When Marvel Studios revealed its massive Avengers: Doomsday cast over a year ago, there were plenty of big names that stuck out. One of the most notable actors to be revealed via one of those set chairs was Tom Hiddleston, who was confirmed to be reprising his role as Loki. I’m personally glad that the former God of Mischief will play a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s latest superhero epic. Now, I’m even more enthusiastic about Hiddleston’s return, thanks to a promise he just made about the movie.

The last time MCU fans saw Loki was during the Season 2 finale of his eponymous show, which was emotional to say the least. Hiddleston’s beloved character saved his allies – and the entire multiverse – by personally wrangling the various timelines and permanently remaining in place to manage them. With that, the God of Mischief essentially became the God of Stories. It was a fitting end for the character, and it’s one I don’t want to be undone in any way. On that note, Hiddleston spoke to THR about Doomsday, and said this:

Of course, the well-trained star didn’t divulge any specific details about his character’s role in the upcoming Avengers flick. What his sentiments seem to indicate to me, however, is that Doomsday won’t seek to reverse the Asgardian prince’s position in some form or fashion. So I’m not expecting to be freed from that throne at the center of the multiverse and put in a position to reunite with friends like Mobius, Sylvie, Hunter B-15 and OB.

Just a few years ago, it was uncertain whether Tom Hiddleston would even return to the MCU at all. The British actor initially didn’t seem too bullish about donning his golden horns again shortly after Loki (which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription) ended. However, Hiddleston later clarified those comments while speaking with CinemaBlend, saying that he hadn’t completely closed the door and that he was “keeping an open heart and an open mind.”

There are also a few other actors in this movie who play characters who’ve had somewhat definitive endings. Chief among them is Steve Rogers, who returns to the fray following his happily ever after in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. And, of course, there’s the metal-faced elephant in the room that is Doctor Doom, who’s played by Robert Downey Jr. following his lengthy stint as Iron Man. As of right now, a connection between Tony Stark and Doom has not been confirmed, but I’m also hoping that doesn’t taint Stark’s sacrifice in Endgame.

Doomsday directors Joe and Anthony Russo – alongside screenwriters Michael Waldron and Stephen McFeely – will be dealing with a lot of characters who’ve been absent from the shared universe for some time now, including Shuri, Shang-Chi and many of the OG X-Men characters. The Russos have obviously balanced various characters in Marvel movies before, but this one seems like it could be an even greater feat. Rumors even suggest that Loki only has a handful of scenes.

Nevertheless, I’m confident that Tom Hiddleston’s antihero as well as the rest of the characters will get their moments to shine. Fans can see Loki make his grand return when Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters on December 18 as part of the 2026 movie schedule.

It sounds like Chris Evans knows how to get a party going and, back in the day, the original Avengers cast was apparently more than happy to go along with his shenanigans. The stars of the Marvel franchise previously opened up about a particularly fun night that they had together, and it's since become the stuff of legend. At the center of this story is a text is an "assemble" text, and Evans apparently sent that to Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston and more. What followed was a full night that we'll break down.

The evening in question took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico while the stars were shooting one of the Marvel films. During a panel at New York Comic Con, Clark Gregg, who played Phil Coulson in several Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, recalled getting Evans' text. Unsurprisingly, his great take on receiving it garnered applause from the crowd:

While those on the dais joked that a lot of details from that night should not be said legally in public, the giddy cast did seem excited to unpack some of the exciting details from that night. Tom Hiddleston -- who was also present for the panel -- hilariously recounted an exchange between Evans and Chris Hemsworth that was undeniably funny, and it involved Evans trying to figure out how Hemsworth obtained his physique for playing Thor. Hiddleston also dropped light details about the activities that proceeded that query:

So, even when the actors were all in superhero shape, they were apparently still trying to figure out how to be as ripped as Chris Hemsworth, who definitely achieved a look fit for a norse god. Even if they weren’t all like Hemsworth, they all looked pretty good, including Scarlett Johansson, who also joined the boys for the partying that evening as well.

According to Gregg, Johansson was showing off some particularly incredible dance moves, which came as an absolute shock to some other people who happened to be celebrating a birthday in the same VIP lounge. Gregg recalled:

I can’t imagine just casually celebrating my birthday party with my friends and turning around to see the Avengers cast breaking it down, especially someone as cool as Scarlett Johansson. This sounds like a glorious night, and I wouldn't be surprised if there are some details that these movie stars are keeping to themselves that we will never know about.

Of course, sometimes stories come out over time so who knows what they’d reveal if they were asked about it now. All in all, though, what I love is just how close the Marvel actors are and that they've been able to make such great memories together. Matching tattoos are one thing, but a drunken night that goes into all hours in the middle of a random city will bond you for life.

We as fans might not be privy to all the behind the scenes fun on the Avengers movies, but we can still revisit all the on-screen moments by streaming the films now with a Disney+ subscription. We can also look forward to more cast reunions, thanks to Avengers: Doomsday, which is set to hit theaters on December 18, 2026. Hopefully, the press tour for that movie yields some more funny anecdotes involving the cast.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly expanding, thanks to new projects arriving in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The latter recently brought us Daredevil: Born Again, which just released its Season 2 finale. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order were thrilled to see Charlie Cox back as Matt Murdock, and he recently revealed the awesome way Loki actor Tom Hiddleston was originally going to be involved. Talk about glorious purpose.

Cox has played Daredevil for a decade, and the success of Born Again means he's not stopping anytime soon. During an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the 43-year-old actor revealed how Tom Hiddleston was initially going to join the fun, offering:

Well, my FOMO is through the roof. While it would have been thrilling to see Loki somehow appear in Daredevil: Born Again, I would have loved to see what Tom Hiddleston would have brought to the table as a director. Unfortunately, this was during the original planning for the series, prior to the WAG strike that shut down the industry. And it's unclear if he'll ever actually get involved in the acclaimed streaming series.

Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again was originally going to be 18 episodes long, to the joy of fans like me. Eventually, the show was reworked, and that storyline was split into two 8-episode seasons instead. During this changeover, Tom Hiddleston was seemingly unable to direct any longer. Later in the same podcast appearance, Charlie Cox went on to share how close the Loki star got to getting behind the camera, offering:

If only we could be a fly on the wall during these conversations. I have to wonder how cued into Daredevil: Born Again's story Tom Hiddleston was as a result of this planning, or if the narrative was changed as BTS changes occurred. Either way, Marvel fans would have loved to see what the Kong: Skull Island actor would have done with an episode of the streaming series.

Production on Born Again's third season has already begun, so hopefully Tom Hiddleston can get involved sometime in the future. Luckily for fans of the MCU, he's reprising his role as Loki as part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is streaming in its entirety over on Disney+ as part of the 2026 TV schedule. As for Tom Hiddleston, he can be seen in Doomsday on December 18th.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for consistently releasing new content, both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Right now fans are invested in upcoming Marvel movies, especially The Russo Brothers' Avengers: Doomsday. Fans have been trying to figure out how the multiversal story will come together, and there's a new theory that connects Chris Evans' return as Steve Rogers with Loki. Let's break it all down.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is very limited, so fans have been filling in the blanks with theories and rumors about what's going to happen. A new one just arrived over on Twitter, which connects Captain America's Endgame ending and the Season 2 finale of Loki to the forthcoming blockbuster. The tweet alleges that Steve Rogers getting his happy ending might be the cause of multiversal disaster, as it reads:

Honestly, this does kind of track. Throughout the second season of Loki, we saw how delicate the multiverse actually was. And a huge decision like Steve Rogers going back in time and having his happy ending with Peggy is the type of even that could seemingly create a new timeline entirely. So why not make this the connection that starts the chaos of Doomsday, and therefore brings Chris Evan's hero back into the action?

While Chris Evans wasn't originally on the Doomsday cast list, fans assume he has a major role to play in the next Avengers movie. It should be fascinating to see how he's actually brought back into the narrative, and the above theory thinks that he'll actually have a connection to Tom Hiddleston's Loki. The same tweet reads:

Honestly, this would be pretty epic. At the end of Loki's second season the God of Mischief ended up physically keeping the multiverse together in the End of Time. Tom Hiddleston has been confirmed to appear in Doomsday, so fans are super curious about how this narrative will continue. And seeing him face to face with Captain America would definitely thrill longtime fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. But first Endgame will be re-released, including new footage that will seemingly tie the two movies together.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is an ever-growing place, thanks to new projects hitting theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Arguably the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie is The Russo Brothers' Avengers: Doomsday, which will be the shared universe's next big crossover event. Plenty of rumors about the blockbuster have been swirling around, and the latest is a real bummer for fans of Tom Hiddleston's Loki. Let's break it down.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, which is why fans have been filling in the blanks with theories and rumors. The Doomsday cast announcement confirmed that Hiddleston would be back, so fans are curious to see how the God of Mischief factors into the action after Loki's Season 2 finale. A new rumor from scooper MTTSH made a bold claim about what that fan favorite character will be up to in the movie, posting:

Say it ain't so. It's bee a few years since Loki has been on our screens, especially in a movie rather than his TV series. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know how popular Hiddleston character is, and are curious about how he'll factor into the multiversal action of Doomsday. And if this rumor is to be believed, Loki won't get that much time on the big screen in the next Avengers movies.

Given how many rumors have circulating online about The Russo Brothers' next Marvel movie, we should probably take this report with a grain of salt. But considering wildly popular Loki is, it seems like a fumble to give Hiddleston such limited screen time. But then again, we still don't have an official synopsis or full trailer, so fans can't really rule anything out at this point.

Upon reading the above rumor, some moviegoers might be nervous that the fan favorite Asgardian might be killed off... again. Loki was murdered in the opening scene of Infinity War, but luckily another version of him was introduced via the Time Heist in Endgame. That's the Loki that took center stage in his own Disney+ show, and the one who is presumably going to appear in Doomsday.

When we last saw the God of Mischief, he was literally keeping the timelines together in the End of Time. It seemed like he was going to have to be there forever, so it should be fascinating to see how he factors into the action of Doomsday. I just hope he gets more than a handful of scenes.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Fingers crossed that Loki ends up both alive and with ample screen time when its released.

Tom Hiddleston is beloved for many things, but he is best known for his work as Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Night Manager actor is set to reprise the role the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, and he was a natural fit to play the God of Mischief. Loki’s antics and story arc are very telling of Hiddleston as an actor with natural charm, which Stephen Colbert says is true in real life as well.

Hiddleston recently appeared as a guest on the final season of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, currently airing on the 2026 TV Schedule, to promote The Night Manager Season 2. It’s been a decade since The Night Manager Season 1 was released, coincidentally around the same time the Loki actor first met Colbert’s wife. The Emmy-winning host recalled the encounter in a video posted to Instagram, and I can’t get enough of this story about the Hiddleston being way too British and charming around Colbert’s wife:

Did he just come up with that on the spot? Tom Hiddleston, I have underestimated you! A swoon-worthy line indeed, and the smooth moves didn’t end there. Presumably, this story is from the infamous 2016 Met Gala where Hiddleston and Taylor Swift first sparked dating rumors with Swift fresh off her split with Calvin Harris. Clearly, Hiddleston was on his game that night, so perhaps Colbert had reason to be territorial over his wife, Evelyn McGee-Colbert.

After Swift and Hiddleston’s whirlwind summer romance, Colbert penned and performed a comedic song about their breakup. Perhaps the song came from a place of retribution for wooing his wife, but after listening to the lyrics, I’m starting to wonder if the Late Show host was secretly jealous of his wife having Hiddleston’s attention. Based on how Colbert tells the story, I’m sure he would have also rather walked away arm and arm with the Marvel actor, instead of listening to Elon Musk talk about the logistics of making rocket fuel on Mars.

All jokes aside, I have no doubt Hiddleston is a very respectful guy, and would never (purposefully) put the moves on a friend’s partner. It’s not his fault he has an English accent and a naturally charming personality. Regardless, these days The Essex Serpent actor seems to channel all his charm and devotion to his fiancée, British actress and playwright Zawe Ashton. The couple just welcomed their second child together in December.

Watching this Late Show interview, one thing is for certain: Tom Hiddleston has aged like fine wine. And after playing Charles Krantz in the Stephen King adaptation Life of Chuck, he has added ballroom dance to his skills to sweep ladies off their feet. If Colbert was worried about the Thor actor a decade ago, I can assume he told his wife Evie to stay at home while the War Horse actor was on Late Show.

Tom Hiddleston has been a mainstay in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever since he first appeared as Loki in 2011’s Thor. Even after his original incarnation of the God of Mischief was killed by Thanos at the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War, he’s continued on as a Loki variant who’s now maintaining the infinite branches of the MCU’s multiverse. So for someone who’s been attached to Marvel so long, it’s surprising that he attributes a classic DC movie to being cast as Loki.

During his interview on a recent episode of Happy Sad Confused, Hiddleston shared that Tom Holland is his favorite Spider-Man actor, but also acknowledged that “we’re all kind of here because of Tobey Maguire, in a way,” referring to how 2002’s Spider-Man helped make the superhero genre a staple in Hollywood. Then host Josh Horowitz asked the Loki actor what the best comic book movie of all time is that he’s not in, and he answered:

While Batman came out over a decade before superhero movies started becoming commonplace, it too took pop culture by storm by pushing Gotham City’s Caped Crusader, and the genre as a whole, in a more serious direction. Michael Keaton donned the cape and cowl a little over two decades after the campy and comical Batman TV series ran for three seasons, and his Bruce Wayne clashed with Jack Nicholson’s Joker. Author John Jackson Miller, who wrote the tie-in books Batman: Resurrection and Batman: Revolution, even described Tim Burton’s Batman as “the most important comic book movie ever made” to me last October.

Tom Hiddleston was especially impressed by Jack Nicholson’s take on Joker, whom we first meet in Batman as gangster Jack Napier and is revealed to be the man who killed Bruce Wayne’s parents. As Hiddleston explained below, this performance was on his mind when he began playing Loki:

Regardless of where you rank Batman among the other live-action Batman movies, there’s no denying that it is indeed one of the most influential comic book movies, and that Jack Nicholson’s Joker remains one of the most popular portrayal of DC Comics’ Clown Prince of Crime. Tim Burton and Michael teamed up again for 1992’s Batman Returns, then they both departed what would become Batman Forever, which saw Joel Schumacher and Val Kilmer succeeding them as director and lead actor, respectively. Decades later, Keaton reprised his Batman for The Flash and also shot scenes for the shelved Batgirl movie.

These days, Robert Pattinson is holding down the Dark Knight mantle in The Batman franchise, and a separate Batman is set to be introduced to the DC Universe shared continuity in The Brave and the Bold. Over in the MCU, Tom Hiddleston will return as Loki when Avengers: Doomsday arrives to the 2026 movies schedule on December 18.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is an ever-changing franchise, thanks to new projects arriving in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. There are a number of upcoming Marvel movies that fans are eager for information about, including Avengers: Doomsday. That project will bring back Loki actor Tom Hiddleston, who was recently asked to chose his favorite Spider-Man actor. And his answer has me wondering about what might go down in The Russo Brothers' forthcoming blockbuster.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is super limited, resulting in fans playing detective online. The Doomsday cast announcement confirmed Hiddleston was back as the God of Mischief, and fans are curious how that'll work after Loki's Season 2 finale. While appearing on a new episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the 44 year-old actor was put on the spot and asked which Peter Parker actor was his favorite. He responded cryptically with:

Well, I'm intrigued. While it wouldn't be all that mind-blowing for Hiddleston to pick a name, the fact that he's being so cagey about his reasoning has me wondering what he might be referencing. Specifically, I'm curious if he's referencing something that Tom Holland's Spider-Man does during the mysterious runtime of Doomsday. Is it December yet?

While Holland wasn't included in the Avengers: Doomsday cast list, Kevin Feige confirmed that more actors would be in the movie. The Captain America teaser proved this, as Chris Evans wasn't originally listed. And unless Hiddleston was simply being vague about his reasoning, I really think he might be teasing big things for Holland's Spider-Man in the next Avengers flick.

Of course, the Thor actor wasn't saying anything negative about the previous two Peter Parker actors. In fact, he mentioned them and gave Tobey Maguire props for his work on Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies. As he went on:

Points were made. While superhero movies have become commonplace in recent years, they were a big risk when Raimi's Spider-Man films were in theaters. They predate the entire MCU, and helped to prove the potential success of the genre as a whole. So putting respect on Maguire is definitely appropriate.

