release of Thor 4, Taika Waititi is officially teaming up with Disney once again on a brand-new project. The filmmaker first made his mark in the MCU with 2017's Thor: Ragnarok, a massive critical and commercial success that redefined the God of Thunder's character and grossed over $850 million worldwide. Despite the mixed reception to his follow-up, Thor: Love and Thunder, Disney appears ready to collaborate with Waititi once more on his next creative venture.
Following 2023's Next Goal Wins, a sports comedy that received little fanfare upon release, Waititi is directing Best Christmas Ever, an original holiday short set to debut on Disney+ and the studio's social media platforms on November 10, 2025. The newly released trailer teases a holiday story centered on a child who discovers a magical new friend during Christmas. The poster contributes to the festive atmosphere, featuring a young girl in pajamas standing by her Christmas tree, hugging her new friend against a snowy winter backdrop.
The trailer (shared on Instagram by Disney) shows the joy brushed over the girl's face when her wish seemingly comes true.
The letter, written to Santa, is shown torn open with a doodle of what will come to life in the short.
While Thor: Love and Thunder earned a solid $760.9 million at the global box office, it still fell short of Thor: Ragnarok's $855 million haul, a $94 million drop, but honestly, Thor 4 wasn't a flop commercially.
More telling was the audience and critical response: with just a 63% Rotten Tomatoes score, it became the lowest-rated entry in the Thor series, even landing below The Dark World. The film's divisive tone and humor left many feeling that Waititi's once-refreshing style had crossed into self-parody, casting doubt on whether he'll return for a potential Thor 5.
Since then, Waititi's post-Marvel career has been a mix of experimentation and uncertainty. His Star Wars movie, first announced in 2020, remains in development limbo with little to no progress.
Outside the galaxy far, far away, the director attached himself to several new projects, including a film adaptation of Percival Everett's James for Universal, a reimagining of Huckleberry Finn told from Jim's perspective, with Steven Spielberg on board as executive producer. Waititi also directed Klara and the Sun, starring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams, which began production in early 2024 in New Zealand but doesn't have a release date from Sony Pictures. More recently, Waititi signed on to direct a new Judge Dredd movie alongside writer Drew Pearce, a longtime friend and collaborator.
Will Taika Waititi Return for Thor 5?
Whether Waititi should return for Thor 5 remains one of the biggest questions surrounding the franchise.
With Chris Hemsworth confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday and likely Secret Wars, Marvel could use a fifth Thor movie as a fitting farewell, taking one of the four untitled MCU slots in 2028.
Even Valkyrie star Tessa Thompson said she hopes for a more grounded tone in her next Marvel appearance, suggesting a tonal shift may be on the horizon.
Waititi's colorful and irreverent style helped redefine Thor, but a different filmmaker might be better equipped to focus on the mythological and emotional aspects of his final story. Thor 5 could build on Love and Thunder's post-credits tease by exploring Thor's clash with Hercules (Brett Goldstein). In theory, a new creative direction would allow Marvel to close out Thor's saga with a more mature conclusion, but it also carries a significant risk.
