Hiddleston's Loki 'won't begin as villain'

Tom Hiddleston has revealed how he will portray the villainous character Loki in next year's film adaptation of Thor.

Hiddleston originally auditioned for the lead role of Thor but was eventually selected to play Thor's mischievous half-brother Loki instead, due in part to his history as a Shakespearean actor.

"[Producer] Craig [Kyle] tells a story that actually, I was always going for Loki," Hiddleston told CBR. "It's just that I didn't know that."

The actor explained that Thor begins at the start of the brothers' relationship, and suggested that Loki wouldn't become a full villain until the film's conclusion.

"He doesn't, at the beginning of the film, know his own power, and I think through the course of the film he comes to learn his true nature and the extent of his power," Hiddleston explained. "As soon as he knows how powerful it is, that's when it becomes dangerous."

Marvel Studios' film adaptation of Thor is scheduled to be released in cinemas on May 6, 2011.