'Captain America had jury duty': Taika Waititi on why the Avengers couldn't star in Thor Ragnarok
Since its release last week, the Marvel Entertainment film has already grossed over $109m (£83.5m) at the international box office.
In comparison to a number of recent DC and Marvel films, Thor: Ragnarok is not cramped with superheroes. While Doctor Strange does make a cameo, the film is focused on the titular lead Thor and the Hulk.
Explaining the lack of more Avengers to pad-up the action film, director Taika Waititi gave his own spin to the casting choices. The New Zealand-born filmmaker explained to Entertainment Weekly that the other Marvel heroes, including Captain America, Spider-Man, Black Widow and Iron Man were caught up with their own personal issues and had "good excuses" for not being able to help Thor take on Hela, the Asgardian goddess of death.
"Captain America would have loved to have helped Thor take on Hela. Unfortunately, he had jury duty," Waititi joked. "I was once on a jury in New Zealand where 17 avocados went missing from a local farm. We never found the culprit."
He pointed out that while Spider-Man wanted to help, he is still in high school. "He couldn't get his Aunt May to write a note saying 'Peter Parker can't come to class today because he's on another planet fighting gods'."
Tony Stark was busy as well, but his clothes and glasses do appear in the film.
"Black Widow would've pitched in with Thor if she had been free at the time, but she wasn't free at the time," he said, maintaining a straight face the whole time. "She was a prisoner for stealing 17 avocados from a local New Zealand farm... wait a minute."
The director is obviously in good spirits right now, considering Thor: Ragarok made a great start at the box office. The film was predicted to be a hit since the release of its first spectacular trailer, and now, just days into its release, it has already crossed the $100m (£76.5m)-mark at the international BO, according to Box Office Mojo.
It was released in 36 markets in late October, and the movie hit cinemas in other countries like US/Canada, China, Japan, Germany, Russia and Mexico by the first weekend of November. The film is expected to rope in $400m-plus by 4 November.
