Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” will hit theaters in less than three weeks and director Alan Taylor has some misgivings about the way the mid-credits tag scene was handled. Apparently, the scene in question will be used to promote next year’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” film, which is directed by James Gunn. Taylor and Marvel Studios’ President of Production Kevin Feige are at odds over the “creative” difference. Taylor is feeling a bit wounded by the studio for tampering with the tone of “Thor” by having a scene (directed by Gunn) dropped into his picture to basically promote the Marvel space epic, which debuts next August. Here is an excerpt from an on-line interview with Taylor.
Did you shoot the tag at the end?
“By tag do you mean the middle thing, the one in the middle of the credits?”
The one in the middle.
“I absolutely did not. I am very happy to not take responsibility.”
So was that James Gunn?
“I wouldn’t blame it on James Gunn.”
Blame?
“Er… I wouldn’t attribute it to James Gunn… it’s clearly his sets and his characters…”
So you’re not quite comfortable with it?
“I am very happy not to take responsibility for that…”
It’s a different tone for sure, huh?
“It’s a different tone. I would have shot it differently. But I think it’s cool that it reaches out and touches that other universe. That universe is coming. The Guardians universe is really cool and wacky… but that sequence in the credits, I would say, is the only part of the movie where I’m happy to give the credit away…”
The interview shifted from Taylor to Kevin Feige, Feige was a little more forthcoming about the mid-credit tag scene.
When Alan was interviewed he said he didn’t shoot the mid-credit sequence, but he wouldn’t say who did.
“James Gunn.”
And very recently, or…?
“Relatively recently. Within the last three or four weeks.”
So will this creative disagreement herald a parting between Taylor and Marvel, or will the box office win out and motivate Marvel to bring Taylor back into the fold for another go around with “The God of Thunder?” No doubt, if Taylor returns, there will be some strings attached.
“Thor: The Dark World” will arrive in theaters on November 8th. The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Kat Dennings, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård, Richard Brake, Clive Russell, Zachary Levi, Ray Stevenson, Christopher Eccleston, Jaimie Alexander, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Rene Russo, Tadanobu Asano, Richard Whiten, Russell Balogh, Jonathan Howard and David Stay. Christopher L. Yost, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely wrote the screenplay from a story by Don Payne and Robert Rodat based on the Marvel comic book created by Jack Kirby, Stan Lee and Larry Lieber. Alan Taylor (“Game of Thrones”) directs.
Source: Bleeding Cool