'Thor: Ragnarok' news: 'Planet Hulk's' Sakaar now confirmed for the trilogy capper
As comic book fans are already treading their way to the new year after an incredible 2016 run, interest in films for 2017 is slowly picking up, with new details emerging from production. This includes Marvel's last but certainly not the least offering for the next superhero-packed 12 months, "Thor: Ragnarok."
In a conversation with Total Film, which was then tweeted by a user with the handle Tom The Next Level, director Taika Waititi was quoted confirming that Planet Hulk's Sakaar will be part of the cosmic backdrop of the upcoming Marvel flick.
"Sakaar was just an insane, far-off, futuristic place which was the biggest shift for the film and these characters. I was really excited when Kevin and the rest of Marvel jumped on board with the idea to use Kirby as a big influence in the design of the film. What's really hard is staying authentic," the New Zealand-native filmmaker said.
The incorporation of the planet solidifies the reports that Thor (Chris Hemsworth) will meet his Avenger pal, Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), in the said place before they get into their cosmic road trip. Speculation has it that the two will be forced to engage in a gladiator combat for survival and it will be interesting how they will eventually patch up and work together moving forward. Ruffalo has been open about wanting to do a Planet Hulk-based standalone for Bruce Banner and while at this time it seems unlikely given Marvel's full slate until 2019, it is great to know that some semblance of the narrative will still be fleshed out in the big screen.
Oftentimes, the "Thor" franchise has been mocked for being fleshed out for the sole purpose of building up for the Avengers. Furthermore, while its debut incantation is not bad as it was able to open up the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the cosmic realm, its second film was considered to have suffered a middle-film syndrome. Then again, the series as a whole does not pose any significant impact to the lore probably sans the introduction of the character and the fan-favorite Loki (Tom Hiddleston).
But all of this is to change as the threequel is tipped to bring in more depth and a lot of story pieces that will not only build the Asgardian character but also bring in some plot points that will play major roles in 2018's "Avengers: Infinity War."
"Thor: Ragnarok" is scheduled to hit cinemas on Nov. 3, 2017.