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Taika Waititi first caught the attention of moviegoers worldwide when he stepped into the Marvel Cinematic Universe withThor: Ragnarokin 2017. The New Zealand filmmaker had achieved numerous hits in his home country, includingBoy,Hunt for the Wilderpeople, andWhat We Do in the Shadows. Waititi also won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for his movieJojo Rabbit.
TheThor: Love and Thunderdirector found inspiration in another Marvel actor, Kurt Russell, who portrayed Ego inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Waititi held Russell in high esteem, describing him as a great actor.
Also Read:“It just became too silly”: Chris Hemsworth Regretted Starring in Taika Waititi’s $761M Film, Claimed He “Cringed at it” After Filming Ended
Taika Waititi Says Kurt Russell Makes American Cinema Great
During a YouTube video for Konbini,Taika Waititivisited the JR Video store in Paris. While randomly selecting movies that had influenced him,The Mandaloriandirector stumbled upon John Carpenter’s 1986 film,Big Trouble in Little China. Waititi didn’t fail to mention his admiration for the film’s lead actor,Kurt Russell. TheEagle vs Sharkdirector said:
“Kurt Russell is what makes American cinema great. I’ve never met him; maybe I don’t need to meet him. They say don’t meet your heroes. I don’t think I need to meet him, but I want you guys to know this is the guy.”
Alongside Kurt Russell, the movie featured Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, and James Hong. The fantasy action-comedy movie incorporated elements of martial arts, which excited Carpenter to take on the project. Despite receiving positive reviews, the film encountered commercial failure upon release. Over time, it has garnered a devoted following as a cult classic.
Also Read:Odd Reason Why Tony Award Winner Jodie Comer Couldn’t Bring Herself to Hate Taika Waititi in 2021 Ryan Reynolds Movie
Taika Waititi Drew Inspiration From The Classic ForThor: Ragnarok
Taika Waititi revealed that the fun and action-packed nature ofBig Trouble in Little Chinainfluenced his Marvel endeavor,Thor: Ragnarok. Waititi revealed that the character of Jack Burton, played by Russell, a brash and witty truck driver, served as a source of inspiration forChris Hemsworth‘s character portrayal.The Inbetweenersdirector shared:
“One of the inspirations for Thor: Ragnarok was this film. Big Trouble in Little China. We loved the fun nature of that character, and that’s something we wanted to try and emulate in Thor with Chris’ character.”
Also Read:Taika Waititi’s Wife Rita Ora Cheated on MCU Director With Thor 4 Actress, Took Part in a Threesome? 32 Year Old Singer Addresses Bombshell Rumor
Thor: Ragnarokwas the third and best installment within theThorfranchise of the MCU. The film grossed $855M at the box office and received critical acclaim for the performances and Waititi’s direction. As of now, you can streamThor: Ragnarokon Disney+ andBig Trouble in Little Chinaon Paramount+.
Source:Konbini – YouTube
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3018
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
