TAIKA WAITITI

“Lightyear” did not go to infinity (or beyond) in its first weekend in theaters.

There's humor, necessary nudity and 'Sweet Child O' Mine' by Guns N' Roses. What more could we possibly ask for?

By the time that Taika Waititi's untitled Star Wars film hits theaters in 2023, it will have been four years since the franchise has been on the big screen.

Hollywood is bringing out some of its biggest and most reliable players for the 2022 summer movie season, which unofficially kicks off this weekend with the help of Marvel and Disney’s “Doctor Strange and the Multitverse of Madness” and runs through the end of August.

As shown in the "Thor: Love and Thunder" trailer, the title of Thor is shifting to Natalie Portman's Jane Foster.

This week’s new entertainment releases include an album and companion book by Dolly Parton, the comedy-thriller “Fresh” starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Roger Allam playing a French crime-buster in “Murder in Provence.”.

The Italian fashion world has opened a Milan Fashion Week that brought the return of Russian buyers after two years and the easing of pandemic travel restrictions.

This week’s new entertainment releases include a new album from Tears for Fears, that familiar “cha-CHUNG” sound effect signals the return to TV of NBC’s “Law & Order” and Tyler Perry’s gun-totting grandmother Madea in a fresh Netflix film.

In a new behind-the-scenes book, Waititi opened up about how Korg became "this ridiculously prominent character" because of Hemsworth's suggestions.

Waititi recalled how he got the directing job and gave Thor a fresh spin in a new behind-the-scenes book called "The Story of Marvel Studios."

Streaming site acquires works by the late British author, including "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

Netflix says it has bought the works of Roald Dahl, the late British author of celebrated children’s books such as “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”.

Two years ago, Taika Waititi was working on an animated "Flash Gordon" movie for Fox/Disney. Now, it's apparently live-action.

“Free Guy,” an action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds as a background character in a videogame, opened better than expected over the weekend.

Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi's FX on Hulu comedy "Reservation Dogs" — the first TV series with an all-Indigenous creative team — is more hijinks than sociology.

Two Indigenous filmmakers are smashing the caricatures and stereotypes of Native Americans, who are often portrayed in TV and films as bloodthirsty killers standing in the way of white, westward expansion.

This week’s new entertainment releases include new music from Lizzo and Ben Platt and an animated series on Disney+ that features a bevy of heroes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe in reimagined events called “What If.

Timothée Chalamet will play Willy Wonka in a musical based on the early life of the eccentric chocolatier.

Billie Eilish arrives at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Sunday, March 14, 2021. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)NEW YORK – The Latest on the Grammy Awards (all times local):8:45 p.m.Billie Eillish has won the Grammy Award for record of the year for the second straight year. Beyoncé broke the record with her victory Sunday night for best R&B performance for “Black Parade,” surpassing the 27 Grammys won by Alison Krauss. DaBaby says he “feels like it’s going to touch everybody.”Ad— Marcela Isaza at the Grammy Awards (@misaza)___3:15 p.m.Brandi Carlile is excited to perform at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, even if there isn’t an audience. “Jojo Rabbit” and the “Joker” soundtrack also won Grammys in the segment of the show that awarded music created for visual media.

(AP Photo)LOS ANGELES – Yes, 2020 may seem like a complete fail with all the constant bad news and tragic moments. It’s been filled with gloom and doom(scrolling), but some celebrities and those inspired by them have tried to brighten a bleak year. He reassigned his 10 seamstresses in New York to produce thousands daily for health care workers on the frontlines. The singer and husband Emilio Estefan's restaurant Estefan Kitchen served up homemade meals for health care workers in Miami. The challenge coordinated offers by celebrities and athletes to raise funds to feed those in need during the pandemic.

Across the U.S., many celebrities have been doing far more than tweeting supportive words or issuing carefully prepared statements. They took to the streets alongside thousands of people to condemn the killings of black people at the hands of police and to demand reform. The video shows Sampson step in front of his assistant and an officer hit him at least twice with a baton. Then an officer aims straight at me, no ricochet, and shoots (rubber bullets) Sampson wrote. Everyone is angry but there is a way to direct that anger, actor/director Taika Waititi wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

"Thor: Love and Thunder" writer/director Taika Waititi has signed on to write and direct a "Star Wars" film, as announced at StarWars.com. Waititi has been rumored to be in talks to helm a "Star Wars" movie for some time, but previously played coy about the possibility it would actually come to pass. He directed the acclaimed finale of "The Mandalorian" season one as well as voicing the character IG-11. Waititi will co-write the script with "1917" writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns. Related: Disney Plus drops epic 'Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga' trailer for May the FourthOriginally published on Newsarama.

