Hot-shot director Waititi shares indigenous humor in 'Reservation Dogs'

Next on New Zealand director Taika Waititi's busy schedule is much-anticipated Marvel sequel "Thor: Love and Thunder" in May, before a new untitled "Star Wars" film he will write and direct, and a "Flash Gordon" movie

Taika Waititi co-created "Reservation Dogs," a television comedy with dark edges set in an indigenous town in rural Oklahoma

Long before he won an Oscar or directed a Marvel superhero blockbuster, Taika Waititi had a recurring problem while making movies about his native Maori community in New Zealand.

"My early films would get negative feedback about them because they were like, 'Well there's not enough cultural specificity,'" he recalled.

Now, as one of Hollywood's most in-demand directors, with "Thor: Ragnarok" and "Jojo Rabbit" under his belt and a "Star Wars" movie on the way, Waititi has the opportunity to "twist those expectations."

Streaming on Hulu from Monday, it follows a group of Native American teenagers trying to hustle, thieve and bluff their way out of their hometown and off to the land of their dreams -- California.

Part of that was an upbringing that combined traditions handed down over the generations with "a solid diet of pop culture," he told a recent Television Critics Association panel in Los Angeles. 

"Reservation Dogs" draws more on the experiences of Oklahoma-born Harjo, with Waititi initially intending to direct but settling for writing and "just to help get the show made."

- 'Uncoordinated warriors' -

Hollywood has very few stars of Indigenous origin, and most parts come in the occasional Western "where Native actors get to come and get killed in front of a camp," said Harjo.

A respected annual study in April found Hollywood had finally made major gains in minority and female on-screen representation, in large part because of the proliferation of low-budget streaming titles and the postponement of major studio releases during the pandemic.

The series also had an all-indigenous writers' room.

Rather than imparting sage advice, the rider admits he was at a legendary battle but accidentally fell off his horse and was crushed to death before he could do any fighting.

"There were dudes falling off their horses... just like with every culture there's people who aren't very good at stuff."

"The Hollywood things are fun," said Waititi, but "Reservation Dogs" is "probably closer to my heart."

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