With Avengers: Age of Ultron newly rotating in DVD and blu-ray players near you, the time couldn’t be better to rehash the speculation about one missing player in the equation. During promotion for Crimson Peak, fan favorite Tom Hiddleston fielded questions about his character’s absence in the jam-packed sequel. Many Loki fans wondered how most ancillary characters at least appeared in dream sequences, but their beloved villain was nowhere to be found.
Joss Whedon previously entertained the same question, saying Hiddleston filmed a scene, but the ensemble affair was “so filled” already. With the tortured Frost Giant’s presence in the mix, “it was like now there are too many voices in the chorus.” So, Loki landed on the editing floor, but Tom Hiddleston understood the decision and built upon Whedon’s words:
“I was part of the dream sequence for the character of Thor. I shot for a day and enjoyed it very much. And then I received a phone call from Kevin Feige, basically Kevin said that in test screenings, audiences had sort of over-emphasized Loki’s role; they thought that Loki was controlling Ultron. It was imbalancing people’s expectations. So they said lets cut it because its confusing people.”
With the inspired devotion that follows in the wake of Loki’s scepter, Feige’s rationale makes sense. Hiddleston’s portrayal of Loki remains larger than life, and he lends the character a charisma that easily overpowers any given scene. Audiences could easily misinterpret Loki’s role as “controlling” the film’s key villain. It’s also nice to take a break from Loki and simply enjoy the opportunity to miss him. He’s a sublime character, and he’ll probably return in Avengers: Infinity War. There’s plenty more Loki where he came from.
(Via Digital Spy)
