Tom Hiddleston has been a beloved member of the MCU since he was introduced as Loki in 2011's Thor. Since then, he has starred in six more Marvel projects: The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and now his own Disney Plus television series, Loki. He has also lent his voice to the upcoming animated series What If...?
A lot of the massive popularity of MCU's Loki as a character can be attributed to Hiddleston. An immensely talented actor, he can bring danger, humour, vulnerability, and humanity to the god of mischief. Hiddleston has not solely been using that talent for Marvel projects. Both before and during his time in the MCU, Hiddleston has been featured in many movies, television shows, and live theatre performances.
With the first season of Disney Plus's Loki complete, fans who are unfamiliar with Tom Hiddleston's non-Marvel work can take the opportunity to watch some of his other film and television projects. With so many to choose from, listed below are just a few that could serve as a starting point.
For Another TV Series: The Night Manager
Released in 2016, The Night Manager is a six-episode British television mini-series based on the 1993 novel of the same name by popular spy and mystery writer John le Carre. Hiddleston stars as Jonathan Pine, a former British soldier who now works as the night manager at a luxury hotel. He comes into the possession of confidential documents concerning illegal weapons trades and turns them into the proper authorities.
Years later, an intelligence officer played by Olivia Colman recruits him to infiltrate the organization of Richard Roper, who is tied to the same secret arms trades. Jonathan finds himself welcomed into the fold by corrupt businessman Roper, played by Hugh Laurie, and must do his best to not get caught. The show also stars Tenet's Elizabeth Debicki as Roper's girlfriend, who Jonathan finds himself attracted to.
The Night Manager is far more serious and grounded than Loki, or than any other Marvel show. However, it is full of suspense, tension, and action, as well as excellent performances from the entire cast. Hiddleston gets to show off both his dramatic chops and his combat skills. The series was highly critically acclaimed and nominated for several awards, with Hiddleston winning a Golden Globe for his work on the show and earning an Emmy nomination as well.
For An Offbeat Romance: Only Lovers Left Alive
Debuting at Cannes film festival in 2013, this movie was directed by Jim Jarmusch, also known for such eccentric films as Ghost Dog and The Dead Don't Die. Hiddleston stars as a vampire named Adam who lives in Detroit and has been alive for hundreds of years. He is a successful musician who is necessarily reclusive due to his vampirism, and he has found himself depressed and withdrawn, lamenting the state of the world and of his own existence. He has been married to another vampire, played by Tilda Swinton, for centuries, although they are taking time apart, and she reunites with him in Detroit when she realizes how despondent he has become. Only Lovers Left Alive also stars the late Anton Yelchin, Mia Wasikowska, Jeffrey Wright, and John Hurt as Elizabethan era author Christopher Marlowe, who is also a vampire.
Only Lovers Left Alive is a movie about a love story that has lasted for hundreds of years, and its languid pace reflects that. The movie is a slow-burn, with the events that take place falling between examinations of life, death, long-term love, and music. While there are comedic elements to the film, it's more bleakly and gloomily amusing than slapstick. All of the cast gives amazing performances, and each scene has a distinct look to it that makes it memorable.
For A Historical Horror: Crimson Peak
Crimson Peak is a 2015 gothic romance film directed by legendary director Guillermo Del Toro, also known for films such as Hellboy, Pacific Rim, Pan's Labyrinth, and The Shape of Water. Mia Wasikowska plays an heiress and aspiring young novelist in 1901 who falls in love with a British baronet named Sir Thomas Sharpe, played by Hiddleston. She marries him and goes to England to live in his dilapidated family mansion with him and his sister Lucille, portrayed by Jessica Chastain. However, things are not as they seem, and both the mansion and the siblings themselves hold dark secrets. The movie also stars Pacific Rim's Charlie Hunnam, Jim Beaver, and Burn Gorman.
There are genuine scares in this movie. Crimson Peak is not a film full of jump-scares or slasher levels of gore, but has creeping and tension-filled frights, haunting imagery, and a good number of terrifying ghosts. Crimson Peak is well-acted all around, with each character fleshed out and feeling real no matter the circumstances. Hiddleston has said that Del Toro gave each of the actors fully written backstories of their characters, with details that may not be in the film itself, but is meant to help inform their performances. As all Del Toro films are, Crimson Peak is also distinct and immaculate aesthetically, including beautiful period costumes that Hiddleston looks very handsome in.
For A Blockbuster: Kong: Skull Island
This 2017 monster film served as a reboot of the King Kong franchise and as the second film in Legendary's MonsterVerse. Hiddleston plays James Conrad, a tracker and former SAS captain who is recruited by a senior government official, played by John Goodman, to travel to the recently discovered Skull Island to search for primeval creatures. His team also includes Samuel L. Jackson's Colonel Packard, Brie Larson's photojournalist Mason Weaver, Toby Kebbell's Major Jack Chapman, and John Ortiz's Victor Nieves, among others. When on Skull Island, the group encounters a gigantic ape--King Kong. He is the last of his kind, and the natives of the island state he protects the island from predators.
Of all the projects on this list, Kong: Skull Island is probably the closest to a superhero action film for Hiddleston. It received mostly positive reviews, and is a fun watch and an enjoyable thrill-ride of a film. It's for those who can love and appreciate classic monster movies, with grand action scenes, giant monsters, and special effects on a massive scale.