New Zealand director Taika Waititi poses in the press room with the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for "Jojo Rabbit" during the 92nd Oscars at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California on February 9, 2020. BROWN / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)Taika Waititi will return to the Star Wars universe. The Academy Award-winning writer of "Jojo Rabbit" is set to co-write and direct a future theatrical film for the franchise, Disney revealed on Monday. He also acted in and directed the finale episode of "The Mandalorian," the beloved Disney+ Star Wars show. Disney also announced that Leslye Headland ("Russian Doll") will develop a new, yet untitled, Star Wars series for Disney+.

"Thor: Love & Thunder's" Taika Waititi hosted an Instagram watch-along of "Thor: Ragnarok" on April 9, with suprise guest appearances from Tessa Thompson and Mark Ruffalo. According to Variety, Waititi squarely shot down the idea of Silver Surfer appearing in the film, but did say that "Space Sharks" - similar to the Acanti, which are commonly enslaved by the Brood empire for use as spaceships - would be in the film. Space sharks in "Thor" comics. (Image credit: Dave Cockrum (Marvel Comics))The writer/director did dodge questions on what Christian Bale's role would be in this fourth Thor film, and if Tom Hiddleston would reprise his role here. "Thor: Love & Thunder" is scheduled to hit theaters Feb. 18, 2022.

That honor was a three-way tie between Disney, Sony and South Korea's CJ Entertainment each taking home four trophies. Disney had the second-most nominations with 22 and won for best animated feature, best adapted screenplay, best film editing and best sound editing. "Toy Story 4" won the best animated feature prize, winning over "Missing Link," which won the Golden Globe in January, and "Klaus," which took home the BAFTA for best animated feature film last week. It is also the second film in the "Toy Story" franchise to win the best animated feature trophy. This is the first time ever a non-English language film has won the best picture Oscar at the Academy Awards.

With Thor: Ragnorak, Marvel Studios reset the tone of the God of Thunder's franchise, offering a hilarious interplanetary outing. But, according to director Taika Waititi, who's helming the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder as well, the cast and crew are just getting started. As fans know, Waititi didn't only direct Ragnorak, he also had a supporting role as Korg, the dry-witted new friend of Thor's, who's entirely made of rocks. Jojo Rabbit arrives in theaters on Friday while Thor: Love and Thunder drops on Nov. 5, 2021. RELATED CONTENT: Natalie Portman Says She's Excited to Wield the Hammer in 'Thor: Love and Thunder' (Exclusive) Embed Code RestartUpcoming Marvel Movies: The Full List From 'The Eternals' to 'Thor: Love and Thunder' and MoreNatalie Portman Talks Returning to Marvel for 'Thor: Love and Thunder' (Exclusive)Taika Waititi on 'Thor 4' and Bringing Back Natalie Portman (Exclusive)

"[She's] a Thor," the 44-year-old New Zealander clarified following the film's presentation when asked about the Oscar-winning actress taking over the role. "There's still the other Thor, the original Thor [played by Chris Hemsworth]." She'll be reprising her character from Thor and Thor: Dark World, Jane Foster, who will become the newest hammer-wielding superhero in the film. While on hand on Friday, Waititi also discussed the role he'll be playing in Disney+'s upcoming Star Wars marquee series, The Mandalorian. RELATED CONTENT:Kat Dennings Had the Perfect Reaction to 'Genius' Casting of Natalie Portman as Thor (Exclusive)Cate Blanchett Reacts to Natalie Portman Playing Thor in 'Love and Thunder' (Exclusive)Natalie Portman Returns as Thor in New Film: Kevin Feige Says 'She Was in Right Away' (Exclusive)

The WandaVision star spoke with ET at Disney's D23 Expo on Friday, where she was gleeful about Natalie Portman's upcoming turn as the first-ever female Thor. "I think it's genius and I'm very excited," Dennings added. Dennings and Portman starred together in two Marvel Cinematic Universe films, 2011's Thor and 2013's Thor: The Dark World. The comic run Dennings is referring to was called The Mighty Thor, which director Taika Waititi has revealed is, indeed, the inspiration for the upcoming 2021 superhero flick, Thor: Love and Thunder. For even more on Portman's Thor, watch the video below.