Tom Holland's work as Peter Parker in the MCU also deserves its flowers, even if he doesn't end up being in Doomsday. In just a few years he appeared in a whopping six movies, starting with Captain America: Civil War and the most recent being Spider-Man: No Way Home. The latter was a multiversal story that saw him unite with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield on the big screen. Fans want to see that trio of Spider-Men back together, but it's unclear if/when that'll happen.

Avengers: Doomsday is currently set to arrive in theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. But first up Holland will return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31st. Hopefully we get more context about Hiddleston's cryptic comments after those two movies are officially released.

It’s the first full week of 2026, and January is often a dead zone when it comes to theatrical releases. The 2026 movie schedule is no exception, but luckily, the world of streaming is more than able to pick up the slack. There are plenty of great streaming movies this month, and plenty of TV series are getting underway to keep you interested for the next several weeks.

The Pitt, Season 2 - January 8 (HBO Max)

The Pitt was one of the best new shows of 2025 and is absolutely one of the best reasons to have an HBO Max subscription. While so many other streaming hits can make us wait multiple years before giving us a new season, the hospital drama starring Noah Wiley isn’t making us wait. The Pitt Season 2 drops its first hour this week. The new season will take place on the Fourth of July, which will certainly lead to many emergencies for the doctors on call.

The Traitors, Season 4 - January 8 (Peacock)

The Traitors has become one of the biggest reality competition series of the streaming era, so you can be sure there will be millions of fans making sure they have their Peacock subscription up to date when the new season arrives this week.

His & Hers - January 8 (Netflix)

Tessa Thompson might find herself in the Oscar hunt thanks to Hedda, and Jon Bernthal is likely to have a huge 2026 as the Punisher in Spider-Man Brand: New Day and his own Disney+ special, but with a Netflix subscription this week, you can see them together in His & Hers. They play an estranged couple, he a police detective and she a journalist, investigating a murder together, while also suspecting each other might be guilty of the crime.

People We Meet on Vacation - January 9 (Netflix)

While I will go to the mat for the theatrical experience, there’s little argument that audiences more broadly don’t go to the movies as much anymore. One casualty of this change has been the character-driven romance. Luckily, we have streaming platforms like Netflix picking up the slack. Based on the novel of the same name, People We Meet on Vacation follows two old friends who spend one week a year going on vacation together, and the romance that eventually grows between them.

The Night Manager, Season 2 - January 11 (Prime Video)

The Night Manager, based on the John Le Carre novel, was one of the most popular and successful TV series ever when it debuted way back in 2016. It’s wild that it took nearly a decade for a second season to arrive. Of course, star Tom Hiddleston has been kind of busy since then. While the show was on cable the first time around, you’ll need a Prime Video subscription to watch Season 2.

With new seasons of Bridgerton, new additions to the Game of Thrones franchise,m and the first piece of the marvel Cinematic Universe in 2026 dropping this month, January may be cold, but the content is staying hot all month along.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a well-oiled machine at this point, constantly releasing new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Arguably the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie is The Russo Brothers' Avengers: Doomsday, which features a giant ensemble cast. That includes Tom Hiddleston's Loki, and his tease about what's coming for the beloved antihero definitely has me curious about what's to come.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, so fans are filling in the blanks with theories and rumors. The Doomsday cast announcement confirmed that Hiddleston will be back, and fans are curious about how he'll return after Loki's Season 2 finale. In an interview with GQ, the Kong: Skull Island actor teased what's to come for his signature character, saying:

How delightfully cryptic. Marvel security is notoriously tight, and since Hiddleston has been around since Phase One he's smart enough not to give up spoilers. But it sounds like Loki's story in Doomsday was both surprising and and something that is really going to surprise the fandom. And I have to assume that this vague tease is only going to increase theories about what might go down.

Moviegoers who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have seen the unique life that Loki has had throughout the shared universe. While he was a villain in The Avengers, his softer side showed in projects like Thor: Ragnarok and (of course) the Loki series. The finale of Season 2 saw him literally holding together the timelines for the multiverse.

When Hiddleston was confirmed as part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast list, fans like me where curious about which version of his character it might be. Is it the same Loki that that we followed in the TV series, or a different variant from the multiverse? The possibilities are pretty endless, but the actor's glowing comments about what's to come are certainly piquing the interest of fans.

Given how long Tom Hiddleston has been involved in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, his comments about Avengers: Doomsday carry extra weight. He's seen all the twists and turns of the franchise firsthand, and still thinks that what The Russo Brothers are bringing to the table with the blockbuster is "monumental." Unfortunately there's no indication of exactly what he's talking about.

Anticipation for the blockbuster is steadily building, especially since Chris Evans' Doomsday teaser arrived online. There are other leaked trailers also swirling around online, leading to a ton of discussion about the project.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Hopefully we get information about Loki's role sooner rather than later.

What would comic book lovers do without a steady stream of upcoming Marvel movies? Sure, some people can be very critical of superhero films, but that doesn’t stop fans from coming out in droves to see their favorites battle alien and/or supernatural forces and eventually vanquish evil. Evil like one-time God of Mischief/current Marvel multiverse guardian, Loki, as played by Tom Hiddleston. The beloved actor has now revealed what he referenced when he began portraying the popular character, and though surprising, it does make complete sense.

What Did Tom Hiddleston Borrow From When First Playing Loki?

Along with leading his own titular series as Loki (which you can catch with your Disney+ subscription), Tom Hiddleston has also appeared in several of Marvel’s films as Thor’s formerly despicable adopted brother. His role as the new multiversal timekeeper will continue in the 2026 movies entry, Avengers: Doomsday (which Hiddleston finds “a relief” to be able to talk about at this early stage), but just how did he manage to nail the tone needed for such a “larger-than-life” character when first stepping into the gold-horned god’s boots?

Recently, the Life of Chuck actor spoke with GQ, and when talking about his influences after first landing the role of Loki, told the outlet:

WOW. What? Wait…let’s just have Hiddleston break this down for us. He explained:

Honestly, considering that Kenneth Branagh, who’s long taken Shakespeare tales to new heights both in the theater and on screen, directed Thor and wisely chose Hiddleston to portray Loki, this thought process isn’t so odd on the actor’s part. On top of that, once you really think about the kind of characters we see in the MCU (and upcoming superhero movies overall) and those from the Bard…well, it totally fits to take inspiration from those stories.

The inherent bigness of the situations that each set of characters tends to find themselves in, with life-or-death stakes, is quite similar (just with more aliens and even more magic for Marvel). Also, as the Much Ado About Nothing star (who appeared in the play in London recently when Keanu Reeves attended a performance) noted, those high stakes have tended to lead to multifaceted characters who either show us who we want to be as humans under extreme circumstances, or exemplify the type of people we really hope we don’t become, ever.

If anything, the star using Shakespeare as his reference point to get into his MCU character and the stories he inhabits just proves why he’s so good as Loki.

While Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston play (adopted) brothers in the MCU, they're nothing alike both on and off screen, and that's a big reason why they're so great as Loki and Thor. That point was proven again recently, when Tessa Thompson spoke about her Thor: Ragnarok cast mates and explained why Hemsworth is like "a baby with muscles," and Hiddleston is the exact opposite of that.

At the BFI London Film Festival, Tessa Thompson jokingly said working with her Aussie MCU co-star was like being with “a baby with muscles” who eats every hour. Well, there’s no denying that Hemsworth is a foodie, as he would get in shape for the Thor movies by eating six meals a day. But we know he combines his massive diet with his rigorous workout regimen. Plus, his co-star's comments are a compliment to his performance as well, as she followed that up by saying he'll "do anything to get the laugh."

As for what the Valkyrie actress said about Tom Hiddleston, on the other hand, “a big baby” is not the adjective she used to describe him. In fact, she used the opposite descriptors, saying:

It’s funny that Thompson describes Tom Hiddleston as so “serious,” considering Loki has done a lot of outrageous things that fans can’t help but laugh over. From his witty one-liners to his mischievous pranks, Hiddleston brings a charming, playful tone to the character. However, he also knows exactly how to bring the drama and the gravitas, too.

The Creed star's comments allude to that. However, she also made it clear how inspired she is by Hiddleston's meticulous preparation process. Explaining the genius way he navigates working with green screen, Thompson said:

I love that! After all, working with blue/green screens can be very complicated, as you always have to imagine what’s around you. By having pictures on hand of what would likely be in post-production, it’s no wonder Hiddleston gave us such a believable performance!

I think it's safe to say that the way Thompson described her co-stars is fitting when you consider who they play. That funny and spontaneous "baby" energy is great for Thor, especially in Ragnarok. Meanwhile, while Hiddleston also brought the funny as Loki in this movie, he's significantly more serious than his brother.

Now, you can revisit the three MCU stars’ unforgettable dynamic in Thor: Ragnarok by streaming it with a Disney+ subscription.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe regularly puts out new content, either in theaters or streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie is Avengers: Doomsday, which will feature a huge cast of characters. There are a ton of rumors swirling around the blockbuster, and one new one about Loki would pair him with some surprising characters. And I honestly hope that it happens.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is very limited, but production has been underway for some time. All sort of rumors and fan theories are online, and the latest revolves around Tom Hiddleston's Loki. Scooper Daniel Richtman claimed that he had one particularly intriguing scene, saying:

Ok, my mind is blown. This is just a rumor, but sounds like a sure way to get longtime fans invested in Doomsday. Those of us who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order waited years for Steve and Peggy to finally get their happy ending at the end of Avengers: Endgame. So returning to their dance... with Loki? That sounds wild.

Obviously we should take this rumor with a grain of salt for the time being. While Hiddleston was confirmed in Doomsday's cast announcement, Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell didn't get chairs. Although they've both already done surprise cameos before, so it doesn't seem totally out of the question.

At the end of Endgame, Steve Rogers took all the Infinity Stones (and Mjolnir) back to their rightful place in the timeline. He reappeared as Old Man Steve, revealing he went back in time and lived his happy ending with Peggy. The movie's final moments saw these two finally get their dance, and it would be a shock to see Loki suddenly appear and interrupt the moment.

Of course, this rumored scene would also stand in juxtaposition to Loki's Season 2 finale. When we last saw the God of Mischief, he was literally holding the timelines together by force. He became the God of Stories, and seemingly could never leave his throne without creating multiversal chaos. So how will he leave this post to get into the adventures of Avengers: Doomsday?

There are a ton of questions about what's going to go down in The Russo Brothers' return to the MCU. But we're in good hands, which should help quell fears as we wait for the movie to arrive next December. Although with so many rumors and theories online, I'm hoping that we get some concrete information sooner rather than later.

Avengers: Doomsday will answer our question when it hits theaters December 18th of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. Only time will tell if Steve and Peggy's happy ending actually gets interrupted by Loki.

Considering Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have been together for nearly two years, and Tom Hiddleston is engaged to and shares a child with Zawe Ashton, I often forget that the pop star and Loki actor dated. However, all of us – including The Life of Chuck actor – were just reminded of that fact when his ex and those theories about the Super Bowl were brought up during an interview.

At the moment, Hiddleston and Karen Gillan are in the UK promoting their project on the 2025 movie schedule. However, instead of talking fully about the tearjerking Life of Chuck, This Is Heart brought up its star’s ex, Taylor Swift, take a look:

As the caption noted, “man didn’t flinch” when his ex was brought up, and he handled this potentially awkward situation very, very well. It was also noted that the Taylor Swift name drop was accidental, and it’s unclear if the host remembered Hiddleston’s past with her.

Whether the host thought about the Thor actor's connection to Swift or not, she’s such a big point of conversation right now that it’s not shocking she was brought up. It’s normal, in fact, for her friends, like Zoë Kravitz, to get asked about her and her work. And random celebs get asked about her from time to time.

Her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, got the world talking, too, and after her appearance on New Heights, fans are clowning that she’s going to play the Super Bowl this year. The mention of the number 47, the trophy in the background and the talk of sourdough got the internet theorizing about this possibility. And it was these viral theories that were being talked about on the radio show. So, really, it had nothing to do with Hiddleston’s past with Swift.

Thankfully, he handled this whole thing gracefully, and it helped that Karen Gillan was up on the sourdough and Super Bowl discourse.

For those who aren’t in the know about the sourdough, Swifties are convinced, via Billboard, that her consistent talk about her love for it on New Heights proves she’ll play the Super Bowl halftime show in 2026. Why? Well, the game will be played in Levi’s Stadium, which is the home of the San Francisco 49ers. Their mascot is Sourdough Sam...

As I mentioned earlier, there are other theories that add gas to this idea that she could play the major football game. However, during this interview, the bread was the focus.

But since they talked about it with one of Swift’s exes, that became the even bigger focus. However, considering Hiddleston and Swift’s relationship was short-lived in 2016, it’s well in the past, and they’ve both very much moved on. The world has too; however, they have not stopped talking about the pop star, seeing as she’s one of the most famous people in the world.

So, that resulted in Tom Hiddleston accidentally hearing about his ex and the wild theories Swifties have come up with. He handled it like a pro, though, and they swiftly moved forward to chat about sourdough, the Super Bowl and other topics that have nothing to do with his past with Taylor Swift.

There are a lot of great stories that have been told in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but one of the best has to be the relationship between Thor and Loki. Over the course of the Infinity Saga, Thor and Loki go through a lot together, but there are even more connections between the pair than I realized.

A post on Instagram, which contains a different social media post, is going viral that makes reference to the complex relationship between Thor and Loki. Specifically, it references that in each of the first two Avengers movies, Thor, who believes his brother to be dead in both cases, is wearing tributes to his Loki, though they’re not the easiest thing to see. The post reads...

Loki dies so many times in the MCU that it’s difficult to keep track. Each time Thor discovers that his brother isn’t dead, it’s kind of a big deal. When Thor mentions how terrible it was when he thought Loki was dead after the pair are reunited in Thor: Ragnarok, the trickster god asks if his brother mourned him. Clearly he did.

I had never noticed these particular costume references before, but they are certainly there. By the time we see Thor in Avengers he knows his brother is alive, but clearly his armor was made before that. I found Thor’s hair in Avengers: Age of Ultron to be an especially nice touch as it’s never made reference to in the film, but it’s absolutely there.

And of course, these aren’t the only references to Thor’s love of his deceased brother. When Loki dies for a third time, at the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War, Thor goes all out to show the love he has for his brother. As one commenter on the post above mentioned, saying…

This item is a bit harder to miss, as the shot of a naked Thor in Love and Thunder makes sure you see it, though it’s still possible you forgot it was there.

It’s been quite the journey for Thor and Loki, and it’s possible that journey isn’t quite over yet. Loki still lives in the MCU, or at least a Variant of him does, and we know that both Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston are part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast. The brothers being reunited yet again is certainly possible, even likely considering not bringing them together at least briefly would feel like a lost opportunity.

Thor and Loki have certainly been through a lot recently, with Loki taking on oversight of the multiverse and Thor becoming a father. The pair certainly would have a lot to talk about.

Since it was first announced back in 2023, the upcoming Harry Potter TV show has been one of the most anticipated series for wizards, witches, and muggles alike. This is especially true in recent weeks, as all those casting announcements, the various first-look images, and other details about the forthcoming book-to-screen adaptation that’ll one day be available for anyone with an HBO Max subscription.

Though Professor Dumbledore, Hagrid, and even “The Boy Who Lived” have all been revealed, there is still one major character from J.K. Rowling’s beloved series of fantasy novels that has not yet been announced: Lord Voldemort, a.k.a. “He Who Must Not Be Named.” The identity of the actor who’ll be the main antagonist from the books and Harry Potter film franchise remains one of the biggest mysteries surrounding the HBO series, but that hasn’t stopped fans from coming up with some wild ideas for the casting.

Here are a few of the names I’ve seen come up the most…

HBO Has Reportedly Cast 'He Who Must Not Be Named' But Won't Announce The Actor Before The Premiere

Before we get into all the actors fans want to see play Voldemort in the Harry Potter TV show, there’s something we should probably go over first. In July 2025, online fantasy blog Redanian Intelligence (via Comic Book Resource), in a post that's since been removed, claimed that HBO and Warner Bros. have reportedly already cast the lead villain for the upcoming series, but that the powers that be aren’t going to be revealing the actor’s name anytime soon. It sounds like they want to keep it a secret until the show premieres at some point in 2027 in order to prevent any early leaks from ruining the surprise.

