Taika Waititi made his Marvel debut as a director for 2017's Thor: Ragnarok. Not only that, but Waititi also portrayed Korg in the threequel. Many would agree that the Oscar-winning director single-handedly revived the Thor franchise by successfully rebranding the titular Asgardian into one of the entertaining heroes of the MCU.
Ragnarok featured a plethora of hilarious moments featuring Chris Hemsworth's Marvel hero while also showcasing memorable scenes involving Tom Hiddleston's Loki and Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie. The MCU film also marked an in-universe shift for Thor as it destroyed Asgard and most of Thor's important allies died, such as the Warrior's Three and the Allfather, Odin.
As a result of Ragnarok's success, Waititi was hired again by Marvel for a fourth solo film, Thor: Love and Thunder, headlined by Hemsworth's Thor. This marks the first time that an MCU hero will receive such a feat, thus proving Marvel Studios' trust in the director.
Now, the Love and Thunder director opened up on how he was able to convince Marvel to hire him in the past.
Taika Waititi on Landing the Marvel Gig
Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi (with actress Pamela Adlon) sat down as guests on The Late Late Show with James Corden to talk about the process of nabbing his directing gig for Thor: Ragnarok.
When asked how he was able to impress the "folks at Marvel," Waititi revealed that he just said, "yes to everything." The Marvel director then jokingly shared that he lied to get the job, saying "you've got to fake it:"
Corden: "When a film like Thor comes your way, what do you feel like you have to do to impress folks at Marvel? It was the biggest budget you had worked on. It was a jump to do it. What do you have to do to impress the people at Marvel to get such a gig?"
Waititi: "Say yes to everything."
Corden: "Just yes?"
Waititi: "Absolutely, I can do that."
Corden: "Right."
Waititi: "I won’t let you down. you know."
Corden: "That’s it."
Waititi: "If you want a job, you’ve got to lie. You’ve got to fake it."
Waititi's funny banter can be watched in the video below:
Taika Waititi's Comedic Side Shines Again
Taika Waititi is no stranger to giving hilarious answers during interviews and even on social media. Still, Waititi's answer is a common response to every job interview, especially considering if one really wants the project.
There's no denying that the Marvel director is passionate about his MCU projects, as evidenced by his social media posts and previous interviews. This latest comment further solidifies that claim, implying that he will do anything to get the job.
It is unknown if Thor: Love and Thunder will experience similar success as Ragnarok, but other Marvel stars have been praising Waititi's direction for the sequel. For example, Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt, who has been confirmed to appear in the movie, previously spoke highly of the director, calling him a "madman" and "genius."
Waititi did tease that the upcoming film is "the craziest thing" that he's ever done, saying that he's ready to have a "nervous breakdown" so fans can see all of it when it premieres next year.
All in all, Love and Thunder is shaping up to be an exciting entry in the MCU's Phase 4.
Thor: Love and Thunder will premiere in theaters on July 8, 2022.
