POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW
So remember back when Tom Hiddleston was confirmed for an appearance in Avengers: Age of Ultron? Idris Elba said as much during an interview with The Telegraph, but you sadly won’t see Loki in the film when you sit down in the theater. That’s not really a spoiler unless you really want it to be and even then, you can pretend he’s there in spirit.
Now unlike rumors surrounding Anthony Mackie not knowing The Falcon is in the film, which (SPOILER ALERT) turn out to be false the minute you see the movie, scenes were actually shot to include Loki in the film. Joss Whedon confirmed as much in the above interview with MTV News while promoting the movie:
“We did shoot something, and it didn’t play,” Whedon explains. “The movie has so much and is so filled, and we didn’t want it to feel overstuffed. I really wanted to have Loki in it but I understood the decision to, you know, it was like now there are too many voices in the chorus.”
There is certainly a lot going on in the movie. Almost too much. I’d be willing to sit for a longer movie, like the rumored extended edition on Blu Ray, if it meant that characters would be able to breathe a little better. It just kept going and didn’t stop.
That said, Loki can make a movie better. It’s a proven fact at this point if you’ve seen either Thor film or the original Avengers. James Spader’s Ultron is a fun villain, but it’s hard to beat that snake-like charm from good ol’ Loki. We’re practically spoiled, meaning it was probably smart to cut him out.