Movies Taika Waititi returning to write, direct Thor 4 By Devan Coggan Devan Coggan Devan Coggan (rhymes with seven slogan) is a senior writer at Entertainment Weekly. Most of her personality is just John Mulaney quotes and Lord of the Rings references. EW's editorial guidelines Published on July 16, 2019 02:05PM EDT Taika Waititi is reuniting with his friends from work. EW has confirmed that the Thor: Ragnarok director is returning to write and direct Thor 4. Presumably, Chris Hemsworth will also be back on board as the golden Asgardian warrior, who we last saw jetting off into space with the Guardians of the Galaxy at the end of Avengers: Endgame. According to The Hollywood Reporter, which first broke the news, Waititi's return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe also means that he's no longer attached to Akira, Warner Bros.' big-screen adaptation of the classic manga. The film was previously set for a 2021 release date. Jasin Boland/Marvel Studios The Thor 4 news comes just a few days ahead of Marvel's panel at San Diego Comic-Con, where the superhero behemoth will presumably announce new details about its post-Endgame movie plans. Before Thor, Waititi made a name for himself directing offbeat hits like What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople. With 2017's Thor: Ragnarok, he helped reinvent Hemsworth's brawny god after some disappointing solo movies, and the film was a box office hit, earning $854 million worldwide and cementing itself as one of the MCU's best-reviewed films ever. It remains to be seen whether other Thor: Ragnarok alums like Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie and Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster will also return, but hopefully, Waititi's involvement means that we haven't seen the last of a certain soft-spoken, pamphlet-distributing rock monster. Related content: Avengers: Endgame explained: Thor's closing scene In praise of Marvel's destructive Phase 3 films All the secrets and details of the Thor: Love and Thunder trailer, from Zeus to Jan Foster