By Tim Lammers

When considering directors for their latest Marvel Cinematic Universe Super Hero adventure, Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok, Marvel Studios had to have sensed something special with Taika Waititi. Having already displayed his unique set of filmmaking sensibilities with the indie sensations What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, the New Zealand filmmaker proceeded to blow fans’ minds when he came thundering out of the gate in April with the neon-infused teaser trailer for the film. In less than two minutes time, Waititi made it known that the third adventure for the God of Thunder would be like nothing fans had ever seen before.

“I wanted to do something that felt fresh and new for the character and the franchise, but also for me as a filmmaker as well,” Waititi says. “I don’t want to fall into a trap of repeating myself, and just getting comfortable and doing the same thing again and again. So, getting to do this film was a great opportunity for me to test and challenge myself, and say, ‘You know what? You can make a Super Hero movie if you want, as long as you make it your Super Hero movie and do the film in your own voice.’”

Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok, which opens in 2-D and 3-D in theaters and on IMAX screens on Friday, November 3, brings back Thor (Chris Hemsworth) as you’ve never seen him before: in an action-comedy-style adventure where he reunites with fellow Avenger Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and recruits his very untrustworthy brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), to battle the Goddess of Death, Hela (Cate Blanchett)—who threatens to destroy the brothers’ home planet of Asgard. Joining the trio for the fight is Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), but first they must escape the planet of Sakaar, whose savvy ruler Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) features Hulk in gladiator-style battles to entertain the planet’s denizens.

Waititi recently chatted with D23 about the making of the film.

D23: You’ve taken a more lighthearted route on Thor: Ragnarok that’s quite different from Thor and Thor: The Dark World.
Taika Waititi (TW): That’s exactly right. I’m so grateful to [directors] Kenneth Branagh and Alan Taylor for laying the groundwork, and establishing the world and establishing the characters so well that for me the job was a lot easier, so I could come in and add these colorful elements without having to establish or explain anything to the audience. That was a huge thing for me. Also, you can’t forget that these stories come from comic books, especially Marvel’s comic books, including Thor, which are very colorful. They’re very irreverent and have great humor in them, and great art. They have a vibrancy and life to them that we tried to capture in the film. Other people have obsessed with making their comic book movies dark and brooding and more depressing than life itself, but for me, I want people to go to the movies and smile again. I want them to enjoy the escape from the real world. We tried our very hardest to make it a film that made people happy, and made them laugh and smile.

D23: I really see Thor: Ragnarok as an opportunity to play up some of Chris Hemsworth’s previously untapped strengths—at least in a Thor film—by playing up his charm. He has a naturally fun and jovial demeanor about him, and Thor: Ragnarok gives him the perfect opportunity to showcase that.
TW:  Oh, yeah. We really made an effort with the character of Thor to make him more like Chris, because Chris is a very charming and funny guy, and someone you want to follow on an adventure. He was almost our secret weapon in deciding who Thor should be. So, we got Chris to be a slightly larger version of himself.

D23: Whose comedic abilities most surprised you? My guess is that it’s Cate Blanchett, who is so incredibly talented and so deliciously evil as Hela. She’s so fun to watch.
TW:  She really is. The comedy really wasn’t a surprise because I knew she could do anything, but there’s a certain nonchalance about her in the film, which I think mirrors how Cate is in what she’s done. She’s won a bunch of awards, she doesn’t have anything to prove and she knows her stuff. There’s something really cool about seeing somebody at the top of their game who is so relaxed and just comes in and turns it on. I feel that’s the way it was watching her playing Hela. Hela’s won all these battles in her past, yet waltzed in in a casual way, and it allowed her to be funny and irreverent. It allowed her to make wisecracks before annihilating Asgard’s army

D23: And certainly you found with Anthony Hopkins—especially playing Loki disguised as Odin—that he can be quite funny, too.
TW: We had a huge amount of fun with Tony. Really, he can just come in and turn it on when he wants. He hardly has to do anything. There’s a relaxed thing going on there where you feel like you’re in safe hands. It’s confidence that gives you confidence. You feel like, “Man, I don’t know if he’s dialing it in” [laughs] or “He’s just so fabulous and useable.” Maybe that’s what acting is.

D23: We have to talk about Taika, the actor, because fans are going to love your role as Korg. He’s this big, looming character made of rocks, but instead of giving him this gruff demeanor, you went with a lighter, almost whimsical take on his voice. He’s very much a gentle giant and mild-mannered—I love that you gave him that read.
TW: Doing things like that—it was about not making the obvious choice. That was our M.O. throughout the entire film. Every time we felt like, “Have we seen this before? What can we do to change what’s expected of us?” We wanted to do whatever it took to make something really different. We had a good team that was really supportive of that approach, and that team was Marvel Studios.

By D23 Team

The God of Thunder is back in Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok, which hits theaters on November 3. And he’s bringing along a new cast of colorful characters who are ready to Ragna-rock the house! We haven’t seen Thor and Bruce Banner since Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Loki’s last appeared in Thor: The Dark World, but they’re back for Marvel Studios’ latest blockbuster. And although a lot has happened since Thor’s last solo outing, don’t worry, we’ve put together this handy guide. Before you see Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok in theaters, here is what we know about the characters so far—and what to watch out for as the story unfolds.

