Taika Waititi Thinks ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 ‘Ruined Kate Bush’

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“Thor: Love and Thunder” director Taika Waititi has weighed in on “Stranger Things” and its use of “Running Up That Hill (Deal with God)” by Kate Bush.

In an interview with NME, Waitit was asked if “Love and Thunder” could do for Guns ‘N Roses what “Stranger Things” did for Kate Bush.

“You mean how they ruined Kate Bush?” the filmmaker replied. “I love that show, but as someone who feels a real ownership of Kate Bush music… I’m really annoyed!”

Also Read:
‘Stranger Things’ Catapults Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’ to Top of Charts After 37 Years

In Season 4’s Episode 4 of “Stranger Things,” Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink) escapes the series’ new villain Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) with the help of Bush’s song, which is her favorite at the moment.

“I’ve become one of those old arseholes who’s like: ‘These kids never listened to Kate Bush,” Waititi continued. “They’ve heard one song on a TV show! They don’t know Kate Bush! I know Kate Bush!’”

“Love and Thunder” actor Christian Bale, who stars as villain Gorr the God Butcher, revealed that he and Waititi had planned a dance scene to Bush’s music, but ultimately the sequence was scrapped.

Also Read:
Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher Almost Had a Kate Bush Dance Scene in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

“Before ‘Stranger Things!’ Yeah, there were a bunch of Kate Bush songs I wanted to have in there,” the director said. “We were gonna have ‘This Woman’s Work’, which was gonna be great for [a scene with] Natalie Portman’s character.”

In the same interview, Waititi was asked if “Love and Thunder” is the most metal Marvel movie yet, which draws another connection to the latest season of “Stranger Things” with fan favorite character Eddie Munson’s epic guitar solo scene, where he plays Metallica’s “Master of Puppets.”

“Err yeah, I tried! I wanted it to feel equal parts Iron Maiden album artwork, mixed with movie posters like ‘Conan’ and ‘Beastmaster’ – and all the Frank Frazetta fantasy art from the ’70s and ’80s. The whole thing was supposed to feel like a spray-painted fantasy scene on a panel van in Venice Beach.”

Also Read:
Here Are All the Songs in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 Volume 2

That’s where the musical connections end, with “Love and Thunder” boasting four Guns ‘N Roses songs as well as one from ABBA.

“Thor: Love and Thunder” is now in theaters, and both volumes of “Stranger Things” Season 4 are now streaming on Netflix.