This information is not confirmed, and should be taken with a grain of salt, as it could all be a big nothing-burger, both in terms of the role already being cast and HBO’s insistence on keeping it a secret. Regardless, it sounds like it will be a while before we learn who will be succeeding Ralph Fiennes by playing “He Who Must Not Be Named.”

With that out of the way…

Some Fans Think Cillian Murphy Should Play The Role

When it comes to who people on social media think would be a great choice to take over the role of Lord Voldemort, Cillian Murphy is one of the names that comes up the most. The Academy Award-winning actor, who has appeared in everything from the global phenomenon that was Oppenheimer to 28 Days Later (he’s also slated to return to the franchise soon), is no stranger when it comes to playing charismatic villains. Over the years, he’s brought to life those like Dr. Jonathan Crane, a.k.a. Scarecrow, in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, as well as Jackson Rippner in Wes Craven’s frighteningly intense Red Eye.

In a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, people were quick to respond that they would love to see Murphy play the evil wizard, with multiple commenters saying he’d be perfect for the role. They're not alone, as Ralph Fiennes himself explained on Watch What Happens Live in late 2024 that he “would be all in favor of Cillian” taking over the role.

Others Hope For Tom Hiddleston

Though Murphy is the actor who comes up the most whenever the question about Voldemort comes up on social media, he’s not alone. Another name that seems to come up a lot is Tom Hiddleston, who would honestly do a fantastic job of portraying him. Over on Reddit, someone even went as far as to create concept art showing the Loki actor portraying “He Who Must Not Be Named,” which is honestly quite terrifying.

There’s another Reddit post where some fans thought it would be cool to see Hiddleston take on the part, but they’re having a hard time imagining how it would look to see his face on the back of Professor Quirrell’s head in the season adapting Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. However, visual effects technology has vastly improved since the movie came out nearly 25 years ago.

Matt Smith Is Another Name People Keep Bringing Up

Similar to how there are James Bond betting odds when it comes to who’ll play 007 in the future, sites like Gambling.com have all kinds of odds for who’ll be taking on the role of Lord Voldemort. Just behind Murphy and Hiddleston is Matt Smith, who is no stranger to fantasy series or HBO productions, having appeared in House of the Dragon. In July 2025, the Doctor Who and The Crown actor had 5/2 odds, beating out the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch and fellow Time Lord, David Tennant.

While Smith’s look in HOTD makes the Daemon Targaryen actor look more like a better fit to play Lucius Malfoy, the infamous Death Eater is already being portrayed by Johnny Flynn of Emma. and The Outfit fame.

But One Of The Wildest Theories Is That Voldemort Will Be A Woman This Time

One of the wildest casting theories going around the internet is one that sees Voldemort being portrayed by a woman this time around. A user on X posted in July 2025 that they think the show’s producers have changed the gender of the evil wizard, which would certainly shake things up.

While that would make the show even more interesting, it doesn’t seem likely, as the series is being teased as a more faithful adaptation of the novels. Whether or not that means keeping genders the same this time around is anyone’s guess.

Regardless, The Harry Potter TV Show Casting Has Been Superb So Far, And There's Reason To Believe It'll Be The Same For Voldemort

Regardless of the Lord Voldemort casting, it sounds like the new Harry Potter TV series is going to be one of the biggest shows in recent history, and perhaps of all time. With an amazing cast of talented actors and newcomers alike, it’s hard to imagine the powers that be not going all out and doing something magical when it comes to the big bad of the series.

With a massive scale that’s reportedly comparable to Game of Thrones, a season per book for exploring the ins and outs of the beloved fantasy novels, and so much anticipation leading up to its release, it sounds like we’re in for one wild ride come 2027.

Expect to hear much more about the Harry Potter TV show, both in terms of all its casting decisions and ongoing production, in the weeks and months to come.

SPOILERS are ahead for Mike Flanagan’s The Life Of Chuck movie. Go see it in theaters before reading on.

Wow, The Life Is Chuck has to be one of the best 2025 movies, right? While I wasn’t sure what to expect out of the latest of Stephen King adaptations which was made it plain and clear in its trailer it’s not a horror title, I left the theater feeling really affirmed about the beauty and pain that comes with living life, and was very moved by how writer/director Mike Flanagan took me on a journey as an audience member. Even though I watched it a week ago, it’s a movie that’s continued to stick with me, and there’s one element I want to spend some time talking about: the locked room.

The mysterious locked room is first shown in Act III (the first act of the movie in this case) when Chiwetel Ejiofor’s character, Marty Anderson, looks over at it in his home while dealing with the end of days for his world. But the locked room doesn’t start to earn meaning until Act I (the third act of the movie). As I’ve thought about The Life Of Chuck all week, I’ve continued to think about the poetic sentiment surrounding this element of the film, and how it really made the movie special for me.

What Is The Locked Room In The Life Of Chuck?

In Act I of The Life Of Chuck, we learn that everything we watched in Act III was from the brain of an accountant named Chuck in his mind’s “universe” as he was dying at the age of 39. Marty and Felicia were people he knew in his childhood who were witnessing the end of Chuck, and their world as they knew it, as the character died from cancer. So, everything from Act III was taken from Chuck’s life and mind. And in Act I, we find out that the locked room from Act III was specifically from Chuck’s childhood home, where he was raised by his grandparents, Albie and Sarah (played by Mark Hamill, who’s actually done a King adaptation before, and Mia Sara).

Chuck has a lot of curiosity about the locked room, as any child would, and one night, when his granddad is drunk, he gets some information out of him regarding what’s inside. Albie suggests that there are ghosts in that room, and references seeing some people in their community and family who have died. This only makes Chuck more curious about being in the room, and one night he finds a way to open it. But before he can look inside, Albie gets in the way and makes a very concerned, scared face once he opens the door instead of his grandson. But just like Chuck, we don’t see what’s inside.

Later, we learn that inside the room of the locked door, people can see death, and in the case of Albie, he probably saw his death and his wife’s during that final look inside. Chuck then experiences their deaths during his childhood, and at the end of the movie, once they have both died, a teenage Chuck gets the keys to the locked door. When it opens, he sees his own death. But, rather than look at the sight with fear like Albie did, he recites something his teacher told him, which is that “I contain multitudes” and suggests he’ll live his life to the fullest. He is not afraid of the room like his granddad was.

I More Think About The The Locked Room, The More I Realize Its Deeper Meaning

While you could certainly take the ending of The Life Of Chuck literally as there being a ghost story smack in the middle of it, I don’t think it’s supposed to be a literal film at all. As I’ve thought about the device of the locked room more, I’ve realized that it’s a symbol for the ongoing curiosity of death. And I find it so clever that author Stephen King chose to make the locked room something that Chuck is endlessly curious about in his childhood, specifically.

Because wanting to know about how you’ll die oddly does feel like it should be likened to ruminating on a random room in your childhood home. It’s one of those things you simply cannot help thinking about, no matter what you do, but in the end, if you did know, and you opened the door, you’d probably be disappointed with what you saw. Death isn’t something we aspire to, and seeing one’s death doesn’t really change anything. It just will happen, and it exists. It’s absolutely like opening a random room in your house you're not supposed to go in, because I don’t think how we actually die is going to be as interesting as your mind imagines it might contain. Once we get there, it’s the living we did that matters a lot more.

I Find It So Powerful How Young Chuck Reacted To The Room

So, that brings me to talking about that final moment where teen Chuck (played by Jacob Tremblay) enters the room and sees himself dying. I really love how he reacts, because it is disappointing to him, as it should be. But rather than looking death in the face and being afraid of it, he kind of spites death in a way, by basically announcing how beautiful it is for him to be alive and “contain multitudes.” I love that he doesn’t linger in the room or kind of study the moment of his death that’s in front of him. Rather, he acknowledges that the curiosity is there, and he will die, but doesn’t really give it the time of day.

What a lovely message to be delivered! By the end of the movie, it feels like The Life Of Chuck is trying to remind its audience that while one cannot help but wonder about death, and have to face it one way or the other, death itself isn’t as important as the life you live. I’m so grateful a movie reminded me of this, and I simply cannot wait for more from this year of Stephen King adaptations after being so moved by Mike Flanagan’s movie.

It makes sense that Robert Downey Jr.'s role as Doctor Doom in the upcoming Marvel movies would be a pretty closely guarded secret. However, apparently it was even kept from members of the Avengers: Doomsday cast. Tom Hiddleston, who's playing Loki again, recently revealed that he didn’t have the inside scoop at all and found out the big news along with the rest of the world. With that, he also had a hilarious and relatable reaction in the moment, which I think I would’ve had if I were in his position

Tom Hiddleston talked about new 2025 movie release, The Life of Chuck, as well as his tenure within the Marvel Cinematic Universe while chatting with Josh Horowitz for the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast. At this point, Hiddleston is one of the few remaining OG Avengers cast members still making waves within the interconnected franchise. Given that, Horowitz asked the actor how he felt when hearing about Robert Downey Jr. returning to the fold. Apparently, Hiddleston was taken aback and shot a text to a major name:

If I had Kevin Feige's number in my phone, you better believe I'd have been hitting him up after that big announcement. What I find particularly funny is that Hiddleston wasn't even all that smooth in the way in which he reached out to the Marvel Studios President. Above all though, I just love that Hiddleston's enthusiasm hasn't gone away and that like fans, he remains excited about this franchise.

Of course, if Tom Hiddleston knows anything about what Downey’s role as a super villain will entail, he seemingly isn’t sharing. Marvel does tend to keep secrets even amid filming, so Hiddleston may still be in the dark in regard to Doom's exact role in the film as well. What I'm hoping for is that Loki and Doom get to share the screen at some point, as a conversation between those two could lead to a scene for the ages.

The announcement of Robert Downey Jr.'s return, which took place in San Diego Comic-Con's Hall H last year, was epic and definitely took a number of fans by surprise. It’s also cool that the cast experienced the news like the rest of us. Although some fans have had mixed feelings about Downey playing Doom, Tom Hiddleston is all for it. He further discussed his excitement with Josh Horowitz:

While Avengers: Doomsday theories and predictions are fun to think about, we still don’t know how Marvel Studios will address the elephant in the room. I'm talking about the fact that after Downey played Tony Stark -- who died in Avengers: Endgame -- for more than a decade, he's now portraying Doctor Doom, a Fantastic Four villain.

Maybe the Russo Brothers, who are directing Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, will formally establish that this version of Doom is a Stark variant. Or maybe the resemblance between the two won't be addressed at all. If I had Kevin Feige’s number like Tom Hiddleston does, I’d be texting him trying to get as many details as I could!

You can see Tom Hiddleston and Robert Downey Jr. return to the MCU in the upcoming 2026 movie, Avengers: Doomsday, which is set to hit theaters on December 18. In the meantime, you can revisit their performances as Loki and Tony Stark by streaming previous Marvel films and shows, which are now available with a Disney+ subscription.

Say what you will about Marvel’s infamous secretiveness when it comes to the company’s upcoming superhero movies, but those at the studio did us all a solid back in March when deciding to reveal the numerous names that will make up the cast for the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday. To much fan delight, the five-plus hour reveal video confirmed that everyone’s favorite reformed mischief-maker, Loki, will return in some way when Tom Hiddleston returns in the upcoming Marvel movie. And, the actor recently opened up about why that casting announcement was “such a relief” for him.

What Did Tom Hiddleston Say About Everyone Knowing He’s In Avengers: Doomsday?

There are certainly plenty of surprises to come when fans are finally able to see Avengers: Doomsday for the first time, but many of those won’t be because of the bulk of the cast, which will bring back numerous long-time and previous Marvel players (and some OG X-Men) for the upcoming adventure. These include fan favorite Tom Hiddleston, who made such an impact on audiences as Thor’s adopted frost giant brother, Loki, that Hiddleston was brought back as an eventually heroic variant of the character after we all watched the original trickster die.

When speaking with the Happy Sad Confused podcast recently, Hiddleston was, of course, asked about his appearance in the new movie and immediately revealed his thoughts on such an early casting announcement, saying:

I can only imagine! Few actors have had to deal with keeping the plots of the films they’re in a mystery like the many talented actors who’ve populated the Marvel movies in order have. Not only that, but many of them have even had to keep their mere work in an upcoming film under wraps, as well. The Life of Chuck star has previously spoken about how “remarkable” it is that he can actually talk about being in the movie…sort of. I mean, as I noted, there are still (always) secrets to keep, and when asked if he knew he was returning back when Loki Season 2 ended, he replied:

He then tried to pinpoint when he found out that his keeper of the Marvel multiverse timelines would be back, and you know what? Hiddleston couldn’t do it. That’s how much all of this stuff shifts around for these guys! The Barbie-loving TikTok fan was then asked if he’s “happy with what you get to play in this one,” and after a long-ish, smiling, laugh-filled pause said “yes,” but admitted that he only knows “some things” about how Loki’s story will play out right now.

Luckily, Hiddleston is used to this when it comes to his time as Loki, so it hasn’t dimmed his enthusiasm in the slightest. As he said:

Millions of fans love that he’s “still in the squad” too. Now I just hope that he, somehow, gets something major to do that’s not only holding all of time and space together.

Amid the 2025 movie schedule, Marvel Studios’ next Avengers film remains in its production phase. Fans, all the while, are eager to know more about Doomsday. But, today, I think you True Believers might be shedding a tear or two, and that’s courtesy of Tom Hiddleston’s expert tease on what we can expect from Loki. It's news that’s both very cool - but also heartbreaking.

Whehn he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to promote The Life of Chuck, Hiddleston was reminded of how his Marvel Cinematic Universe character was holding all the timelines in the multiverse in Loki Season 2’s bittersweet finale. With his late night host using that point of order as a window into a larger conversation, the man playing that guardian of the Sacred Timeline cracked down with this vague answer:

While the MCU is vaster than ever in The Multiverse Saga, it appears that Tom Hiddleston’s reformed mischief maker has actually stayed put for all time, always. But, with the lead character of the Disney+ subscription-based series still holding all of time and space together, does that mean we won’t see much of Loki in Avengers: Doomsday and/or Avengers: Secret Wars?

Come to think of it, I know that everyone’s focused on what a Loki/Thor reunion would look like in this two-part cinematic splash panel, and that’s totally fair. However, I wonder if that same sort of treatment will be given to Mobius (Owen Wilson) and Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino); as they were hit just as hard by Loki’s sacrifice.

Perhaps maybe this is why both of those aforementioned upcoming Marvel movies were moved into December release slots - so as to allow our boy to get back into the field? Of course, since Marvel Studios is as secretive as a vintage espionage thriller, chances are we won't be learning any information of that sort in the foreseeable future.

The Life of Chuck star certainly isn’t giving up the goods on any upcoming superhero movies; and Jimmy Kimmel knows it. You’ll see that in the clip shared below, which sees both men engaged in a verbal, spoiler-free "dance":

You could probably ask Tom Hiddleston if he was cast as James Bond, and the man would gleefully give you an answer that makes you uncertain which way to bet. Surely, his Marvel media training helped in that respect, but I think most of that cool avoidance is thanks to the man's inherent charms.

It makes his return in Avengers: Doomsday - which set to debut in theaters on December 18, 2026 - all the more intriguing. But you won’t need to wait too long to see the man actually dance, as The Life of Chuck is in limited release this weekend, with its wide release starting on June 13th.

There are a lot of upcoming Stephen King movies on the way in the next year, and while the adaptations of his more popular novels like The Long Walk and The Running Man are sure to create a lot of buzz, the next release is a more underrated story of his. Mike Flanagan’s The Life Of Chuck movie comes out next week, and Stephen King has just shared his own thoughts on his 2020 novella now being a movie.

While Stephen King is, of course, best known for his work in the horror genre, The Life Of Chuck is not that. It’s described as a “life-affirming” science fiction drama that CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg called “one of the best Stephen King movies of all time.” Here’s what King recently said about the Tom Hiddleston-led movie:

The upcoming book-to-screen adaptation was written/directed by Mike Flanagan, who previously adapted King’s sequel to The Shining with 2019’s Doctor Sleep, as well as Gerald’s Game, along with making some of the best horror TV shows in recent years like The Haunting Of Hill House and Midnight Mass. King shared to Toronto Star that he has appreciated Flanagan’s take on his works thus far, and The Life Is Chuck is another great addition. You can check out The Life Of Chuck trailer below:

Both the movie and the novella follows an ordinary guy named Charles “Chuck” Krantz across three chapters of his life. King shared that he feels “joy is a valid part of the human experience,” and wanted to infuse that in the story after much of his stories tackle things like “existential dread, grief, woe.” Though I haven't seen it, these comments make me more interested in seeing a modern King movie that's more of a heartwarming drama than a scary movie. I’m also curious if the author is worried about the movie’s viability and his take on audiences perhaps not turning out for a story of his that’s not horror-related.

