Marvel reveals when Tom Hiddleston will return as Loki (and it's sooner than you thought)

Marvel Studios has introduced us to plenty of beloved characters over the past 16 years, but few have been quite as beloved as Loki. Tom Hiddleston's playful, mischievous, and deadly trickster made his way into fans' hearts and minds with his very first appearance in 2011's Thor, and they just haven't been able to shake him since. He's intoxicating in such a way that only Loki could be.

The character has undergone two redemption arcs now and that's mainly because there have been two versions of him in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The first one truly evolved from villain to hero and sadly met his end at the hands of Thanos in a sacrifice to protect his brother Thor. The second was a variant ripped from a timeline who didn't get the chance to evolve after his Avengers villainy but found a new way of redeeming himself by sacrificing his hopes and dreams to protect the Sacred Timelines of the multiverse.

While Loki season 2 does appear as if it will be the final chapter in the Disney Plus series, fans are expecting Hiddleston to return as the God of Mischief at some point. Thankfully, they won't have to wait as long as they expected.

Tom Hiddleston will voice Loki in What If...? season 3

Tom Hiddleston will reprise his role as Loki in the third and final season of Marvel's What If...?. Marvel recently confirmed the voice cast for the upcoming new installment of the animated series and Hiddleston's name is listed among the talent, meaning that we are going to be catching up with a version of the God of Mischief throughout its eight-episode run.

It's not the first time that the actor has voiced his MCU character in the animated series, as he did lend his voice to seasons 1 and 2, but it's great to know that he will be involved in the show's final season. And he won't be the only Avengers and Thor star to do so as, just like previous seasons too, Chris Hemsworth will also reprise his role as the God of Thunder, voicing at least one more of the multiverse's countless variations of Thor.

It has not yet been revealed as to what kind of role Loki will play in the third season of What If...?. While there have been a number of trailers unveiled for the animated series' final season, none of those have thus far featured any footage of the Trickster. Given the show's ability to just try and do absolutely anything when it comes to spinning the MCU timeline of events on its head, it's impossible to predict what situation Loki could find himself in. But there is no doubt that it will be an entertaining one.

As for when we will actually see Hiddleston's face on the big screen again, the likely answer is one of - or both of - Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. With Loki enchanting all of the branched timelines at the center of time itself, the very multiverse needs him in order to continue existing as it currently is. And given that those movies will bring about an end to the Multiverse Saga, it's highly likely that he will be involved in some capacity.

But with Marvel and all-involved remaining tight-lipped about the future of the Loki TV series on Disney Plus, we'll take every glimpse of the character that we can get. His upcoming appearances in What If...? season 3 are a welcome surprise.

What If...? season 3 premieres on Disney Plus on Sunday, December 22.