Excerpts from Taika Waititi's AMA

reddit user
question

taika
answer



ving_depr
Considering the retro logo, can we expect an 80's vibe in Thor: Ragnarok?

taikawaitititi
You can. And more.



ritammenard
Will you be doing a press tour in the states for Thor:Ragnarok?

taikawaitititi
I hope so. I can't trust the actors to reliably promote this thing.



salutcemoi
Hi Taika,
You have been working with an impressive cast.
What is it like to work with big names like Anthony Hopkins, Jeff Goldblum and Cate Blanchett?

taikawaitititi
AMAZING. They are gold. Funny. Beautiful people.



dmh2493
Howdy Taika, Kevin Feige said that Thor: Ragnarok would be the Winter Soldier of the MCU's Phase 3 movies. Care to elaborate on that?

taikawaitititi
Jeez. I better see Winter Soldier... no joke.



sogwennn
Hi Taika! I saw "What We Do in the Shadows" and loved it! I'm really excited for Thor: Ragnarok & I've got a couple little questions:
1) Will Thor: Ragnarok meld well with the previous two movies, or will it stand on its own?
2) Can we expect some of the same brand of humor in Thor? If so, were you ever given a hard time about certain scenes or lines?
3) Why does the title card for Thor look like it was pulled from a retro video game?
4) What's happening with We're Wolves?
5) Would you like some bisghetti?

taikawaitititi
I have no idea. It will be a nice addition to the Taika Waititi box-set though.
You can expect a Taika-esque tone. They've been very accepting of my style.
In case there's a retro style video game spin-off.
We have a title, what else do you want??
I'm not falling for that!



filmheaux
Given you've gotten 20000 questions about a shirtless Tom Hiddleston or Chris Hemsworth, my question for you is: will there be a shirtless Anthony Hopkins in Ragnarok?

taikawaitititi
Finally... and MAYBE.



JimJamHargision
Hey Taika! Hunt for the Wilderpeople has ended up being my favourite film of this year, and What We Do in the Shadows was my favourite of last year. You’re good at your job.
What have you planned for Thor: Ragnarok to make it stand out from the other Marvel films? Also, compared to your other films, how humorous will it be?

taikawaitititi
Awesome. Thanks. I think TR will be one of the most adventurous and most "out there" of all the marvel movies. It's a crazy movie.



tehlolredditor
Hello Taika. In Making Thor 3, did you make efforts to make it similar or dissimilar to the previous Thor films? As in, did you try to maintain the same elements, or did you try to make it more unique? Thanks

taikawaitititi
I made an effort to ignore the fact there are other Thor films.



-MS-94- 177
Chris Hemsworth is really funny. How much of his comedy chops are utilised in THOR: RAGNAROK?

taikawaitititi
All of them.



merry722
Whose idea what the short of Thor during Civil War?

taikawaitititi
Mine and my producer.



erikalovestodd
what are your favorite tv shows at the moment?

taikawaitititi
I haven't had any time to watch tv. The last thing was Stranger Things. Loved that.



ving_depr
Why Mark Mothersbaugh was chosen to write Thor: Ragnarok score? And are you a Devo fan?

taikawaitititi
Because he's a genius and his style fits with what we're doing. Love devo!



festgurl
Hi Taika! There are rumours floating around about a Doctor Strange post-credits sequence. Will there be DS references in Ragnarok?

taikawaitititi
Probably a reference.



krmihaly42
Hi! I rely enjoyed the Thor and Darryl sketch and I wanted to ask if there is any chance for another one with any of the other avengers?
sorry for my bad enlish

taikawaitititi
That would be a dream come true. I'd love to actually make a bunch of them.



benscookie
How polite is Tom Hiddleston? How cheeky is Chris Hemsworth?
Do you believe in the skuxx life choosing you?

taikawaitititi
Tom is very polite but has a cheeky streak. Chris has a heart of gold. Actual gold. He had it made and installed in his chest when he got paid for RUSH.



SecretExistence
Hi Taika!
I have a couple of questions:
Are Chris Hemsworth's biceps bigger in person?
What are your favorite bands/artists to listen to?

taikawaitititi
They don't look right. They're TOO big. I'm listening to William Onyeabor right now.



_BooRadley_
Two questions: 1). How are you able to get such good performances out of child actors?
2). With Thor: Ragnarok, did the bigger scale of the project affect the way you direct?
Thanks for doing this, I'm a HUGE fan of everything you've done!

taikawaitititi
Bribe them with promises you never intend to honour.
Nope!



Asgartov
Can you say anything about the overall tone of Thor: Ragnarok?
Are there any characters you wish you could have gotten in the movie?

taikawaitititi
The tone is very different. Think CRAZY.
I would have liked to get John C Reilly's character in the film but there was no real way to pull it off.



orlamjh
Hey Taika, Boy and What We Do In The Shadows are two of my favourite films! Hoping to see Wilderpeople soon!
My question is - what kind of challenges did the scale of production for Thor: Ragnarok pose compared to your previous films?
PS I was sitting here an hour ago refreshing the page because I can't do timezone maths.

taikawaitititi
Thanks! The only challenge is dealing with the amount of people. There are literally hundreds more crew members than I'm used to. I gave up remembering anyone's name months ago.



