A new report claims the upcoming Loki series for Disney+ starring Tom Hiddleston is inspired by Teletubbies.
This report comes from Entertainment Weekly who claim, “While the creative team couldn’t reveal any of the time periods they’ll visit, they did share some of the show’s very different inspirations, which include Blade Runner, Mad Men, and most curiously, Teletubbies.”
The show’s director Kate Herron told EW, “You’re just gonna have to wait until June 11” when asked about the Teletubbies inspiration.
It’s unclear if the Teletubbies inspiration is a joke meant to garner headlines for the series and Disney+ following the streaming platform’s weakest growth quarter ever in the second quarter of 2021 or if Marvel Studios is being serious.
Disney+ subscribers increased to 103.6 million at the end of the second quarter. It was an increase of 8.7 million subscribers compared to the end of the first quarter where they reported they had 94.9 million subscribers.
Motley Fool’s James Brumley reported “that growth marks the slowest pace of quarterly additions since the streaming service launched in the final quarter of 2019.”
Brumley also notes the 103.6 million subscriber number is well below expectations which were at 109 million.
Herron doesn’t make it any clearer whether it’s a joke or not interacting with fans on Twitter.
When asked if there is a baby sun involved she responded, “It’s actually a reboot. Tom plays the sun.”
Herron would also respond to a fan who asked, “Are the space lizards named Tinky Winky, Laa Laa, and Po?!?”
She responded, “You’re onto us.”
Whether or not it’s a joke, I’ll leave that up to you.
But we did appear to get some solid information about the series from Entertainment Weekly as well.
Herron detailed the show will explore “what makes us truly good or truly bad.” It appears that exploration will primarily be done through Loki given this version of the character escaped S.H.I.E.L.D. custody following his failed invasion in the first Avengers film.
The show’s head writer Michael Waldron also stated, “Loki’s a character that’s always reckoning with his own identity, and the TVA, by virtue of what they do, is uniquely suited to hold up a mirror to Loki and make him really confront who he is and who he was supposed to be.”
Waldron added, “The TVA is just an entirely new world [with] a new cast of characters, and that’s what felt most exciting about the show: building a new corner of the MCU.”
The head writer also explained his pitch “was kind of a big, crazy, fun-time adventure.”
The official description for Loki reads, “Marvel Studios ‘Loki’ features the God of Mischief as he steps out of his brother’s shadow in a new Disney+ series that takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Tom Hiddleston returns as the title character, joined by Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino, Wunmi Mosaku, and Richard E. Grant. Kate Herron directs ‘Loki’ and Michael Waldron is head writer.”
The series will hit Disney+ on June 11, 2021.
What do you make of the idea that Loki was inspired by Teletubbies?