Taika Waititi Reveals How He Impressed Marvel: “If You Want a Job, You’ve Got to Lie”

Marvel fans still have a few months before Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters, but director Taika Waititi has other projects for you to enjoy in the meantime. His new show, Our Flag Means Death, just released its first three episodes on HBO Max. Currently, the show is up on Rotten Tomatoes with a 90% critics score and a 67% audience score. In honor of the new pirate action/comedy, Waititi paid a visit to The Late Late Show with James Corden, and Marvel came up during the interview. During the chat, Waititi revealed how he impressed the studio back when he was hired to direct Thor: Ragnarok. 

“Say yes. Say yes to everything,” Waititi replied when asked how he impressed Marvel. “Just nod, ‘Yes, absolutely I can do that. I won’t let you down.’ It’s like getting any job. If you want a job, you’ve got to lie. You’ve got to fake it.”

Better Things star Pamela Aldon was also on the show, and she added that Mel Brooks had a similar motto. “Mel Brooks said you just say yes to everything, even though you’re talking out of your ass. You’re just saying yes and then you get to the point where you’re making it, and it all works out.” This made Waititi laugh as he repeated, “It just works out!” 

In the past, Waititi has teased that Thor: Love and Thunder “is so insane and also very romantic.” During a chat with Empire, the director emphasized that it’s “the craziest film” he’s ever done.

“Well, just between [me and] you and the readers, I’ve done some crazy sh*t in my life. I’ve lived, like, ten lifetimes. But it’s the craziest film I’ve ever done,” Waititi shared. “If you wrote down all the elements of this film, it shouldn’t make sense,” he added, “It’s almost like it shouldn’t be made. If you walked into a room and said, ‘I want this and this and this.’ Who’s in it? These people. What are you going to call it? Love And Thunder. I mean, you’d never work again. Maybe I won’t after this.”

“It’s very different from Ragnarok,” Waititi continued. “It’s crazier. I’ll tell you what’s different. There’ll be far more emotion in this film. And a lot more love. And a lot more thunder. And a lot more Thor, if you’ve seen the photos.”

Not only is Chris Hemsworth returning as Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder, but Natalie Portman is back as Jane Foster, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Jaimie Alexander as Lady Sig, and some of the Guardians of the Galaxy stars are expected to appear in the movie. In addition to the many returning favorites, Thor: Love and Thunder will feature Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher. It was also announced that Russell Crowe will be featured in the film, and the actor revealed last year that he will be playing Zeus. 

The first three episodes of Our Flag Means Death are now streaming on HBO Max. They will be followed by another three on March 10th, two on March 17th, and the final two on March 24th. Thor: Love & Thunder is currently scheduled to hit theaters on July 8th.