Will Tom Hiddleston get his own Loki film?
Fans and critics alike are keen for a spin-off from Thor franchise – but Marvel will have to be quick to pin down the British star
With filming due to start on the third, and likely final, Thor movie, many fans are wondering if it will be the last we see of Tom Hiddleston's Loki.
The British actor's smouldering portrayal of the villainous trickster god is widely regarded as the main attraction of the franchise with many fans calling for Loki to get a standalone movie.
However, in a new interview with the Daily Beast, Hiddleston suggested that his contract with Marvel was coming to an end, saying that Thor 3 "will be my last time out of the gate."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
That said, the star's rapid rise to become one of Hollywood's hottest properties might change all that. As well as lighting up TV screens in the UK in the brooding spy thriller The Night Manager, Hiddleston is garnering praise in the US for his portrayal of troubled country music legend Hank Williams in the biopic I Saw The Light. He is also being tipped as a top favourite to play the next James Bond.
The momentum behind Hiddleston could turn a Loki spin-off into Marvel's next huge success, argues Ben Child in The Guardian. The recent success of Deadpool and the hype surrounding DC's Suicide Squad movie suggest that letting Loki die out with the Thor franchise would be a "serious error", Child says. "Hiddleston's Loki is probably the only villain in the Marvel universe with the bad boy chops to compete with Harley Quinn et al."
In addition to his professional success, Hiddleston has also managed to establish himself as an A-list heart-throb. In November last year, Empire magazine named him the second sexiest actor in Hollywood – and even singled out his role as Loki for "turning fratricidal angst into frenzied lust for millions of viewers worldwide". If nothing else, surely Marvel would be missing a trick if they didn't capitalise on Loki's unusually potent sex appeal?
Even if a spin-off isn't on the cards, many fans suspect that Loki will pop up for a cameo in Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War in 2018. However, the 35-year-old actor has downplayed the rumours, telling the Daily Beast: "They haven't got their ducks in a row yet. They make it up as they go along."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The problem with 'Cool Girl Lit'
Talking Point Has the ultra-popular book genre gone too far in 'commodifying' women's vulnerability?
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
John Prescott: was he Labour's last link to the working class?
Today's Big Quesiton 'A total one-off' tributes have poured in for the former deputy PM and trade unionist
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Mary Poppins tour: 'humdinger' of a show kicks off at Bristol Hippodrome
The Week Recommends Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers are 'true triple threats' as Mary and Bert in 'timeless' production
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Best TV shows coming in 2025
The Week Recommends From Wild Cherry to The Bear, next year's most anticipated new and returning watches
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
Agatha All Along reviews: 'knowing and exceptionally well-executed'
The Week Recommends Marvel's delectable witchy spin-off series is a perfect treat for Halloween season
By The Week UK Published
-
TV to watch in September, from 'Agatha All Along' to 'The Penguin'
The Week Recommends A 'WandaVision' spinoff, a DC Comics villain's starring turn and a silly Netflix original
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
When actors become brands, fans become disillusioned
In the Spotlight What happens when the side hustles outshine the performances?
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Deadpool & Wolverine: 'comic-book equivalent of the Super Bowl'
The Week Recommends The titular leads are on 'top form' in box office hit for Marvel
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
How Iron Man became Dr Doom
The Explainer As Robert Downey Jr prepares to take on the famous villain role, we look at how he could plausibly play both characters
By The Week UK Published
-
What we lose when a talented actor joins the Marvel universe
In the Spotlight There are some downsides to joining forces with the superhero juggernaut
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Movies to watch in February, from 'Argylle' to 'Drive-Away Dolls'
The Week Recommends A spy thriller tied to a real-life mystery, a solo Coen brother feature and more
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published