Taika Waititi’s Problems Triple after Star Wars Movie Delay and Thor 4: ‘Time Bandits’ Gets Axed for the Same Reason Why Most Believe The Rings of Power is Next

SUMMARY

• Taika Waititi's TV series, Time Bandits gets canceled due to low viewership.
• The director has been facing several strikes since his film, Thor: Love and Thunder went wrong.
• Waititi's upcoming Star Wars movie faced huge delays and has no updates of a release time.

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Taika Waititi is best known for his hilarious works, both on-screen and behind the curtains. The actor, writer, and filmmaker has been involved in several hits on the big and small screens. Unfortunately, recent times have not been kind to his stint behind the camera. Thor: Love and Thunder, which was co-written and directed by Waititi failed to garner the expected response.

Another highly anticipated project was an untitled Star Wars movie which has been stuck in limbo since its announcement in 2020. Now his most recent venture, Time Bandits a TV show was cancelled just after the first season. Though this time the reason is more complex and practical, something which might affect the fate of even popular series like The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power.

The politics between viewership and market gain

Taika Waititi’s Time Bandits had everything going for it, an established fanbase, good reviews, and mostly favorable criticism. However, this wasn’t enough and the show got canceled before renewal for a second season.

Lisa Kudrow in Time Bandits | Credits: Apple TV+

According to a report by Deadline, Apple TV+ did not pick the fantasy show for its next season. The reason is not entirely due to the intrinsic quality of the series but has to do with the viewership of the series.

Larger budgets have created a bigger goal for streaming content, and when they are unable to meet them they sadly get sacked. Something similar happened with this Lisa Kudrow starrer, which reportedly did not make it into the list of Nielsen’s Top 10 ranks for streaming series.

A still from The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power | Credits: Amazon Prime Video

Though not confirmed, another huge show might face a similar outcome in the near future. The Lord of Rings: Rings of Power is considered to be one of the most expensive TV shows ever made. The Amazon series has banked on LOTR’s fanbase but it could be canceled if the final goal of viewership is not reached.

When things didn’t go well for the filmmaker

Waititi directed Thor: Ragnarok which garnered a mostly positive response, with some fans claiming it was the best movie of the Thor franchise. So when he got involved with the next installment people were mostly optimistic.

It’s an ongoing battle because I want my films to be entertaining and I want a lot of humor in them, to poke fun not only at the idea of the Space Viking, but also to poke fun at humans.

However, Thor: Love and Thunder disappointed fans whose expectations were high due to the previous film. The 2022 movie added a lot of skepticism and doubt to the otherwise flawless career of the writer-director.

Chris Hemsworth in Thor: Love and Thunder | Credits: Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures

You know, I always say, if you want it to be exactly like the comics read the comic. You’ve got to change things here and there to make it a film.

Waititi addressed the situation via Marvel’s Thor 4: Love and Thunder Movie Special Book, (as per Comic Book News). The director called out fans and advised them to read the comic books if they did not appreciate the experiments.

Another heart-breaking moment for the filmmaker came with the huge delays in his upcoming Star Wars movie. Lucasfilm announced the film back in 2020, naming Waititi as the director. But as the years went by no official update followed for the production of the movie.

I’ve got a really good idea for it. It’s just as with all films, it’s this middle part. You’re like, ‘What’s going to happen?’ And then you look at all of those films that are so great, you’re like, ‘Well, I guess they can’t meet some smuggler with an alien sidekick.’

Taika Waititi in Our Flag Means Death | Credits: HBO Max

The director spoke to The Hollywood Reporter in May 2023, where he divulged his vague ideas for a script. Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, also spoke to Variety about the upcoming movie.

Taika is still working away. He’s writing the script himself. He doesn’t really want to bring others into that process and I don’t blame him. He has a very, very unique voice.

Official confirmation about the production or a release date for the standalone movie has not been revealed. It seems like the filmmaker is in deep waters, with his 2022 movie disappointing Marvel fans and now the cancelation of his TV show.

Time Bandits is currently available to watch on Apple TV+ and Thor: Love and Thunder is available to watch on Disney+.

Written by Shruti Pathak

Articles Published: 115

An entertainment writer with a passion for storytelling that transcends genres, Shruti Pathak is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in English. She is also a devoted poetry enthusiast, exploring the beauty of language and emotion through verse. Obsessed with the show Friends, a self-proclaimed swiftie, and inspired by classical literature these are just some characteristics that describe the novice writer. Newly joining FandomWire as an intern writer, she hopes to share her thoughts while sharpening her writing skills on various entertainment topics.