Credit: Marvel StudiosLoki season 2 may have just ended on an ambiguous note, but it seems that Marvel Studios is already gunning to bring Tom Hiddleston back as the God of Stories.
When Loki was first introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the sneaky young adopted brother of the God of Thunder (Chris Hemsworth) in Thor (2011), the studio probably had no idea that the character would become one of the most beloved and nuanced figures in the entire franchise.
But after appearances as a would-be world conqueror (and flunky of Thanos), the fake king of Asgard with a penchant for self-promoting theater, and a close friend of a despotic gladiatorial master on an alien planet, he finally became something of a hero in Loki season 1.
Alongside Time Variance Authority agents Mobius M Mobius (Owen Wilson), Ravonna Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), and Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku), he helped wrangle a whole slew of his own Variants, including Sylvie (Sophia di Martino) and kept the Sacred Timeline mostly together before the death of He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors).
Related: ‘Loki’ Star Can’t Wait to Ditch MCU for New Franchise
Then, thanks to Sylvie’s murderous tendencies, everything went wrong, the Multiverse exploded into ever-expanding timelines (conveniently for Marvel Studios’ long-term plans), and Loki season 2 became about repairing the Temporal Loom until the Frost Giant/Asgardian prince had to make the ultimate sacrifice for his friends.
The Loki season 2 showrunners have been ambiguous as to whether the show will get a third season, and the star himself has described the character as having “come full circle,” which is not exactly good news for a renewal.
However, thanks to a consistent series of flops at the box office and dwindling viewership on pretty much every other MCU series on Disney+, it seems that Marvel is ready to abruptly change plans and likely keep Tom Hiddleston as one of the central actors of upcoming installments of the franchise.
Although the actor is playing typically coy, Tom Hiddleston recently appeared on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon and addressed rumors that Loki will appear in the upcoming Deadpool 3, which also reportedly involves the Time Variance Authority to explain the introduction of Hugh Jackman as the X-Men’s Wolverine.
Related: Miss Minutes Confirms Loki’s Gender Reveal, Fans Infuriated by “Woke” Choice
After being directly asked about the Deadpool 3 rumors by Fallon, Tom Hiddleston replied, “I mean, I know they’re making Deadpool 3. It’s a very good question. I’m thinking of all the answers I could give it.”
It’s a frustratingly non-specific answer, but it is undeniable that Marvel really needs a ringer to make sure its next big theatrical release is a success. The massive, historic flop of The Marvels has finally shown some weakness in the franchise, and it clearly wants to rebuild on its strengths. Clearly, nothing is off the table at this point.
Do you think Tom Hiddleston is really done with Loki, or will Marvel bring him back for Deadpool 3? Give us your guesses in the comments below!