What was it like to know that Loki would be given a new lease of life in his own Disney+ show?
It was “a combination of delight and surprise” to learn that he would reprise his role as Loki, said Tom Hiddleston at a virtual press conference. He had thought that Loki had seen a conclusive end in Avengers: Infinity War, but it turned out that Loki’s appearance in Avengers: Endgame was the starting point for a new series. Kevin Feige confirmed it by sharing that the seeds of Loki’s fate were actually sown in Avengers: Endgame.
Loki is a Disney+ series that focuses on the adventures of the titular character, as he affects major historical events across time. He encounters the Time Variance Authority (TVA), guardians of the timeline, as well as a surprising new villain who may very well turn out to be an ally. The show stars Tom Hiddleton as Loki, Owen Wilson as Mobius M. Mobius, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer, and Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15.
“I just love playing the character and I always have, and I feel so fortunate that I am still here,” gushed Hiddleston. The character is one of huge range to him, so it is never the same experience for him. “Because of Loki’s complexity, the dynamics, new stuff emerges,” he said of all the fresh material the role brings for him.
“What I liked about the series is that Loki is stripped of everything familiar to him”, said Hiddleston. Thor, the Avengers, Asgard – all these things are no longer near him. To him, the key question was “What makes Loki, Loki?” Would the God of Mischief be capable of change?
But besides the title, little was known about the series until the last few months. It seemed that anything could happen in Loki, and the fandom was rife with speculation about the further adventures of the God of Mischief.
“The fanbase is so wrapped up and passionate, and Marvel is so committed to surprising people,” said Owen Wilson about the secrecy on the set of Loki. But he teased some shocking things to come in the show with a grin. With the cliffhangers that have dropped in the first two episodes alone, it’s likely that there will be more bombshells to come.
Wilson also talked about the “Loki lectures” that Hiddleston would share, to fill him on the character of Loki. Hiddleston said that it was interesting trying to compress those experiences for Wilson – especially since it was important that Mobius, who is an expert on Loki in the show, appeared knowledgeable about the character. One of the interesting aspects of that was the story behind Loki’s horns – which Hiddleston hinted would be revealed later in the series.
The pair find themselves attempting to manipulate each other in the series, as they each attempt to achieve their own objectives. “It’s like a chess match between Loki and Mobius,” said Wilson.
The series also introduces Ravonna Renslayer and original character Hunter B-15.
For Ravonna Renslayer, this was an origin story, said Gugu Mbatha-Raw. “There’s plenty of potential for her in the future.” She found it surreal to step into such epic, fantastical worlds like the ones in Loki.
“I missed all the Loki lectures,” lamented Wunmi Mosaku. But she got up to speed from the films as well as input from the writer, directors, and producers.
Before the press conference ended, Hiddleston shared that he knew Loki meant a lot to many different people, which afforded Hiddleston the chance to continue playing the character. He expressed his gratitude for all the people who inspired, and helped develop the character.
“It’s a huge opportunity [to play Loki].”
Loki premieres on Disney+ on 9 June.
You might also want to read:
- [Movies] What does ‘Avengers: Endgame’ reveal about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
- [Movies] ‘Avengers: Endgame’ is a a beautiful capstone to one of the most ambitious and enjoyable shared movie universes
- [Movie Review] ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ delivers on all its promises — even if you know how it’ll (probably) end
- [Movie Review] ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ is the best Thor film by far
This is an original article on marcusgohmarcusgoh.com.
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