Loki_Lego
Greetings, mortal.
You have appeared in many of the films you have directed. Will you be making an appearance in Thor: Ragnarok?
Also are there any attractive horses in Thor: Ragnarok? I am asking for a friend....

taikawaitititi
Hey. I just received a pretty stunning gift. Chris and Tom were thrilled too. Thank you.



Spiritofchokedout
Mr. Waititi,
One of the great challenges with Thor is that his pathos tends to be subtle, especially next to Loki who is a big screaming diva about his issues. This earns him the reputation of a lunk and a dullard. Was it difficult to serve Thor's character while giving Loki his proper due?

taikawaitititi
This is something we concentrated a lot on. Thor is awesome now.



alegrispa
I have a few questions if that's alright!
How much influence/involvement did MARVEL have on the plot leading into infinity war?
Do you regret not using your birth name for some of your earlier work(and would you elaborate the reasoning behind that)?
Was it your decision to completely change the Thor logo and to leave out the "Ö" and if so- what inspired the style?
Who did you like working with the most and who would you like to work with one day?
Were you interested in doing a Thor movie or a Planet Hulk movie?
Any future plans on a "What we do in the Shadows" sequel/spin off besides the rumored buddy-cop-tv-show?
BONUS Question:
What's your least favourite number?
Thank you for being an incredible Filmmaker.
For me Thor: Ragnarök is currently on the same anticipation level as Episode VIII-
no pressure.
Andthankyou.

taikawaitititi
Marvel have a huge influence on the story. They know the universe way better than I do.
I still use Cohen. I just happened to be using Waititi on my first film and then it got nominated for an Oscar and I had to keep using it. Cohen is on all of my IDs etc.
The style is inspired by 70s / 80s sci-fi fantasy art. Because our film feels like that.
Thanks for the anticipation! I think the movie will be amazing.



sixthestate
Hi!
I think you're the most inspired directing choice in the MCU so far. A few questions:
To what extent have you moulded the screenplay into your own thing while making the film, assuming you didn't have a hand in writing it. If you did, how extensive was your involvement in the writing?
Regarding artistic freedom, how much interference did you face while shooting the film? Some is to be expected regarding continuity and stuff, but was there any tension during the shoot?
I'm incredibly excited for Ragnarok, which to be honest wasn't something I thought I'd say before finding out you were directing. Thanks!

taikawaitititi
I've had a big influence on story and character and tone. It's just like how I make my other films except way bigger. So far I've been given a lot of creative freedom. Thanks!



salutcemoi
Hi Taika,
Thanks for doing this.
Which character or actor is going to steal the show in your opinion?

taikawaitititi
Banner.



awesome_tim
How difficult was it to fit your vision for Thor: Ragnarok into the existing continuity of the MCU?

taikawaitititi
I didn't bother trying.



MisterInternetz
So Taika, now that you're almost done with Thor Ragnorak, do you feel you've done everything you wanted to do with the character(s) in the film, or would you want to come back for another round?

taikawaitititi
Not sure. I don't want the filming to stop because it's so much fun. But I don't know how much further I can push these characters.



PretzelCortex
What was the coolest shot you were able to pull off on Thor: Ragnarok (before VFX work) due to the gear available on a big-budget flick?
Do you have a library card?
Will your Thor film retain any semblance of the series' Shakespearesque-ishness?
Does it annoy you that you've made, um, three? Let's go with three. No, it might have been four. Does it annoy you that you've directed three-ish other movies, most of which did pretty well with critics, and yet there are so many questions here about a guy with big muscles who waves his tool in the air? (Thor and his Hammer. I'm talking about Thor and his hammer.)
What are some of the best traditional Maori foods?
Which movies would you recommend for learning about what kinds of things don't work in a movie?

taikawaitititi
We have an amazing shot that took a bunch of mathematicians and scientists (nerds) a couple of months to figure out. We're also using a rig called Satelight that has never been used in a movie before.
No.
No. Well maybe. But not in earnest.
I don't mind. Those muscles are big. ish.
Wild pork and watercress.
Most films from the 90s.



cheese_king3
Hi Taika!! Huge fan of your work, but I've got a hopeful nerd question: in Ragnorak, will Thor finally utter his catchphrase "By Odin's beard!"? I've been waiting for 4 movies and he still hasn't said it :(.

taikawaitititi
Haha. I'll try.



obliviouskey
Hey Taika! I’m super excited for Thor 3 and what you’ll be bringing to the table. What’s been your favorite part of making the movie so far?

taikawaitititi
It's been an insane amount of fun. I get to laugh and mess about with really cool people. I'm sad the shoot is about to finish. Only 3 more weeks to go!



