They might both be sorcerers, but Loki’s certain Doctor Strange will be of no consequence when they meet. Loki actor Tom Hiddleston recently revealed that Loki would be dismissive of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Strange and his magic during the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok. It’s not much of a surprise, but the interaction between them will probably set the world ablaze.
The after-credits scene of Doctor Strange — where Strange had a brief, pointed conversation with Thor about his attempts to find Odin — revealed that Strange has a problem with Loki’s presence on Earth. He’s caused a little too much trouble (see: The Avengers and both Thor movies). Not only did the scene reveal that Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange will make some sort of appearance in Thor: Ragnarok, but it also confirmed expected tensions between the two magic users. Or, in Loki’s case, a profound lack of tension.
When IGN asked Hiddleston about his thoughts on Loki’s future interactions with Strange, he responded with: “I think he probably dismisses Strange. Yes, [Strange’s] sorcery is very impressive, but Loki’s been doing that for centuries. So, who cares?”
Loki might be more than happy to wave off a future run-in with Strange, but there’s a very good chance the internet at large might implode at the sight of Hiddleston and Cumberbatch in the same shot.
Yes, the internet (specifically, the swirling whirlpool of cat pictures and fandom tears that is Tumblr) loves Hiddleston and Cumberbatch separately — but together they’re unstoppable. The two appeared in Steven Spielberg’s War Horse together back in 2011 and Tumblr still hasn’t stopped gif-ing it.
Hiddleston got really big on Tumblr when he first starred as Loki in 2011’s Thor. The Marvel fandom was really picking up online, and something about Loki’s shrewd, sardonic humor and pale, thin frame really appealed to the people. Despite his status as a villain (or, at least, a wrongdoer by most definitions), everyone loved his wounded animal act. But what they especially loved was the actor behind that act — Hiddleston’s classic English charm is legendary, as is his love of fanservice.
I'm not totally sure what this is, but it feels appropriate,
Then there’s Cumberbatch: a little drier than Hiddleston, but revered by Tumblr and the rest of the internet for his titular role in BBC’s Sherlock where he plays a manic, modernized Holmes. The question of “Why is Benedict Cumberbatch hot?” may never be answered, but fans still slaver over him. And when he was cast in Doctor Strange, even more people jumped on the Marvel bandwagon in his honor.
Basically, Cumberbatch and Hiddleston are two of Tumblr’s favorite darlings — the wide-ranging (yet very specific) group of people always at the top of its yearly obsessions. Being tall, gangly, and very stereotypically English really drives the infatuation, but the roles they’ve taken on in the past only help.
See Loki dismiss Doctor Strange (and the internet explode) when Thor: Ragnarok premieres November 3.