Even though King shared he loves the movie, pointing out Hiddleston’s “great” performance at the same time, it sounds like he's not sure if audiences will turn out for a “warm-hearted thing.” Now, it should be noted that past King stories that are not horror have been turned into movies. For example, there’s 1994’s The Shawshank Redemption, which is thought of as one of the best movies ever made. There's also 1999’s The Green Mile.

Stephen King might have a point considering Shawshank famously didn’t do well at the box office initially (making just $16 million against a $25 million budget). However, The Green Mile, starring Tom Hanks, made much better business with over $286 million worldwide against a $60 million budget. We’ll have to see how The Life Of Chuck does when it comes to theaters on June 6!

Ah the theater, while most people go to see their favorite stage productions of favorite actors, you can find an interesting collection of humans occupying the seats. If you’ve never been people watching before a stage production, I highly recommend it. You never know who you’ll see in those seats, and examples like this are why you should. And what an awesome sighting to catch.

While waiting for the curtain to rise for the production of Much Ado About Nothing starring Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell, a fan spotted another famous face amongst the crowd. None other than Keanu Reeves, John Wick himself. Posted to a fan page on Instagram, he's spotted sitting beside girlfriend and artist Alexandra Grant, chatting with another audience member in front.

This isn’t just a coincidental star sighting. Reeves is set to star in Waiting for Godot on Broadway in the fall, which is also directed by Jamie Lloyd, the same director for Hiddleston and Atwell’s Much Ado About Nothing. It was also pointed out by fans in the comments of the post, for those who don’t know; Reeves was a cast member of the 1993 film version of Much Ado About Nothing, that was directed by Kenneth Branagh, not to be confused with Joss Whedon's 2012 version.

This isn’t the first semi-recent throwback for Reeves’ 1993 Ado, co-star Kate Beckinsale recalled a time when he saved her from a wardrobe malfunction on the red carpet. Luckily Keanu aka ‘The Internets Boyfriend’ was there to help her out.

So Reeves' surprise appearance at the Theater Royal is probably one part scoping out the work of his next director, supporting another showing of Shakespeare’s work that he was once part of, and of course date night. It’s just fascinating since Hiddleston and Atwell are on stage, and you happen to catch a seat next to the Matrix icon. There’s a lot of talent in one room and it’s quite a lucky chance encounter. Hopefully the show itself was still the star of the evening.

As mentioned, Reeves is going to be hitting Broadway in the fall. There are also the growing entries for John Wick fans, and for those with a Netflix account, in June we have the animated BRZRKR movie. And to top it all off, Constantine 2 is closer than we may think, so overall there’s no shortage of new content from Reeves, on stage and on screen. So I think he deserves a night to enjoy the theater.

Though many fans would agree that there have been some big screen missteps lately, no one can say that the MCU isn’t one of the biggest blockbuster franchises in movie history. Tom Hiddleston has been lucky enough to portray Loki in not just some of the best Marvel movies, but also his reformed character’s eponymous TV show on Disney+. Now, the actor has opened up about the big reveal that he’s returning for the upcoming superhero movie, Avengers: Doomsday.

What Did Tom Hiddleston Say About Returning For Avengers: Doomsday?

Whether you’ve watched all the Marvel movies in order or just a handful of them, you know that there are some real gems in that bunch, with the 2025 movie schedule set to deliver upcoming Marvel movies Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. However, it’ll be in 2026 that we get our first Avengers team-up post-Infinity Saga, with the release of Avengers: Doomsday.

That film will see the return of Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, and the star recently spoke about his casting announcement, which came during the marathon five and a half hour casting reveal in late March. When interviewer Max Balegde asked how he felt to have the news out in the world, Hiddleston replied:

No, sir. It’s not over at all! Luckily, the star is both well-practiced at keeping Marvel secrets and beloved as Loki, so there are probably millions of MCU fans who want to see him bring the character back indefinitely. And, if you watched both seasons of his series, you know that Loki could play a major part in the events of the new movie.

Viewers are fully ensconced in the Multiverse Saga (which began with the release of Black Widow in 2021) now, and the Loki variant we watched in the show is a key to the Marvel multiverse as a whole. During the somewhat confusing Season 2 finale, the new and improved God of Mischief managed to keep all of existence from going BOOM by using his considerable magical powers to bring back the dying timelines in the multiverse.

He also took up the position as the ultimate guardian of those timelines, replacing the killed-by-Sylvie He Who Remains Kang variant who’d previously filled the position. Thus bringing us to a multiverse where Loki is fulfilling a brand new “glorious purpose” by the time Doomsday kicks off.

Seeing as how the film (which we don’t know much about plot-wise, with the exception of erstwhile Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr., playing evil-doer Doctor Doom) will see folks like the original X-Men team up with members of the Tunderbolts, Fantastic Four and others who haven’t been together before (Channing Tatum’s Gambit, y’all!!), my guess is that Hiddleston’s Loki will have a lot to say about what’s going to go down.

Marvel is now gearing up for its next big crossover event. Last week we learned who will make up the massive cast of Avengers: Doomsday in an incredible five and a half hour livestream event. One thing we learned is that the movie will seemingly have a surprisingly few socerers. This is unfortunate if only because Kathryn Hahn wants to see Agatha Harkness go head to head with some of the best.

In a recent appearance on the Mythical Kitchen YouTube Channel, Kathryn Hahn was asked what other Marvel characters she’d like to see Agatha work with, and she dropped a couple of perfect names in fellow magic users Doctor Stranke and Loki. Hahn said…

“Mischevious Magic” sounds like the perfect name for a Disney+ Marvel series starring Hahn and Tom Hiddleston. I don’t know what they would do. I don’t know if they would be allies or adversaries. What I do know is that such a pairing would be absolutely incredible, and now I need to see it happen.

Seeing Agatha Harkness go up against Doctor Strange would also be quite special. Considering that both Agatha and Strange have fought Scarlet Witch, seeing the two of them face off against each other would complete the circle. Of course, speaking of the Scarlet Witch, Kathryn Hahn indicates she’d also like a rematch. She added…

Unfortunately, anybody looking forward to any of these crossovers may have a while to wait. There’s been no indication of any future for Agatha, either in the form of a second season of Agatha All Along or a related spinoff. Also, of every name mentioned above, only Tom Hiddelston was among those listed to appear in the upcoming Marvel movie Avengers: Doomsday.

While it’s still possible others, and even Hahn herself, could end up part of the movie, it’s unlikely the cast revealed so far is complete, both Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olson had previously indicated they wouldn’t be in the film, so not seeing their names in the live stream only confirms what had already been known. Of course, Cumberbatch later reversed course and said he would be in Doomsday, so at this point, anything is possible.

Agatha All Along seemed to confirm that the Scarlet Witch is dead following the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. While death is certainly no barrier to a character making an on-screen appearance, when and if there are plans to see Wanda again, once expects her return would be a big deal. Perhaps that could be the focus of a new Disney+ series.

At the end of the day, the door is never closed on any popular MCU character, so seeing Agatha Harkness again certainly seems likely. Whether she'd get a chance to work alongside these other characters or not is another question.

Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell have been taking a breather from the big and small screens as of late in favor of some time on the stage. As of late, the pair of Marvel Cinematic Universe veterans have been performing in a production of Much Ado About Nothing at Drury Lane in London. The fun (or daunting) aspect of performing shows night in and night out is that you never know who might show up. Well, Tom Cruise and Stanley Tucci recently arrived to see Atwell and Hiddleston, and I can only imagine how cool that meeting was.

Amid the play’s run in the UK, Tom Cruise and Stanley Tucci visited with The Jamie Lloyd Company. The organization itself revealed the two A-listers’ visit by way of a photo carousel shared to Instagram. Within the snapshots are glimpses of Cruise reuniting with his fellow Mission: Impossible alum Hayley Atwell. Meanwhile, the always-delightful Tucci also had some time to speak with both Atwell and the Loki star. Take a look at the wonderful post for yourself:

What I love most is just how connected the quartet of stars are through their bodies of work. As mentioned, there’s a M:I connection here, but the Marvel ties are also strong. (And no, not with Tom Cruise because he hasn’t played an Iron Man variant as hoped for.) Years ago, Mr. Tucci worked alongside Ms. Atwell on Captain America: The First Avenger. Tucci reflected on the role not too long ago, calling his turn as Dr. Abraham Erskine one of the “greatest roles” he’s ever had. Needless to say, as an MCU and M:I fan, I love this reunion.

Seriously, though, I can’t help but wonder what these four stars were discussing. I mean, were they talking about the arts, or were they analyzing the finer points of William Shakespeare’s work? I could just be overthinking all of this, and the conversation could’ve been much more mundane. They could’ve simply been talking about British cuisine, which I wouldn’t have been mad about at all if I had been a fly on the wall.

Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell’s reunion for the aforementioned play has yielded some delightful moments thus far. On Valentine’s Day, the two goofed around in a humorously sweet video. They pair were also lauded for apparently entering their TikTok era, thanks to a post in which they seemed to be channeling Barbie. Atwell and Hiddleston’s personal dynamic seems strong, and I’d imagine that makes it easier for them to work together.

Unfortunately, it’s likely that we won’t know exactly what was said when all four of the actors reunited. Still, the mere fact that they had the time to catch up is great to me. What I hope is that more celebrities might go see Much Ado About Nothing or even just pay a visit to the theater company to see the two lovely stars headlining the production.

You can see Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell share the silver screen once more when Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning hits theaters on May 23 as part of the 2025 movie schedule.

Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell have officially entered their TikTok era, and fans are absolutely living for it. While the two actors are best known for their roles in Marvel movies—Hiddleston as Loki and Atwell as Peggy Carter—it seems they’ve traded in upcoming superhero movie action for something a little more pink and playful. The duo, currently starring together in Much Ado About Nothing at London’s Drury Lane, took to social media to share a behind-the-scenes video, and let’s just say it’s pure Barbie & Ken-ergy.

Shared on Hayley Atwell and The Jamie Lloyd Company's Instagram accounts, the video features the cast of Much Ado About Nothing fully embracing their production's vibrant, theatrical energy. But instead of referencing their Marvel pasts, the War alum and Black Mirror star leaned into a Barbie-themed sound, perfectly channeling the iconic film’s fun and campy aesthetic. Check it out below:

The video features Hiddleston–along with the rest of the cast–looking effortlessly charming in '90s-themed pastels and a sea of pink petals. They lip-sync a sound from the iconic beach sequence in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, where all the Barbies and Kens greet one another.

Naturally, fans lost their minds seeing the Crimson Peak star in such a lighthearted and playful setting. The comment section quickly filled with praise, and the internet has fully embraced the God of Mischief actor’s new TikTok presence. Here are just a few of the standout reactions:

• Please never stop letting him do TikToks 😭🩷 -@zawesrose
• Tom being in his TikTok era- 😭😭 we all love it so much, seeing the play on Friday cannot wait. -@tomandzawesfav
• Tom doing TikToks is so cute. -@sophiaroxthe80s
• TOM BEING IN HIS TIKTOK ERA 😭🩷🩷🩷-@Malfoysblacksuit
• Tom's TikTok era yayyyyy -@art_queen_deeps
• To whoever is suggesting all those TikToks, please never stop. -@naellecheri
• Tom's TikTok era is to die forrrr 😩😩😩😩🩷🩷🩷🩷 -@ev.sinclaire
• TOM IS THE CUTEST I CAN'T 😭🩷😭🩷 -@jocejung
• TOM TIKTOK ERA 🛐🛐 -@emerviice

One fan even made the perfect suggestion, commenting:

Okay, that’s not a bad idea. If a Barbie sequel ever does happen, someone give the filmmakers a call with that take because it's one I can get behind. Though the director has weighed in on a sequel, saying her film wasn't designed to have sequels, I suppose Tom Hiddleston’s and Hayley Atwell’s TikTok era will have to hold us Barbie and Marvel fans over–for now.

Both actors have been known for their serious, action-packed roles, especially in Marvel movies. However, this recent burst of TikTok energy is thanks to their shared participation in the Much Ado About Nothing adaptation.

The stage production is already proving to be a wildly creative take on the classic Shakespeare play, blending '90s house music with a fresh, energetic aesthetic. Seeing Hiddleston and Atwell wholly lean into the playfulness of the production—both on stage and on social media—has been a delightful surprise for fans.

With their chemistry on full display and the TikTok era officially in full swing, it’s safe to say that this isn’t the last viral moment we’ll be getting from these two. However, while we wait for their next social media video, you can revisit the actors’ time in the MCU, up to this point, by streaming their appearances in the series with a Disney+ subscription.

The MCU is large, with quite the star-studded cast, and with as many actors as the MCU has they’re bound to come back together outside of their comic book counterparts. It’s always nice to see when they not only have other projects, they’re passionate for, but also having fun with their former MCU co-stars. Actors Hayley Atwell and Tom Hiddleston were seen goofing around for Valentines Day, and it’s really sweet to see them having fun.

In a post on The Jamie Lloyd Company’s Instagram page, they shared a video of the Much Ado About Nothing cast trying to spell ‘love’ with their bodies on top of a sea of pink confetti to celebrate Valentines Day. It’s quite funny on its own, especially that ‘V’ attempt; but the video does include Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell attempting to make the letter ‘L’.

Back in October of 2024 it was announced that Captain Carter and Loki God of mischief, were going to star on the west end production of Much Ado About Nothing, a classic Shakespeare comedy. The play itself seemingly acting as a nice break for Atwell and Hiddleston, following their previous roles.

Just last fall Atwell celebrated the release of the animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, which was well liked by those who enjoy the Tomb Raider franchise, even if it might not be as accessible to everyone. She is also set to star in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning later this year.

As for Hiddleston, The Life of Chuck a film adaptation of Stephen Kings’ book was also released last fall, which also included fellow MCU star Karen Gillan. As of writing this there is still no news on Loki season 3, but Hiddleston does have another Disney+ project forthcoming. And of course, we can’t forget that reports do tell that Peggy Carter will be coming back in Avengers: Doomsday in a big way. So there’s lots to look forward to between the two of them if you can’t see them on the stage.

Despite Atwell and Hiddleston’s names being on the playbill, there are still tickets available for future performances. While the performance for V-day itself is fully sold out, you can still catch it if you are in the neighborhood. And you can catch them in their various MCU appearances with a Disney+ subscription.

There’s a long-standing argument, that has continued from the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe through to today, that the villains of the MCU movies are rarely particularly interesting on deep. They usually have little going on. If you sit and watch the Marvel movies in order it’s difficult to argue that this isn’t broadly true. Still, there are certainly exceptions, and the greatest of them is Tom Hiddleston’s Loki.

First appearing in the original Thor movie (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription) before becoming the main antagonist of the first Avengers film, Loki was the best MCU bad guy, before he eventually became one of the heroes. Marvel Studios lucked out when Hiddleston agreed to play the role, which is wild since he never auditioned for it.

A clip recently went viral on Instagram of a Tom Hiddleston appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in which the actor reveals something I hadn’t known before, that he never actually auditioned for Loki. Instead, he only ever auditioned to play Thor and was then offered the other role only after he wasn't picked to play the title character. Check out the clip below for the whole story, as well as a clip of his Thor audition tape.

Hiddleston says the whole audition process took three months, which is a pretty extensive audition. Auditioning for that long you must feel like you have a strong shot and getting the job and Hiddleston admits he briefly thought he might have gotten the role. It might have been disappointing, especially considering Chris Hemsworth bombed out of his audition early. It was only after his brother Liam Hemsworth was deemed too young that the older brother was given another look.

Still, it says something about the folks at Marvel Studios, and on the Thor movie, that they saw something in Hiddleston when he was auditioning for Thor that showed them he would be perfect to play the movie’s second most important character, Loki. They never asked him to audition to confirm that he'd be good. Somehow they just knew he was the right choice, and they certainly weren’t wrong.

Loki would go on to have the most complete arc of any “villain” in the MCU, from an antagonist of the Avengers to a reluctant ally of his brother Thor to a true hero who would become the star of his own Disney+ Marvel series, the only one so far to get a second season.

