Exclusive Interview With ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Director Taika Waititi; Is He Worried About The Critics?

Marvel is leading the way when it comes to super hero films, not only in box office receipts but also critic and fan admiration. While at the same time, rival DC / Warner Bros. is struggling.  Undoubtedly, DC most likely wishes they could claim the same success Marvel has had with the super hero universe but with the double whammy of box office failures of “Suicide Squad” and “Batman V. Superman,” the pressure, regardless of studio to deliver a quality film that can appease critics, fans and ultimately the box-office, is no easy matter.

However, the new director of Thor: Ragnarok, in an exclusive interview with Geekscape doesn’t seem to be feeling the pressure to deliver.

Discussing his latest film “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” which has an astonishing 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes (unheard of for a comedy), and the pressures of directing Thor’s next outing, I spoke with the New Zealander via phone;

Allie Hanley: You really gained a lot of notoriety for your directing/writing/acting for the film “What We Do In The Shadows” which is a hilarious mockumentary about the day in a life of a vampire. Your latest film, “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” is completely different. It’s essentially a comedy with heart. It’s a buddy film that features a superb performance from Sam Neil (Jurassic Park) and takes place in the wilderness. Though both films are hilarious, they are also very different. What was the draw of “Wilderpeople” for you?

Taika Waititi: Well, I don’t know… just been interested for a long time. I like films that are both funny and from the heart that have a grounded-ness to them as well. Even though “What We Do In The Shadows” was a ridiculous film about vampires it was also a film about people who are completely out of touch, -stuck; they can’t move-on otherwise; And those are the kinds of films I want to make. Even though this film is essentially a buddy film <Wilderpeople> it’s about two guys on the run who are also looking for family, connection and looking to go home when they don’t even have a home… I will always have a mixture of comedy with sort of heart in them to varying degrees and the subject matter varying in ridiculousness.

AH: Currently “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” has an 8.4 score on IMDB from MetaCritic and 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is pretty spectacular. How much attention do you pay those scores as a writer?

TW: I don’t really. -I don’t know, people tell me and I feel very proud of that. I don’t know about that. There are different movies that I love that probably got a lower rating, actually a really much lower ratings. What is great though, is that it’s always validating when you get good reviews and it’s a hard thing because you want people to go and see your film, so it does make a difference. But if you listen to all of them, all that stuff, -all of that noise  before you make a film, you can’t be worried about all of that stuff.

AH: You have a lot of comedy in your resume as an actor and a director including “Flight of the Conchords,” and the TV version of “The Inbetweeners.” Are you having much opportunity to instill that in your next film “Thor: Ragnarok?”

TW: Well, I am not sure if it will be like any of that stuff. This is a big super hero movie, so I want to do justice to the genre it is, and be authentic to that. It’s going to be very entertaining, and fun.

AH: The Marvel universe and the list of the movies that have come from them has received a very high caliber of praise from fans and critics. Does that put any kind of pressure on you?

TW: Nah! I don’t feel any of that kind of stuff. I am a very relaxed person, I am very confident, and I am also really smart and good looking. I also think I dress really well and have excellent taste in trends and people. I mean just listening to me, you must begin to understand the level of confidence I have and obviously that’s going to be infused deeply into this movie that I am going to make; this level of confidence that I keep talking about.

I am very relaxed kind of person, and I know what I like, and I know what I think is dumb and what’s good in a movie… and hopefully that will happen and what I am trying do in this film. (He’s being comedic) <laughing>.

AH: In all seriousness, there is a concern though that since you were an actor on the “Green Lantern” film that it could have ramifications on this film. (Green Lantern, from DC,  drew a lot of mixed reviews, and Taika by coincidence had a role in the film as an actor)

TW: What! How could that even be a concern? Who’s concerned?

AH: I’m just joking with you! <now I am laughing>

TW: <Laughing> I was gonna say!; well I bet there are people who are like “No way!” Well, I am having some fun with some of the staunch, comic-book obsessed people out there… who I hear from now and then on Twitter. I have a lot of fun sometimes reading some of the comments from there like “Can you please put his pink boots from issue 789 into the movie because the die-hard fans would really appreciate that.” I am like well, those darn boots are cool, but ahhhhh, not for this.

AH: So Hulk will be in the new movie, will he being wearing armor this time?

TW: <Laughing> I get this all the time. I don’t know, ask Hulk.

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For the record, DC should take some notes… the decision makers over at Marvel couldn’t have selected a better director for this new Thor film. The first film that had Kenneth Branagh directing was really solid because he paid attention to the genre, the heart of the story, and included comedic touches. In the same thought, Taika Waititi will do it justice. The track of all the comedic bits that have played well in all the Marvel films, especially “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Ant Man,” have laid a foundation that Taika will undoubtedly play up, and his short that played at Comic Con showing what Thor was up to on vacation in Australia is just a hint of what is to come, we are indeed in wonderful hands under his direction.

Also; Screenrant reported recently that they think The Warriors Three will be in this 3rd Thor film. I’d like to note that last January I did interview Ray Stevenson (for his work on Starz’s “Black Sails”  and asked him about reprising his role. He responded that he hadn’t been contacted in anyway about reprising his role. It’s been 7 months and that could have changed. His co-star Jaimie Alexander (Lady Sif), is listed as currently filming “Thor: Ragnarok.” My gut feeling is that he’s not in it, even though Lady Sif is. He’d have it listed on IMDB at this point more than likely.

“Hunt for the Wilderpeople” is now playing in select theaters. Seek it out.