Taika Waititi To Direct Thor 3

Oscar-nominated Kiwi director Taika Waititi is set to make the leap from directing local films to helming a big American blockbuster.

The Wrap is reporting that Waititi is in negotiations to direct Thor: Ragnarok, the third instalment of the Marvel franchise starring Chris Hemsworth.

He would be the third director of the franchise, after Kenneth Branagh and Alan Taylor.

The director's chair would be a big get for Waititi, who has so far has stuck to smaller projects. He is best known for directing independent films Eagle vs Shark, Boy and What We Do in the Shadows. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Film in 2004 for Two Cars, One Night.

Waititi does have some influence with Disney though. He recently wrote the script for the Pacific-set animated film Moana for Disney, which owns Marvel.

It is not his first brush with the superhero world though. Waititi previously co-starred in 2011's Green Lantern alongside Ryan Reynolds, which was directed by fellow Kiwi Martin Campbell.

Thor: Ragnarok is currently scheduled for an American release on November 3 2017.

The film, which will see the return of Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston and Jaimie Alexander, is expected to be based on an apocalyptic event in the comics that sees the destruction of Asgard.

Waititi is also developing a series for American cable network HBO with frequent collaborator Jemaine Clement. He recently celebrated his 40th birthday with a host of New Zealand celebrities in Hawaii.

NZ Herald