Loki Disney+ Show Will Set Up Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Marvel Studios' Loki, the previously announced Tom Hiddleston-led spinoff series releasing spring 2021 on the Disney+ streaming service, will tie into the theatrically released Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Marvel Studios president and Marvel chief creative officer Kevin Feige reveals. The Doctor Strange sequel, helmed by returning director Scott Derrickson, was earlier confirmed to have connections to Disney+ series WandaVision, releasing in spring 2021 before Multiverse of Madness reaches theaters that year May 7. Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch, will follow her appearance in Avengers: Endgame with a return in WandaVision before joining Benedict Cumberbatch in Multiverse of Madness, evidently exploring the multiple dimensions of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Feige revealed the Multiverse of Madness and Loki connection to Bloomberg, saying in a profile, "I'm not sure we've actually acknowledged that before. But it does [connect]."

Feige also suggested the Disney+ lineup — Loki, WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Hawkeye, preceding later additions Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk and Moon Knight — will be required viewing for the movie side of the franchise, which has its future mapped out through 2024.

"These episodes will intersect with the movies in a very big way. It's a totally new form of storytelling that we get to play with and explore," Feige previously told Variety, noting the connections between the films and the big-budget Disney+ television series are part of "the first long-form narrative that Marvel Studios has done."

"They'll be six episodes, eight episodes, 10 episodes with the actors from the films playing their characters," Feige said. "They'll be changing, evolving, growing in those event series and then those changes will be reflected in their next film appearances."

Loki centers on an alternate version of the Asgardian trickster and mischievous adopted brother of Avenger Thor (Chris Hemsworth) following his death at the hands of Thanos (Josh Brolin) in the opening minutes of Avengers: Infinity War. This Loki teleported away using the Tesseract when the Avengers revisited 2012 New York to reclaim one of the six Infinity Stones needed to reverse Thanos' snap that obliterated half of all life in the universe.

Early details previously shared by The Hollywood Reporter said this series will follow Loki as he pops up "throughout human history as an unlikely influencer on historical events."

Upcoming Marvel Studios projects include Black Widow on May 1, 2020, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier in Fall 2020, The Eternals on November 6, 2020, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on February 12, 2021, WandaVision in Spring 2021, Loki in Spring 2021, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on May 7, 2021, Spider-Man 3 on July 16, 2021, What If…? in Summer 2021, Hawkeye in Fall 2021, Thor: Love and Thunder on November 5, 2021 and Black Panther 2 on May 6, 2022. Marvel Studios Disney+ series without release dates include Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight and She-Hulk.