MCU hired director Alan Taylor, famous for his work in TV shows, including The Sopranos and Game of Thrones, to direct the troubled project starring Chris Hemsworth, Thor: The Dark World. According to the director, Marvel executives did not interfere with his process during the shoot. But that wasn’t the case in the post-production of the film.
The Creative Committee thought that Loki did not get enough screen time in the film and that his scenes wouldn’t resonate with the audience. As a solution, they planned on involving Joss Whedon, who directed the first Avengers film, in the re-writing process of all the Loki scenes for reshoots.
Marvel Executives Heavily Interfered In Alan Taylor’s Film
In the opening scene of the film, Loki can be seen in chains, which was also a part of the reshoots. Otherwise, the character wasn’t supposed to appear in the film for an hour. The mid-credits scene, shot by James Gunn, showcased Benicio del Toro as the Collector to tease the film Guardians of the Galaxy.
The post-credits scenes featured a frost monster from another dimension, left behind on Earth so that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. could take care of it. The resulting film felt more like it was trying to set up the stage for other Marvel projects rather than catering to its audience.
Taylor, during an interview, said that these changes, which were made after the filming process was complete, hampered the continuity of Thor: The Dark World.
Taylor said (via Independent):
“The version I had started off with had more childlike wonder; there was this imagery of children, which started the whole thing. There was a slightly more magical quality.”
The director also revealed that the filmmaking process was not a great experience for him, asserting that his time working on the movie, along with the underwhelming reviews of his other film, Terminator: Genisys, resulted in a need to rediscover the pleasure of making films.
Hela Was Intended To Be The Villain In Thor 2
Previously, Hela was supposed to be the villain in Thor: The Dark World, but Marvel chose to go ahead with Malekith. While Thor: The Dark World is believed to be one of the weakest films in the MCU, the third installment is often touted as one of the best. A major factor contributing to Thor: Ragnarok’s success was its villain, Hela, played by Cate Blanchett.
Mads Mikkelsen was initially in the running for the role of Malekith, but he had turned down the opportunity because of scheduling conflicts with the Hannibal TV series. The role eventually went to Christopher Eccleston.
Both Alan Taylor and Eccleston have gone on record to express their dissatisfaction with Thor: The Dark World. Despite the film’s significance in the Infinity Saga, it’s believed to be a step in the wrong direction by the MCU.
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