What the future holds for Tom Hiddleston and Loki in any upcoming Marvel movies is anybody's guess but at this point, I think we’re all quite happy that he didn’t get the gig as Thor. He likely would have been good, but who else could have played Loki so well?

It’s been a little over a year Marvel fans with a Disney+ subscription saw how Loki Season 2 ended, and while it’s still far from certain if Season 3 will ever happen, that second batch of episodes is back in conversation thanks to its forthcoming physical media release. Season 2 will be able to purchase on Ultra HD Blu-ray starting on December 3, and there will be an assortment of special features to parse through, including deleted scenes. One of those scenes shows how Loki goes way back with Hercules, and that in turn has me wondering when where things stand with Brett Goldstein’s take on the Greek God, who was introduced in the Thor: Love and Thunder end credits scene.

How Loki And Hercules Are Connected In The MCU

In this deleted scene that was shared by Variety, Loki is telling Owen Wilson’s Mobius about all the people who’ve said he’s a “problem” while the two men are in the Time Variance Authority’s commissary enjoying some key lime pie. Most of who he mentions are people we’ve already met in the MCU, including him amusingly mentioning Heimdall twice, as well as Donald Blake, Thor’s civilian identity in the comics and the name Loki says Thor uses when he’s on Earth. Technically that’s goes against MCU continuity since Jane Foster mentioned in the first Thor movie that Donald was her ex-boyfriend, but I’m not going to nitpick it.

Some unexpected names were also thrown in, like Absorbing Man, who was a villain on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but has never appeared in a Marvel Studios production, and Amora, who goes by Enchantress in the comics and has never been seen in the MCU. As for Hercules, Loki says he was a “big problem” for him, though didn’t provide any details. So at some point prior to 2011’s Thor, he and Hercules crossed paths, and I’d like to learn what unfolded between them.

When Are We Going To See Brett Goldstein’s Hercules Again?

Brett Goldstein, best known for playing Roy Kent on Ted Lasso and co-creating and currently recurring in Shrinking (which can also be streamed with an Apple TV+ subscription), briefly appeared in Thor: Love and Thunder when his father Zeus, played by Russell Crowe, instructed him to find and kill the Asgardian God of Thunder. The 29th of the Marvel movies in order came out over two years ago, and yet there hasn’t been a whisper of Hercules since. So what’s going on with him?

If Thor 5 were one of the officially-slated upcoming Marvel movies, then it could be logically surmised he’d return there, but that’s not the case. It still remains to be seen if Chris Hemsworth will lead another Marvel movie of his own, and looking over what is on the way, the only other cinematic installments where it’d remotely make any sense for him to appear are in Avengers: Doomsday and/or Avengers: Secret Wars. Even that feels like a stretch, but I like Brett Goldstein a lot and would like to see him get a proper platform to shine on in the MCU, especially if it leads to Hercules joining the Avengers one day. Let’s just hope what we saw in Thor: Love and Thunder doesn’t become one of those end-credits scenes that never pays off.

Next up on the MCU slate is What If… ? Season 3, which premieres on December 22, followed by Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man on January 29, Daredevil: Born Again on March 4, and Ironheart on June 24. Movie-wise, Captain America: Brave New World comes out on February 14, and Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps are also on the 2025 release schedule.

Although we’ve seen plenty of delights debut on the 2024 TV schedule, I will admit it’s been kind of sad not to be on the timeline where we’re discussing how Loki Season 3’s season finale changed the game ahead of Avengers: Doomsday. Unfortunately, there’s still no word on whether the Tom Hiddleston-led ensemble drama will be returning as an upcoming Marvel TV show or not, but the Thor franchise vet does have another Disney+ project coming soon. And I have to say, it’s actually kind of fitting, on top of sounding pretty awesome.

Operating under the working title of Surviving Pompeii with Tom Hiddleston, this is one of four new unscripted science series that are being produced for National Geographic’s streaming presence. Part of the press release announcing this revealed to the world a fun fact that only makes me all the more excited to see this series:

Before anyone gets too bummed out over no further elaboration over that previous Loki Season 3 update from EP Brad Winderbaum, this project actually has executive producer Kevin R. Wright onboard. Seeing as he also comes from the team that helped make that Marvel Television landmark a hit, there could be a possibility that Wright and Tom Hiddleston’s time on Surviving Pompeii will give them more of a chance to break what a story for Season 3 could look like.

That is, if you can tear Tom Hiddleston away from the ruins of Pompeii for long enough to even have such a conversation. Now armed with the knowledge that the Crimson Peak star has history on the brain through his studies, I can’t help but picture him examining these remnants of history with wide eyed wonder.

If Surviving Pompeii does well enough, there might also be a potential for follow-ups in a similar vein, which could easily see Mr. Hiddleston running away with the gig. So even if a theoretical pitch that follows Loki Season 2's emotional ending doesn't materialize, we could see the former Trickster God become the world's favorite pseudo-history professor. When you think about it, that kind of career move makes perfect sense.

It’s funny that Surviving Pompeii is on the table three years after Loki Season 1 aired. I say this because the second episode, “The Variant,” took Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Mobius (Owen Wilson) to Pompeii itself in that early inning of its overall story. Perhaps making that episode inspired The Night Manager's lead to throw this project on his plate.

Of course, there's also the fact that on-screen brother Chris Hemsworth has his own ongoing showcase for the world of reality in the recently renewed series Limitless with Chris Hemsworth. While this isn't exactly sibling rivalry, that could have been another inspiration for Hiddleston to get into the unscripted programming market.

Unfortunately, there isn't a specific production or even release date in mind for Surviving Pompeii, so don't get too excited just yet.For now though, you're more than welcomed to revisit Tom Hiddleston's adventures as Loki throughout the MCU's movie and TV projects, thanks to the power of a Disney+ subscription.

For those of you lucky enough to be in the right place, at the right time, you can catch Hiddleston's Much Ado About Nothing. Co-starring fellow MCU vet Hayley Atwell, the production will run at the West End's Theater Royal Drury Lane, between February 10th and April 5th.

Thor: Ragnarok was a significant movie among all the Marvel Cinematic Universe films. It marked a significant shift in the character of Thor, leading to a more comedic take on the character. While many, including Hemsworth himself, felt that the most recent Thor movie Love and Thunder went too far when it came to the ridiculousness, Ragnarok still holds up, and many fans are still enjoying some of the movie's best moments.

A lot of Thor: Ragnarok’s hilarious dialogue was reportedly improv on the set rather than being written into the script. This includes a fan-favorite scene, currently going viral on Instagram, where Chris Hemsworth’s Thor tells a story about Loki stabbing him when they were kids. Of course, what still has fans laughing, even years later, isn’t so much the story as it is what appears to be a genuine reaction from Tom Hiddleston laughing at the story. Check it out.

This new posting of the old scene has a lot of reactions. Some of the comments have thousands of likes showing just how many people truly love this moment. Some of the most popular comments include:

• And Tom just went with it. Love those two gentlemen.
• Tom was like "ahh i remember that like yesterday, fun times"
• The fact that he says he stabbed him so nonchalantly like that is hilarious 🤣🤣
• Tom was not expecting to enjoy that improv as much as he did

Tom Hiddleston does look on the verge of cracking up as he starts to smile. Within the story, we're clearly meant to take in that Loki is laughing at hearing the story that Thor is telling about what he did as a kid, but it’s easy to read the shot as Hiddleston reacting to hearing Hemsworth’s adlib and finding it just as funny as the rest of the audience. To be honest Mark Ruffalo's reaction is equally priceless.

It seems quite clear that a lot of people love Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston working together in the Thor movies. The duo is absolutely a big part of why the movies work, and the lack of Loki in Thor: Love and Thunder was certainly felt.

Unfortunately, it’s far from clear at this point if we’ll ever see Thor and Loki together on screen again. It’s honestly unclear if we’ll ever see Thor or Loki on screen again at all. Both characters are still kicking out there in the MCU, but Loki is pretty busy keeping the whole of time together and Thor is busy raising a kid.

We don’t know what the plans are for Thor and Loki are going forward. And with the MCU having become as big as it has in recent years, it’s possible that there are simply no plans at all for either of them. That would be a tragedy as it

The schedule of upcoming 2025 movies has promising works for fans of MCU alums Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell. With The Life of Chuck and Mission: Impossible 8 offering fans of their respective talents thrills in the year to come, there’s actually a project that’ll finally give them the chance to share some big scenes together. Though if you’re not in the UK, you may become a bit frustrated by what I’m about to tell you.

It was recently announced that Hiddleston and Atwell will respectively be playing Benedick and Beatrice in director Jamie Lloyd’s upcoming production of the iconic Shakespearian romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing. That casting was confirmed, along with the news that tickets are now on sale for the show’s run at the Theater Royal Drury Lane, in the social media post shown below:

Set to run from February 10th through April 5th, those of you who’ve always shipped Loki and Peggy Carter, congratulations, your day has come! That's because the short short version of Much Ado About Nothing’s story involves our two leads trying to help their respective friends navigate the complications of love, while totally denying they’re in love with each other.

Notable adaptations have seen Kenneth Brannagh and Emma Thompson, as well as David Tennant and Catherine Tate, playing the snark-filled lovers on stage and screen. For the sake of helping sell how awesome of a prospect this is for Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell fans, take a look at the trailer from that variant’s theatrical release:

Much Ado About Nothing is a tale that still has quite a bit of mileage and popularity attached to its name. Anyone that doubts that fact should look at the sleeper success of Anyone But You. That Glen Powell/Sydney Sweeney hit just might be a movie you didn’t know was based on Shakespeare, as it was loosely based on this very tale, and brought in quite a bit of money while doing it.

I wouldn’t be surprised if tickets for this version of Much Ado About Nothing are already hard to come by. With Hayley Atwell’s fans being devotedly awesome, and Tom Hiddleston’s followers being equally amazing, the Royal Drury Lane Theatre is primed to be packed for this entire limited run.

While it may not fulfill Tom Hiddleston’s MCU crossover wish of facing off against good friend Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, having him play one of the classiest games of “will they, or won’t they?” with the equally iconic Hayley Atwell still feels like a match made in Marvel heaven.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m about to go write my pitch for a future What If… episode, “Much Ado About The Tesseract;” which will probably never be accessible through the power of your Disney+ subscription. But before I go, I have to make one last recommendation before we part.

Before the curtain goes up on this comedy, the Shakespearean drama The Tempest will be mounted at this very same theater, with Sigourney Weaver making her West End debut as Prospero. If you’re really lucky, you could potentially snag tickets for that show’s February 1st closing date and keep busy in town for the next show’s opening. One trip could allow you to see two legendary Shakespeare tales brought to life with some of the finest actors of our time. So keep that in mind before you book those flights!

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has captured the hearts and minds of comic book fans and general movie lovers for well over a decade now. In that time, a number of franchise devotees have become well-versed in the mythos, analyzing every aspect of it. So it’s not surprising that when they have the rare opportunity to speak to one of the series’ stars, they ask appropriately nerdy questions. Tom Hiddleston and Elizabeth Olsen, who’ve respectively played Loki and Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch for years now, are also faced with a lot of queries, even when they do work that’s not related to the MCU. It turns out there’s actually one Wanda and Loki-related question in particular that they receive quite often.

Don’t get it twisted, as two of the MCU’s most beloved stars receive a number of inquiries from admirers. (I myself once asked Tom Hiddleston for clarity regarding Loki’s journey following Season 2 of the character’s eponymous TV show.) However, it seems the most common question that Hiddleston and Elizabeth Olsen are always asked deals with what would happen if their two Marvel characters came to blows with each other. It honestly makes sense, since their characters are amongst the most powerful in the cinematic universe. When Hiddleston appeared alongside Olsen at a convention, he recalled the two of them receiving that prompt when they were doing press for a past films:

I’d imagine that the two may not have expected to hear that question during the junket for the 2015 Hank Williams biopic – or maybe they did. Regardless, both actors did respond to the question accordingly, it seems. In the convention interview clip, which was shared to YouTube, the Love & Death actress explained how she would respond, and the Night Manager star shared his two cents, too:

Elizabeth Olsen: I always said [Wanda].

Tom Hiddleston: Yeah, obviously.

Nevertheless, the humble Kong Skull: Island actor revealed that the constant question did make him think about who’d emerge victorious in a fight between Loki and Maximoff. Tom Hiddleston admitted that Wanda is incredibly powerful due to the powers she received from the mind stone. And, although Hiddleston mentioned the God of Mischief’s past victory, Elizabeth Olsen added that Wanda wiped out half a universe (in the comics). The actress did, however, also concede that Wanda has a difficult time controlling her powers emotionally.

As an MCU fan, I do find this question interesting, especially now, given Loki’s current position. The variant of the God of Mischief that appeared on his show is now the God of Stories, curating the various timelines across the multiverse. That definitely places the beloved character in a different category power-wise, and that would make a theoretical fight between him and Scarlet Witch even more interesting.

The chances of that happening now are probably slim, though. At this point, it seems that Tom Hiddleston has said goodbye to Loki, while Scarlet Witch appears to be dead. (And that latter fact seems even more concrete when paired with Elizabeth Olsen’s discouraging update on whether she’ll reprise her role.) But I suppose anything is possible in the MCU, especially if the multiverse is involved. In the meantime, until such a super-powered bout happens, I’d imagine that fans will continue to ask Olsen and Hiddleston for their thoughts, whether they’re promoting a Marvel production together or not.

Check out the two actors’ past MCU performances by streaming all of the Marvel movies in order as well as the TV shows using a Disney+ subscription.

It’s the final week of the 2024 Paris Olympics, and wow has it included a huge turnout of Hollywood stars hanging out at the big events. Now, as athletes from across the globe compete for gold, silver and bronze medals to prove themselves best in the world and represent their country, we’re thinking about how the games would be if the Marvel Cinematic Universe was involved, thanks to Tom Hiddleston.

Tom Hiddleston, who of course has played Loki since 2011’s Thor, weighed in on what Olympic sports each of the Avengers would compete in. Check out the fun video on BBC Sport’s Instagram:

These are solid picks, Tom. I don’t know, but there’s something really entertaining about Hiddleston in particular vying for the Avengers in the Olympics, because his Marvel character would not be supporting the team of superheroes to any measure.

There are some clever theories here. Hiddleston imagines Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk “just wants to throw things to the other side of the stadium,” and yeah, that feels right. The actor volunteered Spider-Man for pole vault before realizing that he absolutely would win gold in the Men’s Speed Climbing event. Paris’ sport climbing events begin airing on the 2024 TV schedule this Tuesday and will give out medals Thursday, and we’ll absolutely be thinking about how Spidey would do now.

Tom Hiddleston volunteered Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine as an oarsman in one of the rowing competitions before realizing “there’s nothing he can’t do.” The actor clearly has a great love for the actor and Logan considering he previously said he’d love Loki to interact with Wolverine or Charlie Cox’s Daredevil about a month prior. When it comes to Loki joining the Olympics, he imagines High Jump would be his thing. Men’s High Jump is another event that has yet to begin in Paris, but will happen on the 7th and 10th of August.

Another great thought from Hiddleston is Captain America and Black Panther both being in the Men’s 400m. Who would win?? Either way, I imagine it would be a close race, but perhaps Steve Rogers (in his heyday) would have the edge since he “can do this all day.” The Men’s 400m is also happening this week, starting Sunday with Round 1. If Wakanda was a real country, we have a feeling it would be winning gold medals left and right.

Hiddleston also imagined Iron Man might be a high jumper, but he also quickly suggested that Tony Stark would be unlikely to compete at all, and would “stay well clear of the track.” However, as it was announced last week at SDCC, the hero’s famed actor Robert Downey Jr. is set to return to the MCU as Doctor Doom. One has to wonder how Loki and Doom might interact considering Downey Jr. has the same face as an Avenger? We’re certainly excited about the actor’s Doctor Doom role, but have so many questions.

Hiddleston also said Black Widow would be a gymnast and Thor would throw around his hammer. Of course, the actor forgot that Hawkeye would own the Archery competition!

Considering we now know the upcoming Marvel movies are leading to Avengers: Doomsday’s release in 2026, perhaps they need to train like Olympians, or recruit a few of them.

If you aren’t tuning in already, check out how to watch the 2024 Paris Olympics as the events continue this week.

There are multiple Stephen King-centric stories to emerge from this past week pertaining to some anticipated upcoming Stephen King movies. And there was an update from writer/director Mike Flanagan regarding how his adaptation of The Dark Tower series is co-existing with his developing Exorcist movie.  

