There are critics out there who find that superhero fatigue is starting to settle upon Hollywood, but Thor is hearing none of that. The hero made his solo comeback earlier this month in Thor: Ragnarok, and the director who kicked off the franchise is now sharing his thoughts about the much-loved sequel.
Recently, Coming Soon had the chance to speak with Kenneth Branagh about his latest work on Murder on the Orient Express. It was there Branagh was asked if he’d seen Thor: Ragnarok yet, but the actor revealed he’s been too busy to catch a screening just yet.
“No, but I look forward to it very much,” Branagh admitted.
“Really look forward to the fact that it’s clearly so different in tone, although Kevin Feige was in touch recently very sweetly, to say they use a bit of Patrick Doyle’s theme from the first movie and it’s quite a touching moment at the end of a great fun space adventure that sort of let’s you know the roots from which it came. They all sort of join up.”
Continuing, the director said he’s happy to see Chris Hemsworth give a new spin on the God of Thunder.
“I’m very pleased it seems so releasing for Chris that the character’s been re-energized. Taika’s a terrific director, and a sense of fun and adventure with the character is also very pleasing to see. I’m proud to have been a small part of that universe and to have dealt with that subject tonally at a time when we were all pretty sweaty about whether we could make it work on its own, let alone as part of the great edifice that is now the MCU!”
In the past, the Thor films have struggled to find their footing with audiences. Branagh’s take on the hero was met with mostly positive reviews, but the Asgardian stumbled in Thor: The Dark World. Director Taika Waitit stepped in to rejuvenate the franchise with his distinct wit, and Thor: Ragnarok seems to have broken its hero’s curse. The sequel has been certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and it still holds at mighty 92% on the site after nearly 300 reviews.