Thor: Love and Thunder had heavy shoes to fill in adapting The Mighty Thor storyline into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with many believing the sequel fell flat. In a book released for the film, director Taika Waititi called for his critics to “read the comics” if they didn’t enjoy the differences in tone.
Fans were ecstatic when they heard Taika Waititi, the director who revitalized Thor in Ragnarok, would be helming a sequel based on the beloved The Mighty Thor storyline for the MCU. Sadly, Thor: Love and Thunder ended up disappointing many fans, with many citing Waititi’s humor as a key factor. When asked about these tonal differences in the film and comic, Waititi emphasized the need for change in adaptation, telling critics to “read the comics” if they want that exact story:
“It’s an ongoing battle because I want my films to be entertaining,” Waititi explained “and I want a lot of humor in them – to poke fun not only at the idea of the Space Viking, but also to poke fun at humans. How we bumble our way through life on this planet.”
“The comic run is very serious, and Jane’s story is especially tense. And so to try to find humor around that stuff, as well as making it an emotional story, was always going to be difficult,” he continued. “And we struggled with that. We wrestled with it throughout the edit, right up until we finished the film.”
“We did funny scenes about cancer, we did way more tragic scenes about having cancer. Some audiences really loved the humor part of it. Some audiences really wanted it to be just like the comics. But, you know, I always say, if you want it to be exactly like the comics read the comic. You’ve got to change things here and there to make it a film.”
Despite what vocal fans say on social media, Thor: Love and Thunder was still a massive box office success for the MCU, so don’t be shocked if Taika Waititi is handed the reigns to Thor once more. While it’s certain a shame how The Mighty Thor was adapted, fans can only hope Waititi’s next outing with the character does them more justice.
Is Chris Hemsworth returning to the role of Thor?
When asked about his future as Thor, Hemsworth remained tight-lipped, stating that he is eagerly awaiting Marvel’s creative direction. “I’m waiting to see what they have to offer creatively [and] if there is something new,” he teased
The synopsis of Thor: Love and Thunder reads as follows:
The film finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced – a quest for inner peace. But his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who – to Thor’s surprise – inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
Directed by Taika Waititi and produced by Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum, Love and Thunder stars Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Jaimie Alexander, Taika Waititi, Russell Crowe, Natalie Portman, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper.
Source: ComicBookMovie.com
