Tom Hiddleston will play Loki in the comic book film, with his ascension to the Trickster God's throne owing no small thanks to his prior collaborations with director Branagh. But the Marvel blockbuster might put that friendship to the test -- six months away from shooting, Hiddleston has been instructed to maintain a strict diet.

"Ken wants Loki to have a lean and hungry look, like Cassius in Julius Caesar," Hiddleston told the Daily Mail. "Physically, he can't be as posing as Thor."

This means that Hiddleston will have to maintain the lanky physique he's currently sporting -- the same physique that raised a few eyebrows when the British actor was named in connection to the lead role in "Thor".

Given Hiddleston's thin frame, and also considering his background as a Shakespearean actor, his approach to Loki seems a much easier fit than if the actor had assume the mighty Mjolnir. In fact, Hiddleston is already comparing Loki to classic Shakespeare villains. In addition to the aforementioned Cassius, the actor likens his character to a nemesis from "King Lear."

"Loki's like a comic book version of Edmund in King Lear, but nastier," he said. "Loki's skilled in black magic and sorcery. He's a shape-shifter and has all sorts of super powers from the dark arts. He can turn clouds into dragons, things like that."

Do you like Hiddleston's approach to Loki, or are the Shakespeare references throwing you off? Soliloquize your thoughts in the comments section!