Loki (TV series)

Cast and characters

Tom Hiddleston portrays Loki, the Asgardian god of mischief and Thor's adopted brother, based on the Norse mythological deity. This version is a time-variant who created a new timeline in Avengers: Endgame (2019) beginning in 2012, meaning he has not experienced the events of Thor: The Dark World (2013) or Thor: Ragnarok (2017). Head writer Michael Waldron compared Loki to Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, noting both were adopted and enjoyed control. Hiddleston expressed interest in exploring Loki's shapeshifting powers, which ties into the series' examination of identity. Gugu Mbatha-Raw plays Ravonna Renslayer, a former TVA Hunter A-23 who became a judge overseeing the Loki variant investigation. Director Kate Herron described Renslayer as a chameleon who tries to balance her roles as superior and friend to Mobius M. Mobius. Mbatha-Raw called the character incredibly ambitious and noted the personality clash between her and Loki, adding that Renslayer makes morally ambiguous choices and keeps secrets. Wunmi Mosaku plays Hunter B-15, a high-ranking TVA Hunter determined to stop a variant killing Minutemen. Mosaku described B-15 as a loyal devotee of the TVA who sees the Time-Keepers as gods. The character was originally written as male but was changed after Mosaku's audition. Eugene Cordero portrays Casey, a TVA receptionist, and also plays Hunter K-5E in the new TVA seen at the end of the first season.

Production

By September 2018, Marvel Studios was developing limited series for Disney+ centered on supporting characters from the MCU films, including Loki, with actors expected to reprise their roles. The series were planned for six to eight episodes each with budgets rivaling major studio productions. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige took a hands-on role in development, focusing on continuity with the films. Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed in November 2018 that a Loki series was in development with Tom Hiddleston expected to return. The series was intended to follow Loki appearing throughout human history as an influencer on historical events. Marvel Studios chose Loki because of his story potential and his thousands of years of unseen adventures in the MCU. The series allowed the studio to work more with Hiddleston, explore the character beyond his supporting film role, and show him building new relationships rather than focusing on his relationship with Thor. This approach preserved the integrity of Loki's previous film appearances.

Reception

In May 2022, Kevin Feige announced that Loki was the most-watched Marvel Studios Disney+ series to date. For the first season, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 92% approval rating with an average rating of 7.9/10 based on 338 reviews, with the critical consensus calling it a delightful diversion that sees Tom Hiddleston leap from villain to endearing antihero. Metacritic assigned a score of 74 out of 100 based on 32 critics, indicating generally favorable reviews. For the second season, Rotten Tomatoes reported an 81% approval rating with an average rating of 7.3/10 based on 161 reviews, with the consensus noting the season's dizzying, dazzling nature and old Marvel magic. Metacritic assigned a score of 65 out of 100 based on 23 critics, also indicating generally favorable reviews. Loki received nominations for nine Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, nine Critics' Choice Super Awards (winning one), one Harvey Award, one Hugo Award, three MTV Movie & TV Awards (winning two), four People's Choice Awards (winning two), one Screen Actors Guild Award, seven Visual Effects Society Awards (winning one), and two Writers Guild of America Awards.

Other media

A behind-the-scenes documentary special for the first season of Loki, titled "The Making of Loki," debuted on Disney+ on July 21, 2021. It was part of the Marvel Studios: Assembled documentary series, which had been announced earlier in February 2021. The special featured interviews with Michael Waldron, Kate Herron, Tom Hiddleston, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino, Adewale Akintoye-Agbaje, Richard E. Grant, and Jonathan Majors. A second special, "The Making of Loki: Season 2," followed on Disney+ on November 22, 2023.

In July 2024, Marvel Comics announced a five-issue comic series called TVA. It was written by Katharyn Blair, a writer from Loki season two, with art by Pere Perez. The story merges the comics' version of the Time Variance Authority with the one seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, introducing several MCU characters to the comics. Blair described it as her "comics interpretation" of the organization after Loki's sacrifice at the end of season two, calling it a "funny, in-between awesome space." The comic features Mobius, O.B., Casey, B-15, and Miss Minutes from the series, alongside displaced timeline characters like Gwen Stacy, Jimmy Hudson, Captain Peggy Carter, and Gambit. Other characters include Daimon Hellstrom, Nightmare, and Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch. Original AI clock mascots Sir Seconds and Doc Clock, similar to Miss Minutes, also appear. The series ran from December 2024 to April 2025, earning an 8.8 out of 10 on Comic Book Roundup from eight reviews. A collected trade paperback, TVA: For All Time Always, was released in August 2025.