Taika Waititi Says He Was Inspired by ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ for ‘Thor: Ragnarok’

It’s been a great week for those of us who are really excited for Thor: Ragnarok: between Thor’s new #look, and Jeff Goldblum’s… everything, this movie might be the most entertaining, visuals-wise, Marvel has ever made. And it also might be among the funniest: it’s described as a kind of buddy road trip comedy with Thor and Bruce Banner/Hulk traveling the Universe and stirring up trouble, and Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo historically have some of the funniest moments in the previous Avengers films (“Another!”/“Puny god.”). Couple that with New Zealand’s achingly hysterical Taika Waititi, and you’ve got a pretty potent combo.

Waititi himself told Entertainment Weekly that the movie isn’t necessarily a straight-up comedy, but it will utilize Hemsworth and Ruffalo’s comedic chops a little more.

It’s not really a comedy. There are some really great moments we’re going to have in the film. Knowing that it was Bruce Banner and Thor on kind of a road trip journey, that lends itself to a tone because those guys are both really funny. I was like you gotta exploit Chris’ comic abilities. He’s so good and underutilized in that department. He’s legitimately one of the funniest things in this film.

For Ragnarok, Waititi took a few cues from another film about a beefcake who stumbles into a supernatural adventure: John Carpenter’s fantastic Big Trouble in Little China, which sees Kurt Russell stuck in the middle of a battle between ancient deities.

Big Trouble in Little China was one of those films where Jack Burton is a buffoon but he’s lovable and you’re with him the entire way. I thought Thor has got to be the one you want to be with in every scene.

Thor is, by far, the Avenger anyone would want to go for a drink with (except, probably don’t challenge him to any sort of drinking competition). He’s a big, lovable, nice dude who loves Creamsicles and just so happens to wield a hammer that controls lightning. It’s about time he and Banner got the chance to goof off a little and have a good time, and maybe save the Universe while they’re at it.

Thor: Ragnarok hits theaters November 3.