Here’s Why Taika Waititi Sees Thor: Ragnarok As A Standalone Movie

As fans have already seen in Thor: Ragnarok‘s promotional material, the film promises to be vastly different from the two previous entries in the franchise. And according to Taika Waititi, who is directing the picture, that level of creativity spawned from him approaching the film in a new way.

While speaking with io9 during last month’s San Diego Comic-Con, Waititi revealed that he treated Ragnarok as a standalone movie, one that didn’t need to be dependent on the plot and tone of Thor and Thor: Ragnarok.

“To be honest, what I did was I tried to approach it as if there were no other films.” Waititi explained. “I wanted to make this a standalone film. I loved Thor 1 and Thor 2, but if I was going to make this film my own, I couldn’t have come in and tried to make a follow up movie, to try to make the next episode. I wanted to do my own thing.”

Given the warm response that Ragnarok has already received, it’s safe to say that Waititi’s ‘lovable and fun’ approach to the threequel has been effective. The film’s most recent trailer, which premiered during San Diego Comic-Con, dominated social media, and spawned some very passionate reactions from fans.

Fans will just have to wait and see if Waititi’s approach truly pays off when Thor: Ragnarok premieres in November.

Are you excited to see the God of Thunder return to theaters? Let us know with your vote in the Anticipation Rankings below!

MORE THOR: RAGNAROK: A Closer Look At Loki’s New Costume / Thor: Ragnarok Marvel Legends Details And Photos Released / You Can Already Make Your Own Hulk Hammer

In Thor: Ragnarok, Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok – the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization – at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first, he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger – The Incredible Hulk!

Thor: Ragnarok is directed by Taika Waititi from a screenplay by Eric Pearson, and stars Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo, and Anthony Hopkins.

Thor: Ragnarok opens in theaters on November 3, 2017.