Tom Hiddleston boasts one of the lengthiest Marvel Cinematic Universe stints, having portrayed Loki for a full decade. This beloved character made his initial debut in Thor back in 2011, went on to feature in various Avengers installments, and now headlines his own limited series available for streaming on Disney+. However, the mischievous god was never intended to endure for such an extended period.
Originally, Loki’s fate was sealed to meet its demise in 2013’s Thor: The Dark World, but Marvel’s course shifted when test audiences rejected the film’s closing scenes. Responding to this feedback, the studio enacted significant alterations to the script, sparing Loki from his expected end and granting him an extended life across several more films, ultimately meeting his end in Avengers: Infinity War.
Fans Weren’t Ready To See The End Of The Character
As production concluded on Thor: The Dark World, the consensus within Marvel Studios was that Loki’s journey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe had reached its conclusion. Nonetheless, six months later, Tom Hiddleston received an unexpected call from Marvel President Kevin Feige, conveying the news that the film’s initial reception during test screenings was less than favorable.
As per Hiddleston, the audience couldn’t come to terms with the idea that Loki had genuinely perished in the selfless act of sacrificing himself for his brother.
Hiddleston told Rotten Tomatoes:
“The audience says, ‘Well obviously we don’t believe that.’ They just didn’t accept that Loki was really dead. They thought he would somehow find some spontaneous trick or way of getting out of it.”
Marvel Studios, keen on maximizing the success of The Dark World, went through an extensive process of reworking the narrative to satisfy the audience’s expectations. Despite the potentially challenging nature of these modifications, they ultimately proved to be a success for Marvel. The Dark World managed to achieve a substantial box office gross of $644 million, as reported by Box Office Mojo, and this adjustment allowed Hiddleston to continue his journey within the MCU.
Tom Hiddleston’s Role In Avengers: Secret Wars
The arrival of Loki Season 2 brings anticipation for crucial revelations and potential storyline developments. As the series unfolds, excitement continues to build, raising questions about how Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of Loki will impact the broader MCU narrative and its connection to Avengers: Secret Wars.
During a recent discussion on the Phase Zero podcast, the show’s executive producer, Kevin Wright, provided some insightful information. While he emphasized the series’ inherent potential, the producer also made the following statement:
“As we were developing (Loki), we were kind of like, ‘Oh, in a broad sense, it would be really cool if the coming phases also ran through Loki and his choices, but in a different, unexpected way.’ It always, I mean those are kind of like broad discussions, but we always are focusing in on just what we’re doing and try not to get too bogged down by the bigger picture. If we tell our story really well, the rest of the MCU will embrace it.”
This unequivocally establishes a significant link between Loki and Avengers: Secret Wars, as it was Sylvie, a variant of Loki, who triggered the “madness of the multiverse” by eliminating Kang the Conqueror in the initial instance.
