MCU Rumor Teases Thor 5's 'Dark' New Direction After Taika Waititi's Marvel Exit

Not much is known about "Thor 5" at this point, but one thing that does seem likely is that Taika Waititi won't return to direct. The filmmaker helmed the incredibly well-received "Thor: Ragnarok" and the much more poorly-received "Thor: Love and Thunder." Marvel likely wants a change of pace from Waititi's sensibilities, and rumors suggest they may go much darker for a fifth outing.

Hollywood insider Daniel Richtman posted on Patreon about how Marvel allegedly wants a decidedly darker tone for "Thor 5." Going even further, the rumors state that Marvel wants a director with experience in "serious work," with Gareth Edwards being a possibility. Edwards is no stranger to big-budget, science-fiction spectacle, having previously directed 2014's "Godzilla," "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," and "The Creator." 

"Thor: Love and Thunder" faced heavy criticism from reviewers and fans alike, partly due to its excessively silly tone, with many emotional beats getting undercut by jokes. "Thor: Ragnarok," while funny, came across as much more balanced. It's understandable that Marvel wants to right the ship and make Thor (Chris Hemsworth) a respectable character again, especially if he's going to continue popping up in films like "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty" and "Avengers: Secret Wars."

The chances of Taika Waititi directing another Marvel movie appear especially slim given comments he's made about his time directing for the studio. Waititi appeared on the "Smartless" podcast to talk about his experience making two Thor movies. The filmmaker stated, "I had no interest in doing one of those films. It wasn't on my plan for my career as an auteur. But I was poor and I'd just had a second child, and I thought, 'You know what, this would be a great opportunity to feed these children.'" There's nothing wrong with being practical and needing money, and Waititi did revitalize the titular character with "Thor: Ragnarok." But it may explain why the passion was seemingly lacking for "Thor: Love and Thunder."

There's a ton of potential for more Thor movies. "Love and Thunder" ends with Thor adopting a daughter and making a new enemy in the form of Hercules (Brett Goldstein), who is apparently out to get him. Is Hercules enough of a threat to carry on a full film? Or would "Thor 5" need to up the ante even further, perhaps by finally bringing Beta Ray Bill into the mix?

With so much cosmic potential, there's a lot that could be done with "Thor 5," especially with a talented filmmaker like Gareth Edwards at the helm. Then again, the "Thor 5" director could be someone else entirely. More than anything, Thor needs a breath of fresh air to feel important again, so hopefully, Marvel finds someone who actively wants to do something interesting with him.