‘Thor: Love & Thunder’: Fans Are Convinced the Guardians Are ‘Safe’ With Taika Waititi
One of the main reasons Marvel fans love the Marvel Cinematic Universe? They get to see all of their favorite characters interact. Prior to the MCU, it was rare to see multiple superheroes pop up in one film. Other than team movies like the X-Men, for the most part, these films focused on one main character.
Now? It’s to the point where fans are surprised when more than one hero doesn’t appear in an MCU movie. One of the most successful partnerships has been Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Let’s take a look at their interaction, what the plans are for them, and why fans think the Guardians are “safe” in the hands of director Taika Waititi.
Thor and the Guardians’ interaction in the MCU so far
Thor met the Guardians of the Galaxy during the events of Avengers; Infinity War. After Thanos attacks a refugee ship full of Asgardians, Thor is left to die floating in space and it’s the Guardians who find him.
They join him in the fight against Thanos. Thor, Rocket, and Groot eventually get Thor a new weapon and join the fight against the Mad Titan on Earth. Sadly, all the Guardians but Rocket perish with Thanos’ snap.
Once the snap is reversed, the Guardians return in the final fight against Thanos. After helping to defeat him and his army, they let Thor join them on their continuing adventures. Thor hands the title of king over to Valkyrie and the new group (one Thor dubs “the Asgardians of the Galaxy”) leave the planet.
What the MCU has planned for Thor and the Guardians
It’s unclear exactly what the adventures of this new group will look like, but one thing’s for sure: their interaction is not done. Marvel has announced both a fourth Thor film and a third Guardians of the Galaxy film. Shooting for Thor: Love and Thunder is underway, and the Guardians are confirmed to be appearing in it.
What can fans expect from this union? Anything’s possible, but given that the film is so crowded, an extended Guardians cameo may be on the table. Expect the Guardians to figure heavily into the first act, with the plot removing them as Thor’s main storyline develops.
Why Marvel fans are convinced the Guardians of the Galaxy are ‘safe’ with Taika Waititi
So far in the MCU, James Gunn has directed all the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. Marvel put the characters into the Russo Brothers’ hands for the Infinity Saga. Now, they’ll entrust them with Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi.
This doesn’t seem like it’s going to be a problem for fans of the series. A recent Reddit thread discussing Gunn and Waititi’s collaboration calmed any fears that Waititi wouldn’t serve the characters well:
“Honestly Taika just seems like a more insane version of Gunn when it comes to MCU movies. That’s in no way a bad thing for either of them, but makes sense that the Guardians would be safe with Taika because of it.”
So are the Guardians safe? If Thor: Ragnarok is any indication, absolutely. Waititi has shown himself adept at directing superhero action comedy. Thor: Ragnarok was successful on almost every level. That film was also a superhero ensemble.
Waititi did a great job integrating multiple characters like Valkyrie, Loki, Hulk, Korg, and Miek. There’s no reason to think he won’t be able to do the same with the Guardians.
In short, Marvel fans can rest easy. There’s little doubt these fan-favorite characters will be in the right hands with Waititi.