Natalie Portman's last in-person appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was 2013's Thor: The Dark World, which means she missed out on the fun when Cate Blanchett's Goddess of Death swept through Asgard in the threequel, Thor: Ragnarok. But now, Portman is returning to the franchise for Thor: Love and Thunder, which writer-director Taika Waititi revealed will be inspired by The Mighty Thor, a comic run that saw Jane Foster wielding the hammer as the first-ever female Thor. "I'm so, so excited," Blanchett told ET while promoting her new film, Where'd You Go, Bernadette. But I really, really loved Captain Marvel. Blachett's Hela met her demise at the end of Surtur's fiery sword in Ragnarok, but should Waititi think up a way to resurrect her for Love and Thunder, Blanchett is more than willing to suit back up.

Taika Waititi may have confirmed that he's returning to the MCU with the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder, but he has a very different project hitting theaters first: Jojo Rabbit, an "anti-hate satire" in which he plays Adolf Hitler. ("What better way to insult Hitler than having him portrayed by a Polynesian Jew?" The movie is set during World War II and centers on a German boy (Roman Griffin Davis) whose imaginary friend is, yes, Hitler. "I couldn't be more excited to finally ridicule Nazis and their beliefs," Waititi said of the movie. Jojo Rabbit will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival before hitting theaters on Oct. 18.

There's at least one more Marvel Cinematic Universe character who's worthy to weld Thor's hammer: Natalie Portman's Jane Foster.Director Taika Waititi introduced Portman at San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend as "female Thor" and ceremoniously handed her the mighty weapon known as Mjolnir. Foster picking up the hammer and taking on the role of Goddess of Thunder also happens in the comics in "The Mighty Thor" "Thor: Love and Thunder" will see Chris Hemsworth returning as Thor and Tessa Thompson returning as Valkyrie. The pair were both on stage to welcome the Oscar-winning actress.The last time we saw Jane Foster in the MCU's present time was in 2013's "Thor: Dark World." In "Thor: Ragnarok," Thor retorted that he and Foster had a "mutual dumping" after a fan told him she was sorry she dumped him. "Thor: Love and Thunder" was announced as the last film in Marvel's Phase 4 and is expected to hit theaters in late 2021.

During the Marvel panel at Comic-Con on Saturday, it was revealed that Natalie Portman will be be returning to the Marvel franchise as Jane Foster. ETs Ashley Crossan spoke with Marvel super-producer Kevin Feige afterward, when he explained how the concept for the upcoming film came together. Feige added that "when Taiki had this idea and pitched it to her, she was in right away." The upcoming film will also feature franchise regular Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, who will officially be the first LGBTQ superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Get loads more news from the Marvel panel right here.

Chris Hemsworth and director Taika Waititi of Marvel Studios' 'Thor: Love and Thunder' at the San Diego Comic-Con International 2019 Marvel Studios Panel in Hall H on July 20, 2019 in San Diego, California. In its opening weekend, "Iron Man" snared nearly $100 million at the box office, before going on to garner just under $600 million worldwide. Since releasing its first Disney produced Marvel movie in 2012, the company has earned more than $18.2 billion at the global box office. In total, all of the movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have made more than $22 billion at the global box office. To be sure, these box office numbers do not include the cost of production or marketing costs.

Thor 4 is going into pre-production and Taika Waititi is directing. The New Zealand actor-director will be helming the upcoming sequel and Chris Hemsworth is expected to return as the God of Thunder, according to multiple outlets. Waititi directed 2017s Thor: Ragnarok, while also stealing scenes as the minor character Korg. In Endgame's final scenes, Thor left Earth with the Guardians of the Galaxy, which includes Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff). RELATED CONTENT:Matt Damon and Wife Show PDA During Vacation with Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky in Ibiza: PicsJulia Roberts, Chris Hemsworth, Wendy Williams & More to Receive Stars on Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2020Chris Hemsworth Reveals His Unusual First Job in Tonight Show 'True Confessions'