Loki director Kate Herron recently stated that it's important to normalize the God of Mischief's sexuality. Tom Hiddleston's Loki is notably the first openly bisexual character in the MCU.
Michael Waldron's Loki takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame and centers on an alternate version of Loki who is enlisted by the Time Variance Authority (TVA) to fix timelines he broke. The ensemble cast includes Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Lexus Renslayer, Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15, and Owen Wilson as Mobius M. Mobius. Loki first appeared in 1962’s Journey into Mystery #85 and was created by legendary Marvel writer Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciler Jack Kirby.
The third episode of the Disney Plus series saw Thor's adopted brother confirm that he is bisexual to Loki Variant Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino). In a revealing interview with Collider, Herron stated that they wanted to acknowledge and normalize Loki's sexuality because he was written as pansexual and gender fluid in the comics. “When I joined, it was very important to me, and it was also very important to the team as well, like the writers and the studio,” said Herron, while adding, “So I think for us, it was really just about finding a moment that felt like the right moment for it." Herron noted that the show is about Loki's identity, therefore, it was important to acknowledge that aspect of his personality.
Herron hopes Loki's sexuality gets explored more if there is a season two of the hit Marvel series. “I don't know plans for the future with Loki — I'm so focused on this story. But I would say that part of my thinking was, well, if it's canon and it's acknowledged, then yeah I hope there's obviously more road to travel with that aspect of his personality,” she said. After long receiving criticism for not featuring more LGBT+ characters, Marvel promised that Phase 4 will introduce more diverse superheroes. Thor: Love and Thunder is expected to feature an LGBT+ storyline involving Tessa Thompson’s character, while Eternals will include the MCU’s first gay superhero in Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry).
Loki is one of several Marvel shows that will be released on the Disney Plus streaming service over the next few years. The Tatiana Maslany's She-Hulk commenced filming this spring and is expected to be released on Disney Plus in 2022. Created by Jessica Gao (Rick and Morty), She-Hulk follows Jennifer Walters (Maslany), a New York lawyer who receives an emergency blood transfusion from her cousin Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) and inherits a milder version of his Hulk powers. Unlike the Hulk, Walters retains her intelligence, personality, and emotional control after she transforms into a larger version of herself.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Renner is reprising his role as Clint Barton in Jonathan Igla’s Hawkeye. The ensemble cast includes Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop/Hawkeye, Vera Farmiga as Eleanor Bishop, and Tony Dalton as Jack Duquesne/Swordsman. The upcoming series wrapped filming this April and will premiere on the Disney Plus streaming platform in late 2021.
Loki is now streaming on Disney Plus.
Source: Collider