For many comic book fans, Tom Hiddleston's portrayal of Loki in Thor and The Avengers is one of more memorable onscreen villains in recent years. The English actor lent a certain amount of gravitas to the part, and such a prominent role in one of the highest-grossing films of all time can only help Hiddleston's career.

Case in point: Recent reports claimed that Hiddleston was in talks to star in Relativity Media's much-delayed reboot of The Crow franchise. Based on the comic books of the same name, the original 1994 thriller starred Brandon Lee and spawned three sequels and a television series. The series centers on a man who returns from the grave to exact revenge, and the part requires the same gothic presence and vengeful sensibility that Hiddleston brought to Loki.

According to Deadline, however, it appears that Hiddleston may not get the chance to offer his take on the character. Reports claim that the rumors about the actor's involvement have been blown way out of proportion, stemming from a "simple conversation" regarding the project.

The site goes on to claim that Alexander Skarsgård of True Blood fame is actually the frontrunner for the part. Skarsgård – the son of Hiddleston's Avengers co-star Stellan Skarsgård – was also recently attached to another planned reboot in director David Yates' Tarzan. That project has since been delayed, meaning that the actor should be available to star in The Crow.

Tom Hiddleston Loki Costume Chest and Shoulder

This news may be disappointing to Marvel fans, as Hiddleston would likely have turned in a solid performance. He already has a certain mastery for balancing the larger-than-life personalities of a comic book character with a more relatable, tangible emotional core. However, the studio's move here is surely a strategic one.

Hiddleston would guarantee the attention of the geek community, but one could argue that The Crow has enough brand recognition on its own to bring fans of the comics and the previous film series to theaters. Meanwhile, Skarsgård would help the film draw in younger moviegoers who may not be familiar with The Crow but who will flock to see the new revenge thriller from the star of True Blood.

At this point, though, The Crow remains very much in development. The film has been trapped in development for so long (with rumored stars ranging from Bradley Cooper to James McAvoy) that fans would be wise to wait for an official announcement before getting their hopes up on Skarsgård's casting.

As for Hiddleston fans, there's always his next Loki appearance in this fall's Thor: The Dark World.

Do you think Skarsgård is a good casting choice for The Crow? If not, who would you cast? Sound off below with your suggestions.

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Stay tuned to Screen Rant for the latest on The Crow reboot, which is currently without a release date.

Source: Deadline