In a galaxy far, far away, director Gareth Edwards made a bold move when he directed Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, a 2016 film that stands out as one of the darkest and gloomiest in the franchise’s history. In addition, he was the mastermind behind the first film in MonsterVerse, Godzilla, which is also a reboot of Toho’s Godzilla franchise. Now, in light of the recent reports that he is considering helming Thor 5, fans are left to speculate: Could we see a darker, more mature God of Thunder on the big screen?
Well, an opportunity like this seems even more intriguing in light of Taika Waititi’s hilarious portrayal of the character in Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder. He recently addressed the rumors about him directing the upcoming Thor 5, saying that he “never say[s] never”.
The Darker Thor: The Evolution of Gareth Edwards’ Vision?
As one of the best directors currently at work, Gareth Edwards‘ name will be linked to a lot of well-acclaimed films. Monsters (2010) was the film that brought the Welsh-English director’s name widespread recognition. Meanwhile, following the underwhelming reception of Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder in 2022, there has been speculation that Marvel Studios is considering hiring the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story filmmaker to direct the fifth Thor film.
In an interview with Edwards, BroBible‘s Post Credit Podcast asked him if he had seen those rumors and what he thought of them. He replied:
“I saw those rumors too…I love those movies. I love Marvel, a lot of my friends work on Marvel films. I’m very excited about the future of cinema, personally…And I just want to push that even further, so having the freedom and being able to take risks, being allowed to fail. I think that’s all an important part of any creativity.”
With his atmospheric and visually striking films, Edwards has left a lasting impression on the film industry. Thus, in response to a question about his upcoming film projects (probably Thor 5), he expressed his desire to continue exploring original science fiction. In his words:
“And so I’m very excited about having another go at my own film. I love all the other movies and franchises, I go to see them. I have most of them on my DVD/Blu-ray shelf. But I really want to keep pursuing original sci-fi. Was that a very politically correct answer? I never say never. In the right circumstances, absolutely.”
It would be wise for Marvel Cinematic Universe to hire a director of Edwards’ caliber, especially considering the studio’s recent struggles. Currently, there is no official confirmation that the Monsters director will be helming the upcoming Thor film.
Thor 5 to Have a Darker Tone Than Taika Waititi’s Films?
The untitled Thor 5 movie is aiming for a more somber and dark tone, and Gareth Edwards is being considered for the director’s chair, claimed industry insider Daniel Richtman.
Marvel Studios reportedly wants THOR 5 to have a darker tone in comparison to the last two Thor films
They’re currently looking for a director with “more serious work” – Gareth Edwards is one of the directors they’re looking at to direct the fifth installment
(via @DanielRPK) pic.twitter.com/TQrX9CaNDZ
— Thor Updates (@ThorUpdate) November 27, 2023
Here comes Taika Waititi, who gave Chris Hemsworth‘s Thor: Ragnarok a laugh boost and made the God of Thunder seem like a silly, endearing person. While the film garnered positive reviews, some fans who liked the previous, darker iterations of the character were split on it.
Even Thor: Love and Thunder, which was released in 2022 to generally negative reviews, did not gross as much money as its predecessor. Waititi has now officially announced that he will not be continuing with the franchise. When Insider questioned him about a possible fifth Thor movie, he answered, saying.
“I know that I won’t be involved. I’m going to concentrate on these other films that I’ve signed on for.”
The possibility that Edwards will paint Thor in the upcoming fifth film in a darker, more mature light excites us. The filmmaker could uplift the thematic depth of God of Thunder’s story, thanks to his history of crafting thought-provoking narratives in well-loved franchises.
If this vision comes to pass, only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: Edwards can bring something special to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and we are eagerly awaiting it.
Stream all Thor movies on Disney Plus and FuboTV.
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