Not only has Flanagan been talking about The Dark Tower, but he’s made a couple of fantastic revelations about his new movie The Life Of Chuck (based on the Stephen King novella of the same name), and we have some major behind-the-scenes news regarding director Francis Lawrence’s The Long Walk, which has started production and added to its cast. The King Beat is here to catch you up on all of the developments. Let’s dig in!

Mike Flanagan’s Description Of Tom Hiddleston’s Big Dance Sequence In The Life Of Chuck Will Make You Want To See The Movie Immediately

Anyone who has read “The Life Of Chuck” has long known that dancing would be a crucial element of Mike Flanagan’s adaptation. After all, the middle section of the three-part story is entirely about an impromptu bit of body moving in public when the titular character gets caught up in the music being played by a busker. That being said, it’s nonetheless fascinating to learn how Flanagan is approaching the sequence in the adaptation – and based on his recent comments, it’s going to put broad smiles on the faces of anyone who watches it.

The most recent episode of the podcast Talking Scared features a number of professional storytellers discussing their favorite Stephen King short stories, and in the 30 minute interview with Mike Flanagan, the filmmaker goes into deep detail about the Life Of Chuck dance sequence. In the movie, Tom Hiddleston is playing the titular Chuck Krantz, and his performance is evidently so delightful that it actually left Flanagan’s face hurting from smiling too much. Said the writer/director,

This description of the sequence in the new film is exactly what one would hope for. The second section of the novella is all about celebrating the random joys of life, with Chuck finding himself caught up in the moment listening to music and finding a wonderful dance partner in a beautiful stranger who also happens to be walking by. It’s a sequence full of effervescence, and it sounds as though Mike Flanagan has worked particularly hard to capture it on screen.

The filmmaker also helped clarify why it is that the movie is earning comparisons to Frank Darabont’s The Shawshank Redemption – which is a film that can be described as an antidote to cynicism. Flanagan explained that his approach for The Life Of Chuck was to make the work sweet but not overbearing:

If that sounds like it is a very different mode for Mike Flanagan – a filmmaker best known for his work in the horror genre – you’re not wrong, and he said as much in the interview, adding,

That’s a terrifically exciting sentiment given the extreme quality of Mike Flanagan’s filmography – but that’s not the only cool update that we have from him this week about his new Stephen King adaptation.

Mike Flanagan Reveals One Key Way The Life Of Chuck Will Differ From His Previous Stephen King Adaptations

Mike Flanagan’s love of Stephen King’s work is unquestionable, and it’s obviously reflected in his work. Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep feature details that are changed from their respective source material, but they are primarily very faithful adaptations. There is, however, one thing that the upcoming Life Of Chuck has that those two movies don’t, and that’s voice over narration that brings King’s words directly to the screen.

In the Talking Scared interview, Neil McRobert highlights a particularly beautiful passage from “The Life of Chuck” about the character reflecting on his impromptu dance while dying from cancer, and while discussing the material, Mike Flanagan explained how the film adaptation demanded that the prose being directly brought to the screen:

Continuing, he added that there is plenty in the story that is visually captivating in The Life Of Chuck, but that voice over narration was a necessary component in bringing it together. Said Flanagan,

The Life Of Chuck is set to make its world premiere this fall at the Toronto International Film Festival, and being a completely independent production, it does not yet have theatrical distribution. Fingers are crossed that will change following its Canadian debut and that the movie will find its way to theaters before the end of the year.

Francis Lawrence's The Long Walk Has Started Production And Has Added Seven New Actors To The Cast

It was just a little over a week ago that we learned about the plans for Edgar Wright’s new remake of The Running Man to go into production this fall… but that isn’t the only Stephen King film that is rolling cameras here in the second half of 2024. Also moving forward at a surprisingly fast clip given decades of false starts is The Long Walk, which not only started production a few days ago, but has also added a number of new actors to its cast.

Principal photography on The Long Walk is underway up in Manitoba, Canada this week, and Deadline is reporting that seven new actors have come aboard for roles in the film opposite stars Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson (who joined the cast back in June). There aren’t any details about any of the characters that the performers will be playing, but the ensemble now includes Jojo Rabbit’s Roman Griffin Davis, Spontaneous’ Charlie Plummer, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Ben Wang, Jordan Gonzalez, and Joshua Odjick.

Of the new actors in the film, Odjick is the only one with Stephen King history on his resume, as he also has an unspecified part in the HBO IT prequel series Welcome To Derry, which is on track to premiere in 2025.

One of Stephen King’s “Bachman Books” (the books that he wrote under the pseudonym Richard Bachman), The Long Walk is a dystopian tale about an endurance competition that sees a collection of teenage boys challenged to start walking along a highway and not stop until only one of them is left standing. They have to maintain a constant four mile per hour pace lest they receive a warning, and receiving three warnings or trying to make an escape is punished with execution.

The film is director Francis Lawrence’s follow-up to last year’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes, and the script has been written by JT Mollner. Lionsgate is set to produce and distribute the film, and if production is starting now, that means there is a good chance we’ll get to see the finished work at some time in 2025 (an official release date has not been set).

Recommendation Of The Week: “Willie The Weirdo”

“Willie The Weirdo” is a unique inclusion in Stephen King’s 2024 collection You Like It Darker in that it’s not so much a short story or novella as it is a character profile. The titular Willie is a 10-year-old kid who isn’t quite right in the head, and his relationship with his strange, dying grandfather only exacerbates his “weirdness.”

First published in June 2022’s Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern before being included in King’s new omnibus, “Willie The Weirdo” is a perfect example of how the author can successfully get under the skin of readers with simple characterization and the exploration of some freaky sensibilities when it comes to death. He may just be a pre-teen, but Willie is drawn in such an intense way that you’d probably head to the other side of the street if you saw him walking towards you on the sidewalk.

That brings an end to this week’s edition of The King Beat, but I’ll be back here on CinemaBlend next Thursday with the latest roundup of news from the world of Stephen King, so stay tuned.

 Deadpool & Wolverine's release might be the upcoming Marvel movie that everyone will be talking about this summer, but there are other team-ups that could happen in the future--at least if Tom Hiddleston has anything to say about it. In an interview, Loki star Tom Hiddleston was given the idea and he did have some intriguing thoughts on the matter. 

I don't think Hiddleston was expecting to be asked about another Marvel team-up after his role in the Avengers movies, but a reporter from Variety asked him and he gamely answered. 

While it is true that Wolverine has a history that goes back to being introduced in a Hulk comic and the character serving in World War II with Captain America, Wolverine hasn’t really interacted with Loki much. Still, it is something that would be fun to see. My money would be on Wolverine winning the mash-up and plenty of snark would be involved.

What we do know about Deadpool & Wolverine is that the TVA is involved and there will be cameos from various characters so Loki making an appearance wouldn’t be out of the blue. If a Wolverine and Loki mash-up were to happen then this movie would probably provide the best template for one. Of course, then Deadpool would be involved which would make things that much more interesting. I could already hear Deadpool jokes about Loki’s outfits or attempts at gaining power.

Hiddleston also brought up how he would love to work with Charlie Cox, star of Daredevil, because the two are friends. He mentioned the Broadway play the two did together in 2019 called Betrayal, so I'm assuming the chemistry would be fantastic. Daredevil is also being brought back to the MCU for a revival that is bringing back the cast from the Netflix series. Besides, they have already swapped the roles of Daredevil and Loki with each other off camera.

A Loki and Daredevil face-off would be easier to pull off since both characters in the MCU have such a history with New York. It definitely helps that part of the creative team, Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, from Loki Season 2 are also responsible for a large portion of episodes of Daredevil: Born Again. With time-travel involved anything could be possible. I wouldn’t mind slotting in Loki as another sidekick for Matt in the Born Again storyline.

As far as we know about the upcoming series, Loki isn’t slated to be in it but with Marvel’s history of cameos, it’s not out of the realm of possibility. We’ll just gave to wait until the premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine on July 26, and Daredevil: Born Again next March to see if any of Tom Hiddleston’s ideas happen.

Of all the stories that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has told, the most interesting may be the story of Loki. From the villain of one story to the hero of his own, Loki's journey has been an incredible one, and a somewhat heartbreaking one. Now actor Tom Hiddleston is talking more about how Loki’s story has, at least for now, come to an end, and it’s making me emotional all over again.

At the end of Season 2 of Loki the God of Mischief finally discovers his “glorious purpose” with the words “I know what I want. I know what kind of god I need to be — for you. For all of us.” In a conversation with Shōgun’s Anna Sawai for Variety, Tom Hiddleston and the actress discuss the similarities between their two characters, and Hiddleston addresses those final words, and how they call back to an earlier line in the first Thor movie, saying…

This isn’t the first time Tom Hiddleston has discussed those final words, but reading them again is making me feel all sorts of things. It’s a testament to Hiddleston’s ability, as well as the way the character of Loki was allowed to have incredible depth, and that not only was Loki able to make this journey but it worked so well. He certainly has the most interesting character arc throughout the MCU.

If you watch the Marvel movies in order you see the way Loki changes more than any other character in the franchise. Even when we first met Loki it was clear the character was dealing with all sorts of things internally that resulted in him becoming the villain we knew. It’s quite the journey for a man willing to sacrifice everything to make sure that his friends, and the rest of the multiverse, are safe.

Certainly, nobody knew exactly where Loki would go from his first appearance, but each time the character came back it was clear the filmmakers understood where he was, and knew how to continue his journey.

At this point, we don’t know for certain if we’ll ever see Loki again in any upcoming Marvel movies or any potential Loki Season 3. His story certainly seems to have concluded, but the fact that he is now at the center of, well, everything, certainly leaves the possibility that he could appear anywhere.

There’s no question that after the Hulk smashed Loki and called him a “puny god” in The Avengers, he most likely felt “insane and foolish.” So, it tracks that Tom Hiddleston felt similar feelings while filming the legendary scene. Now, 12 years removed from one of the best Marvel movies’ releases, the Thor actor is breaking down how they shot the sequence and how it made him feel. 

As Tom Hiddleston spoke about well-known Loki lines with Variety, he was asked about the scene where The Hulk smashes him. Obviously, that moment is iconic, and to this day it’s beloved. However, it was not easy to film, and the actor didn’t hold back while explaining that, as he said:

To be fair, as Hiddleston said, this is a fight that “Loki definitively loses,” he’s supposed to feel “insane and foolish,” because he’s just been smashed and embarrassed by The Hulk. 

The Loki star went on to describe how they filmed this memorable moment, and recalled the “Loki-shaped trenches on set” as well as the goal they had in mind for the sequence as a whole. Tom Hiddleston said:

Well, all that hard work, jumping, “insanity and folly” paid off, because if you’ve seen the Marvel movies in order, you know that this gag has rippled through the MCU for years. 

While Loki didn’t fight Hulk in Thor: Ragnarok, the look of sheer fear on the God of Mischief’s face when he saw Mark Ruffalo’s character was priceless. Plus, when Thor got smashed just like his brother in that movie, it was hard not to laugh about how Hiddleston’s character was still so deeply impacted by being thrown around in The Avengers. 

Obviously, Loki wasn’t killed, he was simply defeated in The Avengers, and Hiddleston went on to have even more memorable moments that have been added to his best MCU scenes. From his meaningful death in Avengers: Infinity War (which Josh Brolin sweetly comforted him about) to his development in Loki which ended with him holding time in his hands, we’ve seen the god develop and grow so much since he was smashed by the Hulk.

At this point, we don’t know if Tom Hiddleston or Mark Ruffalo will return as their characters in an upcoming Marvel project. However, if we’ve learned anything from Loki’s story, we should never say never. If there are updates on that front, we’ll be sure to let you know. In the meantime, you can go back and watch this legendary smashing that the God of Mischief actor broke down by streaming The Avengers with a Disney+ subscription. 

If you were watching the Marvel movies in order, and you went to see Avengers: Infinity War in theaters back in 2018, you probably weren’t expecting Loki to die in the first scene of the movie at the hands of Thanos. I know I wasn’t. It was a brutal and quick end for the God of Mischief, and it asserted the dominance of Josh Brolin’s villain quickly. Now, Tom Hiddleston has opened up about what it was like to create the moment and the sweet thing the Thanos actor told him before they shot the intense scene. 

While Hiddleston knew about this scene three years before they filmed it, it was still challenging. Josh Brolin was acutely aware of that, especially since he played the character who was putting an end to Loki, who Hiddleston had been playing for seven years at that point. As the Thor star spoke to Variety about his career and his time playing the god, he reflected on Loki’s death in Infinity War, revealing a sweet interaction he shared with the Dune actor:

I love that Brolin and Hiddleston shared this sweet moment. Both of them seemingly acknowledging the history and weight packed into this scene adds more meaning to it, and it makes it obvious how much they care for each other and the movie. The Thor: Ragnarok actor has been open about how much Loki’s death in Infinity War means to him, saying it closed his character’s chapter well and set up the stakes of what was to come. 

However, the death was sudden in the movie, and even Kevin Feige noted that fans called Marvel out for how Loki’s story ended (although the show Loki hadn’t been announced at that point). Josh Brolin also didn’t love shooting the Thanos vs. Loki scene, and in 2018, he told USA Today:

However, as we know, everything worked out. Loki came back and got his own show, which is so good it’s considered one of Marvel’s best series.

It’s still fascinating though to hear Hiddleston reflect on this monumental moment in MCU history. In the same interview, he recalled his final moments on set after Loki was killed by Thanos, saying:

Now, in 2024, Loki is sitting with the strings of time, as Loki’s Season 2 finale saw him meet an entirely new emotional fate years after the events of Infinity War.

It’s honestly crazy to look back on this turning point in the MCU, and how everyone treated it behind the scenes. I’m happy Brolin and Hiddleston were there for each other, and honestly, it only makes one of the best Marvel movies even better. 

To go back and see Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Josh Brolin as Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, you can stream it (along with all of Marvel's other movies and shows) with a Disney+ subscription. 

Hulu’s integration into Disney+ finally happened after months of speculation. Of course, Disney promoted the streamer’s newest addition to no end with more streaming channels possibly to come. However, one promotional photo sent multiple fanbases into a frenzy. The streamer dropped a pic featuring a fully-suited-up Jeremy Allen White, Tom Hiddleston, and Logan Lerman, and the fans united to stan.

The possibly once-in-a-lifetime moment came at the right moment for the House of Mouse, as Hulu on Disney+ received a mixed reaction from viewers. However, the streamers ramped up the launch by posting a photo with three of its leading men – White, Hiddleston, and Lerman – on its Instagram account. Check out the multi-platform crossover in the image below:

Now, that’s how you promote a streaming launch. Taking three beloved stars from some of the House of Mouse’s fan-favorite hit shows is genius. Viewers have grown to love and cheer for Tom Hiddleston’s Loki by watching the Marvel movies in order. Meanwhile, Jeremy Allen White and Logan Lerman have solidified themselves as the internet's boyfriends due to the success and acclaim of Hulu's The Bear and We Were the Lucky Ones, respectively. It’s a plus that White and Lerman are currently gaining Emmy buzz.

Of course, the gentlemanly photo set the comments section on fire as multiple fandoms converged on the photo as soon as it was posted. The OG and new Percy Jackson fans showed up for Lerman. However, the multi-fandom saw the photo as a moment to push Disney+ to do some stunt casting for its Percy Jackson streaming series (which is worth noting that Lerman also took a photo with the current Percy, Walker Scobell):

• Poseidon, Zeus, and Hades for the new Percy Jackson series
• Young Poseidon, young Apollo and young Hades. Just saying
• Percy Jackson, Kerry Von Erich and Loki all in one shot

While all the MCU and Percy Jackson fans found some common ground, not everyone was looking for the next fantasy-action crossover. Some commenters flooded the comments with their thirst for the three Hollywood leading men. Many fans couldn't hold back, saying:

• Disney understands the female gaze 😍
• Appetizer, entrée, and dessert 😙🤌
• ....I can't even choose who to look at....
• disney said “gather the three hottest white boys, it’s time to break some hearts”

Some followers couldn’t handle White, Hiddleston, and Lerman being in one photo together. Other followers showed Disney some appreciation for bringing the trio together:

• my brain combusted rn, what is this disney?
• everyone say thank you disney+

If the House of Mouse wanted to announce Hulu on Disney+ in style, then, this is mission accomplished. 

