Tom Hiddleston’s Loki may now be synonymous with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the roots of the character’s charm, chaos, and charisma trace back to a very different comic book universe.
Hiddleston was inspired by Tim Burton’s Batman long before Loki was the God of Mischief, namely, Jack Nicholson as the Joker.
Tom Hiddleston Reveals The Surprising Movie That Defined His ‘Loki’ Performance
Tom Hiddleston, in a recent episode of Happy Sad Confused, confessed that Burton’s 1989 film made a strong impression on him when he was still a young boy. He believes Loki may not have been the same way without it. “I think the way Jack Nicholson played the Joker was so… At the time in my life when I saw it, it made such an impact on my imagination.” Nicholson’s Joker opened his eyes to the possibility of a villain being dangerous and charming at the same time.
That duality was an important component for Loki. Hiddleston was enamored with the level of fun that Nicholson appeared to be having on screen at the time. The Joker was admittedly the villain. However, he was charismatic, mischievous, and imaginatively free.
“I think, probably, when I came to play Loki for the first film, I consciously carried Jack Nicholson in mind,” he added. Hiddleston has been talking long about his love for fun villains, and Nicholson’s Joker is at the top of that list.
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Moreover, this philosophy was in line with the way director Kenneth Branagh worked on set. Hiddleston disclosed that the two would experiment a lot and shoot several takes of the same scene, inspired by various legendary actors.
So, there is nothing accidental about the fact that Loki soon turned out to be one of the most popular characters in the MCU. People did not fear him or root against him; they simply got attached.
Loki’s Portrayal Was Inspired By Various Villains
Hiddleston has already mentioned other film villains who influenced his taste. This includes Hans Gruber, played by Alan Rickman in ‘Die Hard’, and James Mason in ‘North by Northwest’.
“Jack Nicholson as The Joker in Tim Burton’s Batman, and I bow even lower for Alan Rickman in Die Hard and James Mason in North by Northwest. I mean, Alan Rickman, particularly in that film, was having such a good time and was so likable.”
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The only thing they all have in common is that they all enjoy the roles. They know that a villain does not need to be brooding all the time to be interesting. That passion of expressive antagonists has brought Loki through a remarkable course. What began as a Shakespearean antagonist evolved into one of Marvel’s most complex figures.
With Hiddleston ready to reappear in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, it’s striking to think that this journey, from mischievous prince to cosmic guardian, can be traced back to a grinning Joker in Gotham City.
