Based on what we’ve seen so far, Loki could supplant WandaVision as Marvel’s weirdest TV show yet. And just like WandaVision, the new series features a wide range of influences. While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, head writer Michael Waldron and director Kate Herron revealed which movies and TV shows inspired the look and feel of Marvel’s next small-screen effort.
Tom Hiddleston’s Loki is obviously the MCU’s resident mischief maker. And according to Herron, that meant searching for inspiration in places like Terry Gilliam’s Brazil and even Teletubbies. (She says “You’re gonna have to wait” to see what that last one entails.) However, it was still important to infuse the series with a bit more humanity.
“I would describe it as big sci-fi with heart,” said Herron. “They’re in these amazing sci-fi worlds, but Jurassic Park, for me at least, is about a guy working, ‘Can I be a dad? How do I feel about kids?’ I think that is very relatable. So I think for us with Loki, I think the thing I brought to it is that I’m very character-focused and I’m always trying to give the audience an understanding of, how do these characters feel in these big huge universes?”
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Additionally, Waldron explained how AMC’s Mad Men served as both an “aesthetic” and “philosophical” influence on the series. Especially when it came to scenes featuring the Time Variance Authority. And because Loki consists of six hour-long episodes, they can tell a “more complex, layered character-driven story” than Marvel’s theatrical output. Thankfully, Herron has some experience in an office setting.
“I actually spent a lot of my life working in admin offices as a temp,” added Herron. “So I had a lot of personal experience in bureaucratic organizations to bring. I was like, ‘These are the details we need to capture,’ being someone who has worked in offices. And also, I love sci-fi, and I wanted to make the show just a big love letter to sci-fi and all the stuff that’s inspired me to be a filmmaker.”
Loki hits Disney+ on June 9.
Are you excited to see these influences play out onscreen? Let us know in the comments down below!
Recommended Reading: Loki: Agent of Asgard – The Complete Collection
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