It’s been no secret that Tom Hiddleston, adored by fans for his portrayal of Loki in the MCU, originally auditioned for the part of Thor. Despite losing the part to Chris Hemsworth, he landed the pivotal role of the God of Mischief, shaping both his career and the franchise.

While his journey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe might have concluded, Hiddleston continues to offer intriguing insights into the cinematic universe. And he revealed one recently related to his Marvel contract while discussing the details of his initial contract negotiations.
Tom Hiddleston in Loki | Disney+/Marvel

Tom Hiddleston MCU Contract Had a Surprising Clause

In his recent appearance on the Seaman Says podcast, Tom Hiddleston shared details of his original Marvel Studios contract. The actor shared that he had already signed a “pre-negotiated” contract when he went in for auditions.
Tom Hiddleston | Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
However, on that morning he noticed an unusual clause in the contract stating that Marvel Studios had the right to cast him in the role of “Thor/Loki.” He shared,

“It was really curious…Basically, they pre-negotiated my contract before going in [for the audition] and I signed it. But I noticed on that morning, it said, ‘Marvel Studios has the right to cast Tom Hiddleston in the role of…’ and there was a blank. And somebody had written, ‘Thor/Loki.’”

Thor: The Dark World | Marvel
Although he lost the role of Thor, the details of his contract suggest that the studio did consider him for the role of the God of Thunder before Chris Hemsworth eventually got the part. The Loki actor also suggested that it is unlikely that the studio took the same approach with other actors.

“I was like, ‘Oh, I wonder if anyone else’s says that,'” he said before adding, “I don’t think they did, to be honest.” Soon after, both he and the Thor star were informed that their characters, Loki and Thor, would be introduced together and would undergo a significant journey together in the MCU.

Tom Hiddleston Believed He Was Auditioning For One Movie

Further in the conversation, Tom Hiddleston revealed that initially, he believed he was auditioning for a single movie. It wasn’t until he was called in by the President of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, that he learned about their plans for the 2012 film The Avengers.
The Avengers (2012) | Marvel Studios
“He said, ‘Congratulations, Loki is a great role and Thor’s going to be a great movie, but I want to talk to you about Avengers,'” Feige outlined their strategy to conclude Phase 1 of the cinematic universe with The Avengers, featuring Loki as the primary antagonist. Hiddleston recalled feeling exhilarated with the realization that his life and career were about to undergo a profound transformation. “I was like, literally, sort of, floated out of that meeting. Life is about to change radically, and it did,” he shared.

“I studied Tom Hiddleston for hours a day”: Jonathan Majors’ Unusual Approach to Playing Kang in MCU is Not Something You Have Heard Before

Jonathan Majors has Kang the Conqueror imprinted in his genes.

Before his career went down the rabbit hole of utter destruction and Jonathan Majors was redacted from the industry’s hotlist of prime actors, Marvel felt blessed to score an actor who could pull off one of the biggest and most mysterious roles assigned in its long and illustrious history.

Despite the novelty of playing the next Big Bad of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jonathan Majors had been very methodical and studious in his role as Kang. With a fine debut in Loki, Majors created an aura of as much adoration and praise as was deserving of an actor of his caliber.

Jonathan Majors as He Who Remains in Loki [Credit: Marvel Studios]
Although he is no Iron Man, Majors’ contribution in his two short appearances within the MCU spoke to the volume of his amassed talent as an actor.

Jonathan Majors Proved His Worth With 1 Simple Role

When Loki premiered on Disney+ and captured a million hearts with its promising Multiversal arc, Jonathan Majors seemed the perfect fit to bring Kang to life. Highly manipulative and ambitious, Kang the Conqueror was a fitting villain to up the ante after the events of Avengers: Endgame. And Majors fulfilled his cameo in every capacity during his short stint in Loki before moving on to bigger roles within the MCU.

Jonathan Majors as Victor Timely in Loki Season 2 [Credit: Marvel Studios]
In his dominance as the almost-mythical time-traveling super-villain in the Tom Hiddleston-starring series, Majors proved his caliber in interesting ways. The actor revealed during an Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania press conference held in February 2023 (via Gizmodo):

“In Loki, I’m dealing with Tom [Hiddleston]. It was great. He Who Remains and Tom. I got to watch him the whole time. You know, this opportunity came to me in lockdown. And so I studied Tom Hiddleston for hours a day. And then when that was done, I went, ‘Okay, Paul Rudd, you’re up!’ And I studied him. I studied all his hero colleagues and compatriots. And then you speak to your director and even your producer because there’s a culture to it. You lean into the culture.”

However, as brilliant as Majors may have been in Loki, the script of Quantumania still fell short of proving his prowess in full display. The Paul Rudd film irrevocably botched his official entry into the MCU. Fan expectations were hurt in the course of plotlines finding a grand closure. Kang’s ending was left anti-climactic for the sake of Ant-Man defeating the Big Bad in a manner befitting not even the least qualified or respectable villains.

Jonathan Majors’ Talent Exists in Studying His Enemies

Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man 3 [Credit: Marvel Studios]
As the antagonist of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the definitive role of Kang the Conqueror and his innumerable variants was fulfilled to the best of his abilities by Jonathan Majors. But to do that, he first had to study his opponent that in itself was no easy task.

“The prep really comes down to who my director is and who my hero is. Because as an antagonist, we’re following our heroes… I look at them and I figure out, okay. You can’t antagonize somebody if you don’t know who they are. If you don’t know the opposite of them. If you don’t know what their hopes and dreams are. My objective is to do that. Antagonize in order to get what I need to fulfill my life, my dream.”

With the reality of Majors’ dramatic life infringing on his career filled with potential, the future is one of missed opportunities (for Majors) and dismal endings (for the MCU). While Kevin Feige still confirms Kang as the harbinger of doom and destruction to the MCU in its fast-approaching timeline, fans are still unsure how Jonathan Majors fits into the equation.

If the actor is brought back after being fired, Marvel will have to face massive public outcry and criticism. On the other hand, a recast can solve the problem but only if an actor worthy of outshining Majors’ short-lived performance is willing to step into an already-tarnished role within an already-dwindling franchise.