Thor: Love and Thunder features many MCU characters, but scenes with Jeff Goldblum, Peter Dinklage, and Lena Headey were seemingly omitted by Taika Waititi.
Thor: Love and Thunder, as per the usual Marvel movie, has had a very successful run at the box office so far. A lot of this is because of the film’s integration with the rest of the MCU canon.
We see references to other Marvel films, cameos from the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Easter eggs across the board. However, there are many goodies that had to be cut from the film, and that includes scenes between the film’s villain, Gorr (played by Christian Bale) and the Grandmaster (played by Jeff Goldblum).
Apparently, another scene between Gorr and Eitri (Peter Dinklage, who we saw make Thor’s Stormbreaker in Avengers: Endgame) was also cut. A further scene with a new character Rita, played by Game of Throne’s Lena Headey, was also omitted.
Taika Waititi says he won’t ever release Thor: Love and Thunder’s deleted Jeff Goldblum scenes
Naturally, the idea of a scene between Gorr and the Grandmaster is an intriguing one. Jeff Goldblum was one the best and most memorable parts of Thor: Ragnarok, so fans itched to see what these scenes could cover. It’s likely that Gorr and Eitri’s scenes would be something to do with Stormbreaker, but what of the Grandmaster?
Well, since he had God-like power, would he likely have been slain by the God Butcher? If so, perhaps it’s better that these scenes were omitted, lest an iconic character be cut down.
Waititi shares a similar sentiment, according to an interview with Insider. Not only had he cut these scenes, but he would never release them in any extended cut, as they negatively impacted the movie’s pacing. And he also didn’t reveal what these scenes included.
He said: “A scene on its own could be the most funniest thing or intriguing thing, but sometimes those things if you keep them in will just make the movie screech to a halt. So you have to do what’s best for the film.
“I don’t want people to see the deleted scenes because they’re deleted for a reason: They aren’t good enough. The scenes were not in the movie and that’s it.”
Deleted scenes are just “how it works” according to Waititi
Cuts are just part of the filmmaking process, as Waititi explained: “I wrote the thing so when you cut anything it’s a little bit of a challenge to yourself because you’re like, “Am I not that good? Should I have seen this coming?” But every film I’ve done I’ve probably cut the same amount out. When you go into the edit you just never know.”
Thankfully, there is seemingly no ill will between the director and the actors who have been cut from Thor: Love and Thunder.
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“If you ask any of those actors who were cut out – Jeff Goldblum, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage – they all understand how it works,” Waititi noted. “They have been in the game long enough. But that’s just the way I look at things.”
Headey’s former management isn’t quite as understanding however, as the situation has led to them suing the actress.
Fans may be just as unforgiving, but despite their disappointment, it seems that we won’t be getting a Synder-esque cut of Love and Thunder anytime soon.
Taika Waititi didn’t know about the “Thor will be back” end-credit teaser
While Waititi deleted a lot that fans may never know about, Marvel Studios still managed to put in some stuff that the director himself didn’t know about.
This includes the written end-credit statement that “Thor will be back,” which has become somewhat of a staple in the MCU movies. But Waititi didn’t realize that this would be in Love and Thunder.
Continuing his interview with Insider, he stated: “I saw it in the theater and I was like, ‘Oh, sh*t. Really?’ Even Chris [Hemsworth] was like, ‘What?’ But, of course he’ll be back. He’s the best character. I mean, I may be a little biased, but he’s the most fun to watch.”
Though while the director is very interested in developing Thor’s future return, it’s too early to say anything definite. “I don’t know what would be next,” he continued. “I would definitely do one, but only if Chris did it. But it would need to be something surprising and unexpected for me to want to do it. Like what would be the new take?”
Whatever take Waitit goes for will likely be fun and colorful, but perhaps he could do something involving those deleted scenes? That would certainly be “surprising and unexpected.”
Thor: Love and Thunder is currently in cinemas.