Taika Waititi says Thor: Love and Thunder could be the "best Marvel film ever"

For many, Thor: Love and Thunder will be the highlight of an already stacked Marvel Phase 4.

Taika Waititi’s return behind the camera, Natalie Portman playing a new version of Thor, and Christian Bale switching it up as an MCU baddie are all set to generate serious hype on their own terms. Now, hype levels might have just reached overdrive thanks to the director – who thinks it could be the best Marvel film yet.

Appearing on Australia’s Weekend Today show (H/T The Daily Mail), Waititi updated us all on the progress of filming, saying, "We've got four weeks left, I can see light at the end of the tunnel." He then added a button that will surely set tongues wagging: "It might be the best Marvel film ever."

Bold words, but who are we to doubt Waititi? The New Zealander has impressed in the mainstream not only with Thor: Ragnarok but with his Best Picture-nominated feature, JoJo Rabbit. Yet, Thor 4 has got some seriously stiff competition, especially amid the wave of new movies, titles, and release dates just announced by Marvel Studios.

Not only has the first Eternals teaser just dropped, but a change of title for the Captain Marvel sequel – now called The Marvels, hinting at the arrival of Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel onto the MCU big screen – has been revealed. Couple that with Guardians of the Galaxy 3 getting an official 2023 release date and Marvel reminding us that, yes, a Fantastic Four movie is in the works and it’s clear that the bar is set high.

For Waititi, though, Thor 4 might just see lightning strike twice – and then some.

From Loki onwards, find out what's coming to Disney Plus with our guide to new Marvel TV shows.