Loki won't appear in Thor: Love and Thunder – here's why

Thor: Ragnarok
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Loki's Disney Plus series is less than a day away from being released, and fans can't wait to see the God of Mischief get up to his old tricks once more.

While Tom Hiddleston will be reprising his role as Loki in the MCU TV show, though, don't expect him to make a cameo appearance in the next Thor movie when it arrives in May 2022.

Why? Well, according to Hiddleston himself, that chapter in the Norse Gods' lives has ended.

Speaking to Empire Magazine ahead of the launch of Loki (per Digital Spy), Hiddleston was asked if the trickster God would somehow turn up in Thor: Love and Thunder.

"We have explored about as much as we can about these two brothers," Hiddleston said. "We talked about the Thor movies as a family saga, and the diametric opposition between Thor and Loki, and duality and antagonism, being a book that perhaps should remain closed for the moment."

Analysis: Loki could encounter Thor in the MCU in the future

While Hiddleston confirms that Loki won't make a cameo appearance in Thor: Love and Thunder, he doesn't completely rule out a reunion of sorts in the future.

The "remain closed for the moment" part of his answer is key here. If Marvel thought there was an opportunity to bring Thor and Loki back together post-Love and Thunder, there's no reason why they couldn't.

We know that the MCU is turning into the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse (MCM) during Marvel's Phase 4 slate, and that other MCU projects will have crossover events where characters from different universes collide. 

Spider-Man: No Way Home is one such example. The likes of Alfred Molina's Doc Ock and Jamie Foxx's Electro set to reprise their villanous roles in the MCU, even though they've appeared (and died) in Sony's other Spider-Man movie series adaptations.

This sets a precedent for other MCU (or MCM) productions to follow suit, including Loki and Thor's solo adventures.

If the MCU permanently turns into the MCM after No Way Home and Doctor Strange 2, Loki and Thor could theoretically bump into each other again. We don't know if that would occur in another movie or a potential second season for Loki, but it would be fascinating to see nonetheless. 

We imagine Thor wouldn't take too kindly to his brother turning up alive again, while Loki wouldn't be aware of any of the adventures they had been on since 2012's Avengers Assemble.

For now, we'll have to make do with the two Norse Gods making their own way through the MCM. Thor will return in Love and Thunder on May 4, 2022, while Loki season 1 will begin on Wednesday, June 9 exclusively on Disney Plus.

Senior Entertainment Reporter

As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.


An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot.


Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.

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