Once viewers are done gazing at all three men, they should get a Disney+ subscription to watch their respective shows. Tom Hiddleston can be seen in Loki Season 2 on the streamer. Logan Lerman deals with family and danger in the Holocaust miniseries We Were the Lucky Ones, which is currently airing on the 2024 TV schedule. And Jeremy Allen White can be seen as the complicated Carmy in The Bear’s first two seasons as the cast shoots Seasons 3 and 4 back-to-back. Both shows are also available with a Hulu subscription.

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe focuses on franchise heroes, and the MCU is often seen as having less than memorable villains, some characters have demanded the attention of fans. Chief among them has been Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, who started out as a side character and the bad guy, before becoming a reluctant hero at the center of his own story. Hiddleston says that he studied other charismatic villains when he first brought on the role, including Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber in Die Hard.

Speaking at PaleyFest 2024 (via People) on a panel dedicated to Loki, Hiddleston specifically referenced Alan Rickman’s Die Hard villain, as well as James Mason’s role in Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest as characters he loved growing up. He studied them before taking on Loki because they were characters that drew the audiences attention even though they weren’t the focus of their stories. Hiddleston explained…

While I’m not sure I ever would have compared Tom Hiddleston’s Loki to Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber, hearing that the criminal mastermind inspired the trickster god isn’t that surprising looking at the two characters. They are certainly both very charismatic villains. While the “bad guy” in a movie is frequently a dark and angry character, in these cases, both Loki and Hans are clearly very happy with the people that they are, even if who they are is terrible. And the actors certainly had a fun time playing the parts, that much is quite obvious. This is despite the fact Rickman originally turned down the Die Hard role.

The end result also matches up. You can’t talk about how great a movie Die Hard is without talking about Alan Rickman’s best performance. He’s a big part of the reason that movie works as well as it does. The same has to be said for Hiddelston’s Loki. The first two Thor films especially are not generally seen as among the best of the MCU, but Loki is a clear bright spot in both.

Loki became such a popular part of the MCU that he eventually did get the chance to be the center of a story, in two seasons of Loki on Disney+. At this point, following the Loki Season 2 ending it’s unclear if we’ll see the character again in any upcoming Marvel movies or series, but he has certainly made his mark on the franchise, just as Hans Gruber did in the Die Hard movies. 

Actress Karen Gillan has a long resume of both TV and film projects, but she's perhaps most synonymous with playing Nebula in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Those of us who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order saw as the Blue Meanie's layers peeled back, making her a fan favorite character. And while it's unclear if she'll return in an upcoming Marvel movie, Gillan had a sweet reunion with Tom Hiddleston and other stars. And I so wish I could have been a fly on the wall.

While the entire MCU can be re-watched with a Disney+ subscription, the actors often go long amounts of time before seeing each other. That's why when Karen Gillan posted on Instagram of her with some familiar faces, fans responded. You can check out a group photo below, which features her with Tom Hiddleston and Awkwafina, as well as execs Kevin Feige and Louis D'Esposito. Check it out for yourself below: 

Well, I've got Marvel-related FOMO. This group of folks got together for a Hulu on Disney+ celebration, and I'm so curious about what kind of conversations were had. Perhaps Gillan could be preparing another appearance as Nebula after the ending of Guardians 3? We can only hope.

Some fans might wonder who the guy standing next to Karen Gillan in the group photo is. That's none other than comedian Nick Kocher, aka her husband. The pair got married in 2022, in a lovely Scottish event. Kocher is also featured in another image from the Disney+/Hulu event, check it out below:

Clearly plenty of laughs were had during this event, especially with comedians like Awkwafina in attendance. She and Karen Gillan worked together as part of the Jumanji 3 cast, but they haven't gotten to share any screen time in the MCU. At least, not yet.

Awkwafina joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, playing comedic relief Katy. She and Simu Liu had killer chemistry, but it's been unclear when we'll see those characters back on the big screen. But hopefully we get more information about Shang-Chi 2 as well as the future Avengers movies sooner rather than later.

As previously mentioned, fans are wondering whether or not we'll ever see Karen Gillan's Nebula again in the MCU. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 gave the entire team their own happy ending. That includes Nebula, who left the team to help lead Knowhere with Drax and raise the children they rescued. While the final title card of the movie confirmed that Chris Pratt's Star-Lord would return sometime in the future, the rest of the team's fate is a mystery. And some fans want to see Gillan go to DC and play Poison Ivy. 

The next Marvel movie hitting theaters is Deadpool & Wolverine on July 26th. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates. 

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s original Loki met a gruesome end at the hands of Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, a different fate befell the variant we followed along with in the Loki series, arguably one of the best Disney+ TV shows. At the end of the Loki Season 2 finale, titled “Glorious Purpose,” this version of the trickster god destroyed the Time Variance Authority’s Loom, used his magic to rejuvenate the dying timelines rearrange them to resemble Asgard’s Yggdrasil, and he took the throne to become the new overseer of the Marvel multiverse. The last words he spoke in the episode were, “I am Loki of Asgard and I am burdened with glorious purpose,” and Tom Hiddleston has shared how he came up with this final line.

Of course, those who remember the events of the Marvel movies in order quite well know that Loki said those same words in 2012’s The Avengers, which saw him attempting to conquer Earth. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Hiddleston started off explaining the origins of returning to this line for Loki with the following:

With The Avengers following a year after the release of Thor, which introduced Tom Hiddleston’s Loki to the world, the character was still in his villain phase, having allied himself with Thanos and being given the the Chitauri army and the mysterious mind-controlling scepter (later revealed to contain the Mind Stone) to use in exchange for retrieving the Tesseract, a.k.a. the Space Stone. This was a Loki who had no qualms of ruling over humanity, as he felt they needed to be subjugated. At that point in his life, he felt it was his destiny to reign supreme over what he considered to be lesser beings.

In sharp contrast, the Loki variant from the TV show said these same worlds to signify how he’d moved on to a benevolent higher calling. Unable to prevent the destruction of the TVA’s Loom that led to all of reality being erased, and also unwilling to go back and kill Sylvie so that she wouldn’t kill He Who Remains, Loki decided to take matters into his own hands. With the Loom gone, it’s now up to him to ensure that the infinite timelines are protected, and while it’s a solitary existence, it’s one that leaves him fulfilled. Tom Hiddleston continued:

Loki’s life didn’t go the way he originally envisioned, but like he told his friends at the TVA, he’s become the god he needs to be. Both he and his original counterpart found redemption in different ways, and while it’s doubtful we’ll ever see the latter again, at least the possibility of seeing the former again is on the table, if not likely. After all, we’re in the middle of The Multiverse Saga, and even though it’s unclear what will be done with the countless versions Kang the Conqueror is uncertain following Jonathan Majors being fired, it stands to reason there will eventually come a point were we check in on Loki again if we continue exploring other universes in the MCU.

If you’re in the mood to rewatch Loki, or perhaps you read this article and haven’t even watched the show, it can be easily accessed with a Disney+ subscription. Otherwise, look over the upcoming Marvel movies and upcoming Marvel TV shows to see what excites you most about what’s on this franchise’s horizon.

It’s been over a year since Jeremy Renner was hospitalized after a serious accident involving a snowplow, which left him with dozens of broken bones. Thankfully though, the actor has made major strides since then when it comes to his recovery. With that, he’s been making more and more public appearances as of late. He most recently stepped out for the 2024 People’s Choice Awards, where his appearance was met with significant applause. And, as it so happened, his longtime Marvel colleague, Tom Hiddleston, was in attendance as well, and they reunited during what looked like a very sweet meet-up.

Jeremy Renner appeared at the televised event to present the first award of the night. Those who were watching probably saw that Tom Hiddleston was among those who stood to their feet to give Renner a standing ovation at the time. But what they didn’t see on the air was the lovely chat the two actors had at another point during the evening. The Clint Barton actor shared video of the encounter on his Instagram story, and you can see a screenshot of him and the Loki lead chatting down below:

It’s hard to believe that it was over a decade ago that the two leading men both appeared in a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie together for the first time. They made their debuts in 2011’s Thor (which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription). While they didn’t actually share the screen, they would do so the following year in The Avengers. They’ve certainly come a long way, and it’s great to see that they’re still friends. Take a look at another photo from the Instagram story post: 

The Town alum was injured in January 2023 after saving his adult nephew from being hit by the aforementioned snowplow. The Oscar-nominated actor was subsequently transported to a hospital via helicopter and eventually shared an update with fans. Throughout those first few months, he almost regularly kept the public up to date on his health status. And, even now, that he’s doing much better, he continues to do that.

More recently, the actor has been settling back into his day-to-day routines and is also getting back to work. He recently began production on Mayor of Kingstown Season 3 and also appeared alongside his daughter in a Super Bowl ad. Of course, there are still many wondering if Jeremy Renner will return to the MCU anytime soon. He recently spoke to that prospect, saying that he’s “always” game to don his bow and arrow once more.

As for Tom Hiddleston, some may have the impression that he just finished his journey as Loki, as the second season of the God of Mischief’s show left him in an interesting spot. Though the actor said that he’s “keeping an open heart and an open mind” in regard to his future in the role. However, if Hiddleston doesn’t don the horned-helmet again, he can take solace knowing that he went out on a high note. To that point, the series actually won the People’s Sci-Fi/Fantasy at the awards ceremony this past weekend, and Hiddleston gave a lovely speech (which is on YouTube).

Regardless of what the future holds for both of these actors as far as the MCU is concerned, I’m just glad that both are still close and had a chance to catch up. The bonds between the stars of the blockbuster franchise have always seemed strong, and I hope that Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston (as well as their colleagues) continue to be tight.

Since I’ve seen all the Marvel movies in order, I can’t imagine Chris Hemsworth as any Avenger other than Thor, however, an old interview has resurfaced that has me thinking about other heroes he can play. During an interview with his on-screen step-brother Tom Hiddleston, the actor joked about which superhero he’d play if he wasn’t the God of Thunder, and his answer was surprising and hilarious.

In an old interview from the Thor: Ragnarok press tour (via marvelworld.in on Instagram) Tom Hiddleston asked his Ragnarok cast mate which Marvel character he’d play if he wasn’t Thor. The Australian actor then gave a quite unexpected answer, saying:

You know, Chris Hemsworth would make a great supersoldier. First of all, he’s superhero-ripped, plus Captain America is worthy and can lift Thor’s beloved Mjölnir. So, maybe he wanted to pick another character who was jacked and could wield the hammer – even though this was MCU information we didn’t actually know when Ragnarok came out. Either way, I could kind of see the actor playing Chris Evans’ beloved character, but this whole situation is still surprising.

While the initial answer shocked me, Hemsworth then went on to joke that he would change the Star-Spangled Man With A Plan into a hero inspired by the Aussie’s home country. This humorous answer, unlike his initial response, wasn’t as surprising, in fact, it was quite on-brand, as the Thor actor said:

Then Hiddleston asked if he wears the Australian flag, and Hemsworth said with a laugh: “Of course.” Adding to his description of this alternate Captain America, the Extraction star said:

Continuing to joke with the Loki star about his version of Steve Rogers, Chris Hemsworth continued to flesh out his character, saying:

Tom Hiddleston then said he wanted to see this movie, and bro, me too. 

In a way, Chris Hemsworth has been Captain Australia...sort of. A few years ago, he starred in a Super Bowl Crocodile Dundee trailer with Danny McBride that was actually an ad for the country Down Under. However, the was just a quick bit, like the God of Mischief, I want a whole movie with Hemsworth showing us his take on Captain America. 

Of course, the likelihood of Captain Australia being among Marvel’s upcoming movies is slim to none. However, it’s fun to fantasize about, and I’d honestly love to see Chris Hemsworth’s take on Captain America, I’m sure it’d be just as surprising and hilarious as his answer to this question.

So, while we imagine this silly situation, you can go back and watch Thor: Ragnarok, as well as all the Captain America movies with a Disney+ subscription. Also, make sure to stay tuned to the 2024 movie schedule so you don’t miss out on Hemsworth’s latest project, the Mad Max prequel Furiosa, and any other news that may arise about his future in the MCU regarding the God of Thunder, not the new version of Captain America, Captain Australia. 

There’s someone new looking after the Marvel multiverse, and his name is Loki Odinson. In the Loki Season 2 finale, a.k.a. “Glorious Purpose,” Tom Hiddleston’s character destroyed the Time Variance Authority’s loom, used his magic to rejuvenate the dying timelines and rearrange them into a tree-like shape, calling back to Norse mythology’s Ygdrassil. Loki now leads a lonely existence managing the branches at the End of Time, and Sophia Di Martino shared a hot take on this plot twist that sounds like it’d make a great Season 3 premise.

During an interview with Cherry Picks, Di Martino, who plays the Loki variant known as Sylvie, mentioned that her character has a “massive amount of respect” for Loki and “super grateful” for what he did given the personal cost. However, the actress then noted that Sylvie isn’t just going to assume that Loki being in charge of the multiverse means that nothing bad will happen again. As she explained:

Sylvie may have grown close to Loki over the course of his show’s two seasons, but she’s still someone who carries a healthy amount of skepticism and apprehension. Sure, Loki will surely be better at overseeing the multiverse compared to He Who Remains, but as Sophia Di Martino pointed out, there’s no true free will if there’s someone pulling the strings, even if only just slightly. Also, while this Loki ultimately turned away from the dark side and became a force for good, there’s still the possibility that his new, absolute power could, well corrupt him absolutely. Di Martino continued:

As of this writing, there’s been no word about Loki Season 3 happening, as Eric Martin, Season 2’s head writer, told CinemaBlend that Loki’s first two seasons were approached as two halves of a book. If another batch of episodes are greenlit, though, watching Sylvie trying to reach Loki and stop him after he’s gone out of control with manipulating the timelines would make a compelling story to watch.This would also be more than enough incentive to bring back Owen Wilson’s Mobius too, because aside from Sylvie, no one knows this Loki better than him.

Honestly, even if Loki Season 3 isn’t on the table, it’s doubtful we’ve seen the last of Tom Hiddleston’s character given that we’re in the middle of The Multiverse Saga, and now he’s become one of its principal players. So when the time comes for him to come back to the forefront, whether it’s in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, Avengers: Secret Wars, or one of the other upcoming Marvel movies/upcoming Marvel TV shows, hopefully there’s a way to squeeze Sylvie in there too. She may be free to start a new life again, but you know she’ll jump back into action if the situation calls for it, and especially if it involves Loki.

For now, feel free to revisit Loki Seasons 1 and 2, as well as the Marvel movies in order, with your Disney+ subscription. If you’d rather venture out of the MCU, then peruse our 2024 TV schedule to learn what shows come out next year.

Even though Marvel fans haven’t been without either Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor for too long in the post-Endgame MCU, 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War was actually the last time the Asgardian brothers were together in the timeline, if you can believe it! If you recall, Thor watched his brother be killed at the top of the film, but it was Endgame’s Time Heist that led to the God of Mischief from the first Avengers movie setting the events of Loki’s own Disney+ series in motion. But will the brothers ever reunite? 

Following the events of the Loki Season 2 finale, Tom Hiddleston was asked if he thinks the God of Thunder would even recognize his mischievous brother at this point in his life. Here’s what the Marvel actor had to say: 

While speaking to ScreenRant, Tom Hiddleston shared his thoughts on what it would be like if Thor and Loki reunited, and he had a lot to say on the subject. Since the events of the last two seasons of Loki, Hiddleston’s Marvel character has gone down a completely different path that the actor believes simultaneously keeps them both further apart than ever, and moves them more closely together than they have ever been before at the same time.

While Hiddleston’s recent season of Loki transformed his character from a selfish villain to sacrificial hero, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor has had quite the journey himself since the events of Infinity War and Endgame. Following the death of Loki, Thor missed the target on killing Thanos the first time, which in turn killed off half the universe. It led the character to sulk in his defeat, gaining weight and building an affinity for guacamole and video gaming before he ultimately linked back with the Avengers to defeat Thanos and save the universe. 

While Thor is not in the Loki Season 2 finale, it is certainly interesting to think about how each character has really faced a lot of challenges and changes since they last shared the screen together. One can imagine they would have a lot more to connect on and may even have the most successful relationship ever if they reunited after this (which is unlikely considering where Loki ends up). Talk about a Norse tragedy. 

Between Loki’s Season 2 fate and Thor 5 is not currently among upcoming Marvel movies, is this the end of Thor and Loki? Time will tell, but for now, it’s fun to hear Hiddleston’s thoughts on the brothers reuniting. 

