The latest rumors on Marvel's "Thor: Ragnarok" hints the end of one of its "beloved" villains.
Loki is the character the fans love to hate. In the promotion for "Thor: The Dark World" he was the main draw on all of their global destinations. Tom Hiddleston has since become a major Hollywood actor and is even rumored for the coveted James Bond role.
When "Thor: Ragnarok" hits theaters on November 2017, it will already be four years since his last appearance in "The Dark World." Unfortunately for his legions of fans, it will be his last, as the British actor shared on the The Daily Beast.
"Thor 3 will be cool because I've not done it for four years," says Hiddleston. "I love working with Chris [Hemsworth]. This will be my last time out of the gate."
While one cannot be much more clearer than that, it still led to the question of whether Loki will miss the third installment of the Avengers, "Infinity War, Part 1" which is slated to feature a smorgasbord of Marvel characters. Hiddleston's candid response:
"I don't know! Honestly, I don't know. They haven't got their ducks in a row yet. They make it up as they go along."
While that sounds like a half-hearted denial, it does have a semblance of truth. It's impossible to have every detail ironed out for a movie slated for a May 2018 release and an ambition to have the biggest collection of Marvel comic characters assembled.
There are other interpretations to Hiddleston's statement, as Cinema Blend speculated.
"Based on this follow-up info, it seems that when Tom Hiddleston says that Thor: Ragnarok will be his 'last time out,' what he means is, as far as he is aware, that will be it. It sounds like he would be willing to play Loki again in Avengers: Infinity War, but that as of this point, nobody has spoken to him about doing so."
The only clear answer to the Infinity War question is Loki's fate in "Ragnarok." By all indications, his death may be imminent. A different Cinema Blend post listed some reasons.
Firstly, Tom Hiddleston is fast becoming one of the most in-demand Hollywood stars. While he is not the frontrunner for the Bond role, his schedule is congested (no small thanks to his Loki role) with a role in "Kong: Skull Island" which could become a franchise in itself.
Also, if the comics would be the basis, Loki definitely meets his end at the hands of Thor in "Ragnarok." While the films can liberally deviate from the source material, the sibling rivalry narrative must raise its stakes, especially if it's revealed that Loki has killed Odin.
Loki may be Marvel Studios' best villain but if the battles must remain interesting and unpredictable, death should be depicted. With the big set-up for Thanos in Infinity War and the end of Thor's solo movie trilogy, Loki is simply the odd man out.