The Upcoming Loki Series Will See Tom Hiddleston Lose Himself Within the Titular Anti-Hero

Acting is a job. For many talented people in this field, this will mean learning your lines, showing up to deliver them in impeccable form, and spending weeks doing press tours before taking a short break and jumping into the next project. For Tom Hiddleston, the role between actor and character is a little more blurred. The star has been playing the character of Loki for a decade and has spent more time loving the God of Mischief than we have. This dedication to the role has led the franchise to keep the character around as a way to ensure that Hiddleston does, too. Let’s take a look at how Tom Hiddleston truly becomes Loki, both in the upcoming Disney+ series and outside of it, too.

Tom Hiddleston Becomes Loki On-Screen In The Series And Off

We often hear intense stories of actors who are fond of method acting. This style sees the performer stay in character at all times, often resulting in some whacky and frequently disturbing stories, like when Jared Leto sent bizarre gifts to his Suicide Squad co-stars. For Tom Hiddleston, becoming Loki is something very different. He went from earning a “modest” $160,000 for his role in Thor to being announced as an executive producer in a series all about his character, and it wasn’t just because he has star power.

This journey was (and remains) far more complicated than Hiddleston being a good actor. Instead of just showing up to do his job, the English-born actor fully immersed himself into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This included in-depth research on the history of his character and mythology while also finding a way to understand Loki’s presence in a way that most character actors can’t.

The beginnings of this character almost went in an entirely different direction. Hiddleston initially auditioned for the role of Thor, but it was obvious that he was better suited for something a little bit more mysterious.

Image via Marvel Studios.

Loki Is Still Around Because of Tom Hiddleston

It’s not common to see villains stick around long within franchises. They’re often killed off, sent to impossible-to-escape prisons, or become fully good and join the heroes’ side. This is a lot more complicated with the presence of Loki. He jumps from being a full-blown villain to being an anti-hero and everything in between. But before there was the Loki that we’re all gearing up to see in his solo series, there was almost a much earlier death.

Loki’s fake death in Thor: The Dark World wasn’t always written how it turned out on screen. Initially, the character died for real. However, test audiences couldn’t handle it. The character had already become so layered and was a clear fan favorite that a “unanimous resistance” occurred, and the character stayed. His later death stuck in Avengers: Infinity War and was final, but that couldn’t mean the end of the character. He stayed around as long as he did because of the magnetic attraction to his portrayal, and that isn’t going away.

When the time came to decide whether Loki would still have a future in the MCU, Hiddleston was more than excited. In a recent interview, the actor recalls the feeling that Loki’s “chaotic energy” is needed in the story. This energy makes us wonder who is behind all of the masks, the suits, and the tricks. It’s something that Hiddleston himself continues to uncover, which means that fans still have a long way to go.

Image via Marvel Studios.

The Disney+ Series Will Give Us What We Didn’t Know We Needed

It’s easy to feel like we already know the character of Loki. It’s been years, and he has spanned across various films. We have seen him die over and over again and change his mind about plenty of things. But still, Hiddleston recognizes that the series will explore Loki in ways that will feel completely new to the audience.

Loki is a character that needs control to keep him on his feet. It is the loss of control that seems so present in the Time Variance Authority that could be the thing to knock him down and really dig into the backstories and futures that he has. What allowed for this to be so clear within the story is utilizing the best power that they have, which is the actor behind the titular character himself. He reportedly taught an entire “Loki School” to the production team and cast, proving that nobody knows Loki best than Hiddleston. And yeah, we’re imagining heading on over to Loki School right now, too.

Image via Marvel Studios.

The Future For The God of Mischief Beyond The Loki Series

As we continue to see, nobody knows the character better than Hiddleston. And even he doesn’t know exactly what the future holds, adding that there have been enough hellos and goodbyes that nothing may ever feel finalized. So, we don’t anticipate seeing an end to his storylines. As the MCU continues to push towards opening the multiverse, we can make some confident predictions that Loki will keep showing up in one way or another.

We’ll be able to see Tom Hiddleston star as Loki once again when the Disney+ series bearing his name releases on Wednesday, June 9th.

Featured image via Gage Skidmore on Flickr.

Meghan Hale is the kind of movie lover that has a "must watch" that is a mile long... and growing. When she isn't talking about the latest film and television news she is writing one of her many in-process novels, screaming film trivia at anybody who will listen, and working as a mental health care professional. Follow her on Twitter @meghanrhale for some fun theories and live reactions to all things entertainment.