If a tabloid rumor that did the rounds online over the weekend is to be believed, Marvel higher-ups were not too impressed with Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi after photos of the filmmaker sharing a three-way kiss with singer Rita Ora and actress Tessa Thompson went viral earlier this week.
This quickly led to speculation that Waititi, Thompson and Ora are now a "throuple," and although the photos in question are not lascivious in any way, The Daily Telegraph is reporting that studio bosses are not happy and have actually "reprimanded" the Kiwi director.
Apparently, Marvel/Disney feels that this is “not exactly the image they’re looking to project in relation to one of their biggest franchises," and that although the 45-year-old has a reputation for being a “party animal”, the photos “crossed a line.”
While it might seem hard to believe that such innocuous photos would result in studio execs throwing a wobble, this is a Disney-owned franchise at the end of the day, and the House of Mouse has a reputation for being, let's say, a little uptight when it comes to anything they perceive as being likely to tarnish their image. That said, the source is not exactly the most reliable, so it's best to treat this as a rumor until we learn more.
Several other outlets are attempting to corroborate the story, so we should find out if its legit or a load of nonsense soon enough.