In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, only two characters have demonstrated the ability to lift Mjolnir: Thor and Vision. The great hammer's magic prevents anyone deemed "unworthy" from lifting it, and even in the comics there are very few that qualify. It's with that in mind that we laugh at this recent Tweet from Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi:
The third chapter in the Thor trilogy is now in production in Australia, and it seems that Taika Waititi and star Chris Hemsworth are getting along famously. And while that Mjolnir can probably be easily lifted from that toilet seat, it's still makes for a good photo and a funny prank. I look forward to some kind of retaliation on the filmmakers part, and hopefully what develops into an escalating prank war on the set of Thor: The Dark World.
Comedy has actually been a keystone to the Thor movies from the very beginning, as directors Kenneth Branagh and Alan Taylor have used it to off-set the goofiness in the high fantasy aspects of the production. Kat Dennings is 100% comic relief in both Thor and Thor: The Dark World, and the humor in the third act of the sequel really helps save the movie. We not only expect that trend to continue in Thor: Ragnarok, with Taika Waititi at the helm we expect it to become even more important. The writer/director's filmography is packed with hilarious films - the two most recent being the fantastic What We Do In The Shadows and Hunt For The Wilderpeople - and we hope that his sensibilities have a big effect on his first blockbuster production.
Thor: Ragnarok will likely be in production for the next few months, and will be bringing one of the best casts Marvel has ever assembled to Australia. In addition the aforementioned Chris Hemsworth, the film will also star Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Idris Elba (Heimdall), Anthony Hopkins (Odin), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk), Cate Blanchett (Hela), Jeff Goldblum (Grandmaster), Karl Urban (Skurge), and Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie). While we don't know much about the plot, we do know that it will follow Thor and Hulk on an adventure that takes them through the cosmos - and that's more than enough to get us excited. And while you shouldn't expect it to make huge waves within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it hopefully will be a fun and action packed winter blockbuster.
While Thor: Ragnarok isn't scheduled to arrive in theaters until November 3, 2017, the good news, as evidenced above, is that the movie is being made by people very active on social media. Hopefully Taika Waititi and Chris Hemsworth (another fan) will continue to give us sneak peeks behind the scene of the new Marvel movie as the weeks pass during production. We have a feeling that they will, so be sure to stay tuned for more updates!