Oh Loki, the problem child of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Call him “The Trickster God,” “Son of Odin,” or just by his given name, he’s gotten away with some outrageous stuff in his career of chaos. In honor of those deeds, and because it’s never a bad time to talk Tom Hiddleston, here’s a hit parade of some of the adopted Asgardian’s shenanigans.

Letting The Frost Giants Crash Thor’s Asgardian Coronation

It’s one thing to be jealous of your siblings getting “the good stuff.” It’s a totally different beast, however, to let Frost Giants crash the coronation of Thor (Chris Hemsworth). What’s worse, this actually leads Loki to tease his brother into going on a secret mission to get revenge, leading to even more trouble. 

Seizing Power Of Asgard

“Glorious purpose” is something Loki’s always seemed to be burdened with. So it should be no surprise that the moment Odin (Anthony Hopkins) was incapacitated in Thor, Loki just strutted up to the Asgardian throne and seized it. The man sure does love his thrones, and the power that comes with them.

Sending The Destroyer To Kill Thor

We’ve all had family spats in our lives, and sometimes it leads to fights that we regret ever took place. But at least most of us didn’t send a gigantic robot named “The Destroyer” to settle our score, like Loki did in Thor. Most of us just used pillows or toys, like honorable warriors.

Uses Hawkeye Through Mind Control

Loki and mind control are like Lucky the pizza dog from Hawkeye and a nice New York slice. The Avengers proved that fact rather well, as shortly after landing on Earth, the young conqueror took control of Clint “Hawkeye” Barton (Jeremy Renner), enslaving him for most of the 2012 film’s events. Something that would take years for Clint to get over.

Uses Professor Erik Selvig Through Mind Control

Professor Erik Selvig deserves a medal, or hazard pay from S.H.I.E.L.D., or both after what Loki’s put him through. The Avengers, as well as Thor’s post-credits scene leading into the film’s events see this warm hearted academic brainwashed and impersonated by the Trickster God. Which, in turn, lands him in an institution when we catch up with him in Thor: The Dark World.

Assaulting A Scientist While Breaking And Entering During A Theft

Loki’s visit to Stuttgart, Germany in The Avengers was quite eventful. This is especially true when, during a brazen heist, he separates Dr. Heinrich Schäfer (Dieter Riesle) from one of his eyes. And why? So he can obtain a rare element to use the Tesseract as an interdimensional portal!

Threatened A Survivor Of The Nazi Regime

Most things Loki’s done in his quest for power can either be laughed off, or dismissed as flights of megalomania altogether. But threatening an old man in Germany who obviously survived the Nazi regime of World War II? That’s one of those rare moments from The Avengers that will always be seen as horrific to the core.

Disrespecting Natasha Romanoff In Shakespearian Language

Whoa, nelly. If you really look into Loki’s insults from The Avengers, you’ll notice that he’s truly disrespecting Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) with Shakespearean language. Seriously, look it up, and prepare to be offended on her behalf. 

Killing Phil Coulson

Out of all of the MCU’s twists and turns, Loki killing S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) in The Avengers is about as unforgivable as that time Jason Statham killed Sung Kang in the Fast Saga. Maybe someday we’ll see “Justice for Coulson” in the MCU.

Invading New York With The Chitauri

During Season 2 of Loki, the titular rapscallion provides a lighter explanation behind the Battle of New York. But no matter how cutely he describes it, the dude caused $160 million worth of death and destruction in the Big Apple, according to Kinetic Analysis Corp (via THR). It’s not tactical, but it’s also a pretty huge chapter of heinousness.

Taking Over A Comic Con Panel From Kevin Feige

Loki’s a multiversal animal, and as such he’s actually wrecked havoc in the world of our reality as well. Who else would have the horns to take over a San Diego Comic Con panel from Kevin Feige, in promotion of Thor: The Dark World? 

Pushing A Young Thor Fan During A Thor: The Dark World Ad

How petty is this adopted trickster prince of Asgard? Well, in some Comedy Central ads hyping up Thor: The Dark World, Tom Hiddleston appears in character as Loki, and when he sees one little girl going crazy over Thor, he pushes her. It’s a light push, but still, that’s a kid, Loki?!

Impersonating Captain America

Steve “Captain America” Rogers (Chris Evans) is a national treasure with a heart of gold. So when Loki mocked that purity in an inspired Thor: The Dark World gag, Avengers fans took that personally. 

Convincing Thor He’s Dead

Just when it looked like Thor and Loki may have buried the hatchet and started working together, the brothers were seemingly separated by death. However, as we eventually learned in Thor: The Dark World’s post-credits reveal, Loki was just playing dead to take power of Asgard…again. 

Impersonating Odin

When we run into Loki in Thor: Ragnarok, we see that our green tinted anti-hero has helped himself to the Asgardian throne for some time. And he did so by impersonating his father Odin, after fooling his adopted brother into thinking he had died. At least he hired a troupe of actors, including an MCU cameo from Sam Neill, to entertain his subjects. 

Getting Into The Grandmaster’s Good Graces

With their sister Hela (Cate Blanchett) running amok, and their father Odin dead, what’s a pair of brothers to do? For Thor, the answer is to fight to escape the clutches of The Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) and his gladiatorial arena. But what does Loki do? He gets in good with Thor: Ragnarok’s semi-villainous presence, and doesn’t do his brother any favors in the process.

Actually Dying At The Hands Of Thanos

For someone who’s faked their death several times over, and used trickery to get out of all sorts of scrapes when he wants to, how in the world did Loki lose to Thanos (Josh Brolin)? And yes, that Avengers: Infinity War demise was confirmed by the Russo Brothers to be absolutely true. 

Stealing The Tesseract After The Alternate Battle Of New York

It really takes a special sort of person, in a particular set of circumstances, to pull two sorts of villainous stunts in the same course of events. As Avengers: Endgame saw Earth’s mightiest heroes trying to steal every Infinity Stone from the MCU timeline, the Tesseract disappeared in the hands of Loki in an alternate 2012. Disney+ subscription holders undoubtedly celebrated, as this led to the events of the Loki series.

Being The Actual Mastermind Behind The DB Cooper Heist

For decades the world has wondered how DB Cooper got away with his infamous heist. As it turns out, DB Cooper wasn’t a man…he was Loki’s titular anti-hero, as depicted in the first season of the Disney+ series. But how can you stay mad when Tom Hiddleston does it all with a charm and style that’s quintessentially vintage James Bond?

Teaming Up With Various Variants To Overthrow The TVA

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: Loki tried to overthrow a massive system of governance for his own gain. His career of villainy is filled with instances like this, but one of the most outrageous is that time he teamed up with various variants, of himself and others, to overthrow how the TVA works in Loki. 

Enchanting Alioth With Sylvie

Willing to do anything to get to The End of Time, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) and Loki join forces to enchant Alioth towards the end of Loki Season 1. It took a ton of magic, and even some sacrifices from other Loki variants, but in the end this amazing feat was accomplished.

Becoming President, And The Baddest Loki Of All

One of Loki’s variants on its antagonistic protagonist, “President Loki,” is apparently the baddest of the bunch. More vicious and cruel than any other Loki, this guy beat a literal Lokigator for the title of the most evil. Though his cunning wasn’t enough to stop him from losing a hand to that chaotic scaly baby. 

Pruned Himself From The Fabric Of Time

Loki Season 2 got wild with the fabric of time, including a scene where Loki prunes…Loki from the fabric of time. It was an attempt to stop Loki’s Time Slipping problem, and it worked for a while. Still, how often does one get to see the back of one’s head, especially when removing them from all of existence?

Threatening Hunter X-5 With His Own Shadows

For as bad as Loki can be at times, he certainly can use his abilities in the name of the common good. During Loki Season 2, the aspiring Asgardian ascendant managed to outwit Hunter X-5 (Rafael Casal) with some of that voodoo that he does so well. Cue multiple Lokis, including several shadow based enchantments, saving the day.

Breaking The Hearts Of The MCU Fandom In The Finale

For someone who’s as much of a trouble maker as Loki’s central character, he’s done some pretty amazing things for good. Season 2’s finale saw the supposed God of Stories merging all the timelines into one gigantic continuum, breaking the hearts of MCU fandom by seeming to sacrifice his freedom to preserve all time, always.

Taking Over Earth To Avenge His Brother’s Death

For as contentious as Loki and Thor’s relationship can be, Marvel’s What If… series took quite a multiversal turn. As the blonde prince of Asgard fell in battle in the episode “What If... the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?”, his adopted brother not only held Earth hostage to find his killer, he took the planet once he’d gained satisfaction. 

Remaining A Frost Giant, But Becoming Friends With Thor

The Marvel’s What If… episode entitled “What If... Thor Were an Only Child?” actually gave Loki a more organic path in life. Not having been adopted by Odin after the war between Asgard and Jotunheim, Tom Hiddleston actually got to be seen as a Frost Giant in animated form. What’s more, he and Thor were actually friends, as seen during a rather epic party. 

Questioning Real Time Transcription In Real Time

Trickster gods aren’t immune to falling into a rabbit hole of real time transcription. As the TVA’s transcript of everything he ever said in Loki caused him much consternation, Loki ended up getting riled up over something that was plainly explained.

Transforming Into A Snake, Then Stabbing His Brother

Now while we don’t see Loki turn into a snake and stab his brother in Thor: Ragnarok, the event is brought up in passing. Apparently it’s still a bit of a sore spot for the blonde beefcake, even after years of heroism, romance, and discovering coffee.

Impersonating Professor Erik Selvig

Ever hungry for the power of the Tesseract, Loki’s done quite a few nasty things when it comes to using other people’s minds and likenesses. In the post-credits teaser for Thor, one such moment saw him impersonating poor Professor Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård) to try and nab that glowing power cube.

Often Insisting People Kneel To Him

Ok, I know that The Avengers’ Loki is in full on power grab mode. But the insistence that almost everyone should be kneeling to him is pretty outrageous, especially when he stoops to mind control and other sorts of trickery to get his way. 

Seizing Power Of Asgard...Again

You know what they say: fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, I’m going to assume you’re a Loki. Thor: The Dark World only proved that adage to be true, as not only did Loki take the throne of Asgard yet again, he did so after convincing Thor he died a hero.

To love Loki is to know him, and to know him is to understand that the word outrageous doesn’t even cover half of what he’s done. And yet, despite the chicanery, cases of mistaken identity, and even bouts with death, we can’t help but celebrate the Trickster God of Stories whenever he shows up. That’s not only a testament to the writing behind the character, but also Tom Hiddleston’s performance, which will always be one of the MCU’s most glorious achievements.

Spoilers for the Loki Season 2 finale, “Glorious Purpose,” lie ahead, so read ahead accordingly.

The second season of Marvel Studios’ Loki wrapped up over a week ago, and fans are still talking about it (as they should). Many assumed the final installment would close out the story on a high note, but I’m not sure Disney+ subscribers expected such a wacky and emotional finale. The latter descriptor is particularly fitting, because the episode seemed to serve as something of a bookend to the eponymous character’s journey. Of course, the Asgardian reached this pivotal moment in his arc without Chris Hemsworth’s Thor standing alongside him. That’s a bittersweet notion but, while talking to CinemaBlend, series star Tom Hiddleston has a take on how the Mighty Avenger and others have impacted the antihero’s multiversal endeavors. 

On the show, the former God of Mischief was surrounded by a great group of characters, including Owen Wilson’s Mobius M. Mobius and Sophia Di Martino’s Sylvie. And even more great cast members joined Tom Hiddleston and co. for Season 2. Still, considering his story began in earnest in the realm of Asgard, it was hard not to think of Thor, Frigga and even Odin as the trickster-turned-Time Variance Authority agent took on his new position. I had the opportunity to speak with Tom Hiddleston after that game-changing episode aired and asked him about hitting this stage of the character’s lifespan without his adopted family in tow. During our Zoom interview, Hiddleston was actually upbeat about the notion, saying that the God of Thunder and others have never truly left the titular protagonist’s side: 

If you look at the Marvel movies in order, then you can see that there was a serious progression when it came to the relationship between the siblings. The two initially held a somewhat solid (if not tense) bond, which eventually went sour after the mischievous God tried to steal Asgard’s throne and later attacked Earth. However, the animosity between them eventually subsided, which made it all the more meaningful when Loki died in Avengers: Infinity War. This variant of the trickster didn’t live that moment but was made aware of it, and that may be part of the reason why Thor and his other loved ones remain on his mind. I really like Tom Hiddleston’s rationale here, as the notion of the reformed villain keeping his family close to his heart is lovely. 

The final episode of Season 2 saw Loki save the Time Variance Authority (and the entire multiverse) from destruction. He did so by destroying the Temporal Loom, before reviving the various timeline branches and constructing them in the form of Yggdrasil, the mythical Norse tree. In doing so, he fashioned himself a throne at the End of Time and solidified himself as the God of Stories. Given the character’s new status, I asked Tom Hiddleston if he thinks he can communicate with people (including his family) across timelines. Hiddleston then shared a sobering thought:

Excuse me, I’m just trying not to tear up. But in all seriousness, I can’t think of a more fitting title for one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most dynamic figures. It’s unclear as to whether this marks the conclusion of Tom Hiddleston’s tenure in the role. Regardless, one could certainly argue that Thor, Frigga, Odin and more would be proud of what Loki’s done. 

Both seasons of Loki are available to stream now, and anyone who’s already eager for what comes next in the MCU can check out the schedule of upcoming Marvel shows. More immediately, if you need something else to watch right now, feast your eyes on the 2023 TV schedule for options.

Warning: Loki Season 2 SPOILERS are ahead!

The MCU’s original version of Loki may have died a brutal death at the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War, but his variant from the Loki series accessible to Disney+ subscribers is finally and truly “burdened with glorious purpose,” albeit not the one he originally envisioned for himself. Falling into the latter category of the Season 2 finale’s wacky and emotional elements, Tom Hiddleston’s character capped off the season, and possibly the show as a whole since Season 3 is up in the air, by becoming the new guardian of the Marvel multiverse. Now Hiddleston himself has shared with CinemaBlend how he really feels about this Loki’s fate.

The actor chatted with our own Erik Swann following the arrival of the Loki Season 2 finale, titled “Glorious Purpose,” and along with giving clarity on his comments about concluding Loki’s journey and addressing whether he’d return to the MCU, Hiddleston opened up about how that “glorious purpose” line from 2012’s The Avengers has defined what we’ve seen from the character for more than a decade, starting off with the following:

Although this Loki went through the same journey we witnessed with his original counterpart in Thor and most of The Avengers, his life took a major detour when he grabbed the Tesseract in Avengers: Endgame and fled the scene. Had the TVA not found him soon afterwards, he would’ve surely continue his antagonist lifestyle, but instead, he was thrust on a new life path that saw him making friends and, in the end, learning that he wasn’t meant to conquer, but rather protect the greater good.

Tom Hiddleston then brought up how he and other people on the Loki crew “talked a lot” about series a poems by T.S. Elliot called Four Quartets, with one of the poems being “about time and grief and the past, and making peace with the past so you can move forward through the present and into the future.” One specific line that captivated Hiddleston: “And what you thought you came for is only a shell, a husk of meaning, from which the purpose breaks only when it is fulfilled, if at all. Either you had no purpose, or the purpose is beyond the end you figured and is altered in fulfillment.” The actor then continued:

While Loki did end up destroying the TVA’s Temporal Loom like He Who Remains suggested, rather than just sit back and allow all branches off the Sacred Timeline to be destroyed, he instead used his magic to breathe new life back into these dying timelines and reform them in the shape of Yggdrasil, the Asgardian Tree of Life. It’s now up to Loki to ensure the safety of the multiverse, while the TVA has now rededicated itself to tracking down He Who Remains’ variants, i.e. the numerous versions of Kang the Conqueror. As Hiddleston pointed out, there’s no way this Loki could have predicted this is what his fate would be, and while it’s a lonely existence, at least he’s now found his purpose.

Given that we’re in the middle of The Multiverse Saga, and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars are among the biggest of the upcoming Marvel movies (though the former has lost Destin Daniel Cretton as its director), it seems likelier than not that we’ll reunite with Loki in the coming years. We’ll be sure to let you know if/when this is officially confirmed, but until then, keep track of the upcoming Marvel TV shows, starting with the entirety of Echo premiering on January 10, 2024.