LRedditor15
As a director of an upcoming Marvel film, do you know what the plots of films prior to Thor: Ragnarok (but still not released e.g. Guardians 2 and Dr. Strange) are? Does Marvel tell you so that you can incorporate easter eggs and continuations of certain storylines from those films?

taikawaitititi
They tell me nothing and that's the way I like it. I have to concentrate on my film and make it the best.



Darkprime
Hi Taika!. Can you talk about your contract with marvel at all? How many movies did you sign on for? Was it just Ragnarok or is there an option for another thor movie / marvel property in the future? Thanks!

taikawaitititi
Just this one. I have other things to do!



seahammer1
Thanks for doing this AMA! Are there any runs from the Thor comics that you came across in your prep for the film that you particularly enjoyed (even if it didn't influence the final product in any way)?

taikawaitititi
Some runs are RIDICULOUS. However I loved God of Thunder with the Gor villain.



[i]ScathanApproves
I thrive and live on comicvine, a place for nerds like me to debate comic characters in vs type battles. I love debating strength levels and feats of these characters in battle scenarios, so naturally I'd like to know why the movie versions of Thor, and for the most part super hero's in general, have to be downplayed and made purposely weaker than their comic book counterparts? Why go from Thor lifting half of Asgard up with brute strength in the comics to Thor in the movies who likely would have trouble lifting a large truck in the films?

taikawaitititi
I think it's because you then have to figure out how to make a challenge for Thor. If he's THAT strong then maybe people can't relate to him. I guess I'm saying I don't really know!



CromFourWinds
Really love the stainless steel font for Ragnarok. What aspects of Ragnarok are you most excited for fans to see?

taikawaitititi
I guess it's a taste thing then. Because i really didn't like the steel font. The new logo suits the 70s/80s sci-fi fantasy that this film is becoming.



monadoboyz
Hey Taika, love your work as an actor and director, What We Do in the Shadows is probably one of the funniest films I've ever seen, and got a couple questions for you:
Could you give us any more information on Ragnarok's title card? not complaining (it looks pretty awesome and original), just wanted to know the reasoning behind it
Is there any plans right now for more projects with Marvel after Thor?

taikawaitititi
The new logo suits what we're doing with Ragnarok. The film is going to be like that logo!



BuddhaKekz
Hi Taika. There has been a lot of talk about music in modern day movies, specifically in the MCU films. What do you think about this and will Thor: Ragnarok re-use established themes from the previous movies, to help establish a musical identity for Thor?

taikawaitititi
If we use that old theme we will be severely molesting it to fit more with the style and tone of Ragnarok. Ie: CRAZY.



Megaprana
I love the retro logo for Ragnarok. What was the inspiration for this?

taikawaitititi
70s and 80s sci-fi design insanity.



LegoStevenMC
Hello Mr. Waititi! How do you see the rivalry between DC and Marvel? Is there really tons of hate behind the scenes like the audience believes?

taikawaitititi
No. Everyone wants each other to do well. If people stop going to see superhero movies then both sides suffer.



hiddlestonianobasan
Hello from the Philippines, Taika! Thanks for being here. Have two questions... 1) Are you going to give us Shirtless Loki? Tom Hiddleston has been jogging all over the Gold Coast. That body needs to be flaunted. 2) Sam Neill mentioned that he had filmed a cameo for THOR RAGNAROK. How about a cameo for Julian Dennison too? Would love to see Ricky Baker interact with Loki.

taikawaitititi
I'm not sure about Tom's torso...
I would love to find a way to put Julian in the film. Suggestions?? A cheeky alien??



GuilBen
Hi Taika! Hunt for the Wilderpeople and What we do in the Shadows are some of my favorite movies, you've very quickly become one of my favorite directors!
What's been the best thing about shooting Thor: Ragnarok with Marvel?

taikawaitititi
Creative freedom.



Dennisw0w
Hi, long time Marvel fan here. I'm glad you're directing Thor: Ragnarok and I can't wait for release. I would like to ask you two questions.
Can you tell us anything at all if Thanos is going to appear in Thor: Ragnarok? James Gunn confirmed that he is not in GOTG Vol.2 so maybe you can say something?
Who is your favorite character that exists within the MCU and why?
Thanks for doing this AMA and I fully understand if the first question is classified.

taikawaitititi
I can't say right now as it's a bit early. My favourite character is Thor. But not Thor from the previous films - Thor from Ragnarok. He's different and amazing.



CupofWater03
Hello Taika,I know you're trying to avoid giving away a lot of info regarding Thor but can you answer this simple question for me?
Where does "Thor: Ragnarok" take place in the MCU timeline? Fall of 2016? Early 2017?

taikawaitititi
It comes out in November 2017. I'm not sure how that relates to the other films though!



KarMickJagger
Did you learn anything from working on Green Lantern that you're applying to directing Thor: Ragnarok?

taikawaitititi
Nope! Lol.



TheBoyWonder13
Hey Taika, I know you can't say much, but how does Thor: Ragnarok end?

taikawaitititi
With a full stop.


--- end of AMA ---