Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty

Chris Hemsworth and Taika Waititi

Chris HemsworthandTaika Waititihid their longstanding friendship from Marvel bosses before the director signed on to helmThor: Ragnarok.

“We’d decided not to tell these guys that we knew each other because I didn’t want to get a job because of my friend. And he would feel awkward,” Waititi, 46, said.

Waititi said he and Hemsworth, 38, “would often just chat about things we wanted to do to make [Thor] more fun and irreverent.”

“I think the main focus was making the character [Thor] more like Chris, because he’s so funny, to bring out in the character his sense of humor and his comic ability as an actor,” the filmmaker added.

Chris Hemsworth inThor: Ragnarok.J Boland/Marvel Studios/Kobal/Shutterstock

“Thor: Ragnarok” Chris Hemsworth

Thor: Ragnarokearned $853 million at the worldwide box office upon its release. Waititi has returned to write and direct the fourth installment in the Marvel franchise,Thor: Love and Thunder, which sees Hemsworth return as the God of Thunder.

Also starring in the upcoming film areTessa ThompsonandNatalie Portmanas well asChristian Baleas a newvillainous character.

In May 2020, Hemsworth toldThe Philadelphia InquirerthatThor: Love and Thunderpushes the boundaries of the franchise, teasing the current treatment for the sequel is “pretty insane.”

“It’s one of the best scripts I’ve read in years,” said Hemsworth. “It’s Taika at his most extreme and at his best. If the version I read is the one we get running with, it’s going to be pretty insane.”

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In June of this year, Hemsworth revealed he’d finished filming the movie in an Instagram photo of himself flexing his superhero muscles and smoldering at the camera alongside Waititi dressed in full gladiator garb as his character, Korg.

“That’s a wrap on Thor Love and Thunder, it’s also national don’t flex day so I thought this super relaxed photo was appropriate,” Hemsworth joked in the caption.

“The film is gonna be batshit crazy off the wall funny and might also pull a heart string or two. Lots of love, lots of thunder!” he added. “Thank you to all the cast and crew who made this another incredible Marvel journey. Buckle in, get ready and see ya in cinemas!!”

Thor: Love and Thunderis currently set for release on July 8, 2022.

source: people.com