While Loki is Thor's younger brother, he still became an important character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, helping and/or foiling the Avengers along their adventures. Tom Hiddleston, a classically trained actor, became widely known for his portrayal of the God of Mischief.
Loki has since become a fan favorite, with an upcoming Disney+ series being dedicated to him. But despite his busy schedule, Hiddleston still found time to act in other non-MCU films during the 2010s. Here are the top 10, ranked by the efficient (but sometimes imperfect) Rotten Tomatoes.
Crimson Peak (2015): 72%
Hiddleston stars in Guillermo del Toro's gothic romance as inventor Thomas Sharpe, the mysterious love interest of protagonist Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska). Despite del Toro drawing inspiration from several old British horror films, Hiddleston told Screen Rant in an interview that he'd never seen any them growing up.
He discussed the similarities between Loki and Sharpe saying, "When I got into acting, I never wanted to play one type of role. The actors I loved the most growing up were people who could move between genres, between character types. It just happens that Thomas Sharpe in this and Loki are a little bit darker, but...I have played some lighter characters."
Kong: Skull Island (2017): 75%
Aside from being a budding franchise in its own right, Kong: Skull Island served as a mini MCU reunion, with Hiddleston acting opposite Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson.
It isn't likely that Hiddleston or his MCU costars will be having large roles in the upcoming Kong vs. Godzilla but, they are rumored to potentially make a small appearance along with Godzilla (2014)/MCU stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen.
The Deep Blue Sea (2011): 80%
The Deep Blue Sea was adapted from a 1952 post-war play of the same name. In it, Hiddleston plays Freddie Page, an RAF pilot who has an affair with Hester Collyer (Rachel Weisz).
In an interview with IndieLondon, Hiddleston said of the film's script, "what struck me was, firstly, how universal but also contemporary the feelings are. I think it’s a film about love, it’s a film about the complexity of being in love, the darker side of passion, (...) something that happens every single day, whether it’s 1951 or 2011."
Early Man (2018): 81%
This 2018 claymation comedy came from the creators of the popular Wallace and Gromit. It sports a cast of renowned British actors including Hiddleston, Maisie Williams, and Eddie Redmayne.
Tom Hiddleston voices baddie Lord Nooth, and went out of his way to create a French accent for the role. He told Screen Rant, "It was actually kind of tricky to land on that because I always think French accents are always kind of laid back and cool and sophisticated so to find the pomposity inside the French was a cocktail of vocal work."
The Pirate Fairy (2014): 81%
Early Man was not the first time that Tom Hiddleston had done voice work. In The Pirate Fairy, he voices a young Captain Hook in a story about Tinkerbell and her posse of pixies before the events of Peter Pan.
In an interview with Movieclips Indie, Hiddleston explained that he likes voice acting because "you're stripped of some of your tools. You're stripped of your body and eyes which tells so much story. You just have your voice to tell all of the story."
Exhibition (2014): 84%
Exhibition marks the third time Hiddleston has worked with director Joanna Hogg. Hogg has told IndieWire that "It interests me to create roles for Tom that challenge him, that sometimes go against who he is. Or maybe just tap into one little facet of him."
It's interesting to note that Rotten Tomatoes appears to have incorrectly organized most of Hogg's filmography. This will become more apparent further down this list.
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013): 85%
In perhaps the closest Hiddleston comes to resembling Loki outside the MCU, he stars opposite Tilda Swinton in Jim Jarmusch's vampire comedy-drama. He also reunites with Crimson Peak co-star Mia Wasikowska.
In an interview with Timeout Hiddleston raved about working with Jarmusch, describing him as "a rock star and a poet and a vampire, and a bottomless well of knowledge."
Unrelated ("2014"): 88%
The first collaboration between Tom Hiddleston and director Joanna Hogg, Unrelated is a low-budget drama about a group of adults staying in a house in Tuscany. This proved to be a breakout movie for both Hogg and Hiddleston.
But despite its high rating and "2014" release date on Rotten Tomatoes, the film originally raised Hiddleston to prominence back in 2007, long before audiences became familiar with him as Loki.
Midnight in Paris (2011): 93%
Tom Hiddleston plays F. Scott Fitzgerald in Woody Allen's fantasy comedy Midnight in Paris. At the time, the film received critical acclaim and won many accolades. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hiddleston had described working on the film as "a dream, such a great, surreal time."
But in recent years with more allegations against Allen becoming public knowledge, Hiddleston has kept mum despite many celebrities coming forward and expressing regret for working with the director.
Archipelago ("2014"): 95%
Another one of Joanna Hogg's films made it on to this list, and while it was released in the 2010s, it actually premiered in 2010 rather than 2014. But hey, this list is according to Rotten Tomatoes after all!
Tom Hiddleston plays Edward, a man who goes on a family holiday to the Isles of Sicily. Of his working relationship with Hogg (generally and during Archipelago), he told IndieLondon, "I feel like I have a huge creative input in terms of the philosophical tone of the film in a way. We also inspire each other a lot."