Jack Black challenges Thor: Ragnarok over Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song

Jack Black has issued what we’re sure is a deadly serious challenge to the makers of ‘Thor: Ragnarok,’ with the assistance of ‘Ragnarok’ co-star Cate Blanchett.

Black, who is currently shooting ‘The House with a Clock in its Walls’ alongside Blanchett with director Eli Roth (and looking strangely like Orson Welles whilst doing so), took to Instagram on Friday to address an issue with the recent Marvel hit from director Taikia Waititi.

As was first revealed in the earliest ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ trailer, the film makes prominent use of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Immigrant Song’ – a track which was previously used in one of Jack Black’s best-loved films, ‘School of Rock.’

Black does have some justification for having strong feelings on this matter. When ‘School of Rock’ landed in 2003, Led Zeppelin were notoriously reluctant to allow their music to be used in films; director Richard Linklater’s earlier film ‘Dazed and Confused’ took its title from a Led Zeppelin song, but was not granted the right to play the song in the film itself.

As such, Black and Linklater filmed an enthused plea to Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones on the set of ‘School of Rock,’ begging for them to be allowed to use ‘Immigrant Song’ (this amusing video can be found in the film’s DVD extras).

And, as Taika Waititi explained recently to Business Insider, getting the rights to the song wasn’t a cake walk for ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ either; negotiations were reportedly ongoing throughout the length of production on the Marvel movie.

“When we had the first cut of the trailer and showed Led Zep, they understood how perfect the song was for this character. I think it wouldn’t have happened if we didn’t start the conversation with them really, really early on.”

As for just what Jack Black’s challenge to a ‘battle of the jams’ entails; well, it would appear to be something along the lines of… this.

Let’s not beat around the bush, we’re DYING to see how Chris Hemsworth, Taika Waititi et al respond.

‘School of Rock’ made $131 million at the global box office. While a mooted sequel never got off the ground, it has since inspired a stage musical from Andrew Lloyd Webber, and a live action Nickelodeon TV series.

‘Thor: Ragnarok’ is currently whipping up a storm at the box office, and is expected to break the $600 million mark this weekend.

The in-production ‘The House with a Clock in its Walls’ is due in cinemas 19 October 2018.

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