Thor:
Say goodbye to the long, golden locks—Thor has a new look and a new battle to fight! The last time we saw our Asgardian warrior, he was leaving the Avengers to learn the truth about the Infinity Stones, but now he finds himself at a crossroads, vulnerable without his hammer, his kingdom, or his fellow Avengers. Chris Hemsworth, stepping into the hero’s boots once more, enjoyed the challenge of a vulnerable Thor for this film. “It was about stripping him back physically, but also emotionally, in order to rebuild him… or have him rediscover something,” Hemsworth says. “So that is a great way to break him down.”

Loki:
In Marvel Studios’ Thor: The Dark World, the God of Mischief pulled off the biggest trick of all time—fooling Asgard into believing that he was Odin! “He starts off as the happy king who has gotten what he wants,” says Tom Hiddleston, returning as Loki. “What he comes to realize is that whether he’s actually in charge of Asgard or not, he really could not fathom the things his father was doing to protect the universe.” Hiddleston also said this will be Loki’s “most demonstrably physical” film, allowing him to show off his battle prowess rather than just being swung around by the Hulk.

Hela:
As the first lead female villain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hela, the Goddess of Death, wreaks vengeance and wrath on Asgard. Audiences are in for a roller-coaster ride with Hela, who boasts power unlike anything else in the Nine Realms—she even manages to part Thor from his hammer with very little effort. Oscar®-winner Cate Blanchett found excitement in bringing the new villainess to life. “She’s not simply sinister,” Blanchett says. “There’s a bit of mischief in there—and playfulness.”

Heimdall:
When Heimdall went to battle in Thor: The Dark World, screenwriter Craig Kyle defined him as a “gunslinger.” Now, in Thor: Ragnarok, executive producer Brad Winderbaum says that Heimdall’s role is “a kind of elder statesmen,” guiding our heroes. “Heimdall… is a character who predates Thor and Loki from an older era of Asgard,” Winderbaum says. “Here, we find him in self-exile as a warrior fighting from the Asgardian wilderness.”

Valkyrie:
Valkyrie is a galactic scavenger who discovers Thor after Hela’s takeover and brings him to the arena on Sakaar. Though her old life is in tatters, Valkyrie is a character who can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Thor and has the potential to become, according to Winderbaum, “a pivotal force in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.” Tessa Thompson, who plays Valkyrie, describes her relationship with Thor as “testy” yet important. “I think the attraction for both of them has to do with really meeting their equal,” Thompson says. “They’re both fighters. They’re both people with an internal moral compass. They are both people who have left home… and responsibilities behind. [Valkyrie]’s left Asgard behind because it caused her too much pain.”

Bruce Banner/The Hulk:
Banner seemed to have disappeared after the battle of Sokovia—until Thor stumbles upon the Hulk as a gladiator in Sakaar’s arena. Actor Mark Ruffalo says that Banner has been taking the back seat to Hulk for almost two years, and that time allowed for some rewiring. “During this time, all of the traumatic things in his life that have been making him afraid, making him doubtful… have been erased,” Ruffalo says. “So when he wakes up he’s like an 8-year-old or 12-year-old boy.” Director Taika Waititi agrees, saying, “To me, the old Banner died and was rebirthed into this new, energetic, wide-eyed and very adventurous and curious Banner.”

Grandmaster:
The Grandmaster rules over Sakaar, a chaotic planet whose citizens fill its gladiator arena to watch warriors battle. This is where Thor finds himself after Hela’s attack on Asgard, and where Banner has been living for two years. Jeff Goldblum, who brings the Grandmaster to life, describes him as “spontaneous, playful, and mercurial.” He continues: “The Grandmaster has a storied journey that has gone on for decades. He has been involved in pitting people against each other. He can read people’s minds, is very smart, and can do many things. After all that time, what seems to interest him most is having fun.”

Skurge:
Waititi describes newcomer Skurge as “an interesting character with a moral dilemma.” Skurge is an Asgardian soldier with a penchant for collecting weapons from across the Nine Realms, but things soon change. “As soon as Hela turns up, Skurge makes the decision to side with her so that he can live,” says Waititi. “His loyalties are still with Asgard, but he’s trying to play both sides of the coin.” Bringing this conflicted character to life is Karl Urban. “The dynamic between our characters [Skurge and Hela] is an interesting one,” says Urban. “It’s a fun partnership.”

Odin:
Our last glimpse of Odin in Thor: The Dark World actually proved to not be Odin at all, but Loki in disguise. So where is the Allfather, the powerful king of Asgard, and can Thor find him in time to save Asgard? “Odin has been the king of Asgard for eons,” Winderbaum says. “But when we first meet Odin here, he’s not Odin at all.”

Korg:
After being captured, Thor is placed in a holding area with Korg, a large warrior who appears to be made completely from rocks. And although imposing to look at, Korg is disarmingly charming and charismatic, an ironically likable comrade to Thor. And director Waititi actually plays the part of the fearsome-looking character. “I like playing characters who provide a little texture and make it a bit more interesting to watch,” Waititi says. “And I knew I had never played a guy who was made of rocks.”