Loki theory reveals the release date could be way sooner than we thought
Is the June 9 release date just a ruse?
Marvel fans are in the middle of a drought. For a solid 14 weeks, the studio released new episodes of WandaVision or The Falcon and the Winter Soldier every Friday, and we lapped it up like a thirsty puppy. Then, Loki messed everything up.
We won’t get a new entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe until Loki premieres on June 9 (that’s also a Wednesday, which throws the whole schedule off). However, one compelling fan theory suggests the series could premiere in a matter of days. It’s a pretty convincing argument, though there are a few holes worth pointing out. Let’s dive in.
TikTokker @definitelycryingoverloki released a two-part theory claiming that Loki would actually be released on May 19. The reason has everything to do with Black Widow, which premieres on July 9, right in between Loki’s penultimate and final episodes.
Marvel would try to avoid their first movie release in two years clashing with a TV series, right? So the show can’t end on July 14 as originally announced.
Therefore, if Loki is going to end before Black Widow’s release, it would have to begin its six-episode run on May 19, allowing for the now-customary one-week gap for a behind-the-scenes special.
Need more convincing? The Twitter account for Marvel Studios Canada, which claims to be the “official Twitter page for Loki god of mischief” tweeted “Mischief is in the air this May.”
Marketing strategy or hint at an early release?
This theory does hold some merit. Loki is all about time travel and messing with timelines, after all. We also know Loki was originally slated to be released in May were it not for a pandemic. But it’s not clear why Black Widow wouldn’t be allowed to clash with Loki. In fact, something very similar happened on Disney+ back in 2019.
When Disney first launched its streaming service, it was Star Wars (not Marvel) that brought in subscribers with the first season of The Mandalorian. There was just one problem — The Rise of Skywalker, the culmination of a nine movie arc, was set to release on December 20, right in between Chapters 7 and 8 of The Mandalorian.
Could Loki have a “Force healing” moment?
Nothing was rescheduled and both releases were popular — even if their responses weren’t. In fact, this scheduling clash was used to The Mandalorian’s advantage by depicting Force healing, an aspect that would be expanded on in The Rise of Skywalker mere days later. The same could happen with Loki. Perhaps there’s an element of Black Widow that Loki could establish in the penultimate episode to lead into the release. (Maybe it’s not a coincidence that fans think they’re seeing Natasha in the Loki trailer.)
The Inverse analysis — While there aren’t many things that can resist Loki’s meddling, Marvel’s marketing is probably pretty high on the list. Marvel Comics has already rushed a Loki collection to release on July 14th, the day Loki is intended to end. But who knows, maybe this will set a precedent.
Loki will (most likely) premiere on Disney+ on June 9th.
