Taika Waititi first caught the attention of moviegoers worldwide when he stepped into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Thor: Ragnarok in 2017.

The New Zealand filmmaker had achieved numerous hits in his home country, including Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and What We Do in the Shadows. Waititi also won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for his movie Jojo Rabbit.

Taika Waititi at the Thor: Love and Thunder premiere
The Thor: Love and Thunder director found inspiration in another Marvel actor, Kurt Russell, who portrayed Ego in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Waititi held Russell in high esteem, describing him as a great actor.

Taika Waititi Says Kurt Russell Makes American Cinema Great

Taika Waititi in a still from What We Do in the Shadows
During a YouTube video for Konbini, Taika Waititi visited the JR Video store in Paris. While randomly selecting movies that had influenced him, The Mandalorian director stumbled upon John Carpenter’s 1986 film, Big Trouble in Little China. Waititi didn’t fail to mention his admiration for the film’s lead actor, Kurt Russell. The Eagle vs Shark director said:
“Kurt Russell is what makes American cinema great. I’ve never met him; maybe I don’t need to meet him. They say don’t meet your heroes. I don’t think I need to meet him, but I want you guys to know this is the guy.”
Alongside Kurt Russell, the movie featured Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, and James Hong. The fantasy action-comedy movie incorporated elements of martial arts, which excited Carpenter to take on the project. Despite receiving positive reviews, the film encountered commercial failure upon release. Over time, it has garnered a devoted following as a cult classic.

Taika Waititi Drew Inspiration From The Classic For Thor: Ragnarok

Taika Waititi
Taika Waititi revealed that the fun and action-packed nature of Big Trouble in Little China influenced his Marvel endeavor, Thor: Ragnarok. Waititi revealed that the character of Jack Burton, played by Russell, a brash and witty truck driver, served as a source of inspiration for Chris Hemsworth‘s character portrayal. The Inbetweeners director shared:
“One of the inspirations for Thor: Ragnarok was this film. Big Trouble in Little China. We loved the fun nature of that character, and that’s something we wanted to try and emulate in Thor with Chris’ character.”
Thor: Ragnarok was the third and best installment within the Thor franchise of the MCU. The film grossed $855M at the box office and received critical acclaim for the performances and Waititi’s direction. As of now, you can stream Thor: Ragnarok on Disney+ and Big Trouble in Little China on Paramount+.

Source: Konbini – YouTube