Through the years, Marvel Studios has been creating steps to reduce spoilers from leaking. Secret Invasion actor Kingsley Ben-Adir previously revealed that the studio is training actors "not to talk" about the project, indicating that the protocols are now leveling up. In addition, Marvel also took a historic step ahead of the worldwide premiere of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, when its official social media accounts disabled replies and comments to prevent fans from spoiling the movie.
Ms. Marvel directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah also revealed that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige never lets filmmakers in on all of the details about the MCU, noting that it's a "need-to-know-basis." Marvel Studios producer Brian Chapek also chimed in on the spoiler discussion, expressing his belief that moviegoers should wait “at least three weeks, maybe a month” before discussing spoilers online.
Despite the protocols in place, there are still unexpected spoilers that are emerging online during the movie's opening weekend or the Disney+ series' day of release. Now, a notable Marvel actor has revealed that the studio is not messing around when it comes to accidentally revealing spoilers.
Owen Wilson is Afraid of Marvel's Spoiler Protocols
In an interview with ComicBook, Loki star Owen Wilson, who plays Mobius in the Disney+ series, gave a brief update about the show's sophomore season.
Brandon Davis of ComicBook first expressed excitement about Wilson's upcoming Marvel return. The MCU actor responded by offering high praise towards co-star Tom Hiddleston and confirming that filming is underway in London:
Davis: "And as I head out, [I'm] a big Marvel fan myself. Dude, it’s so fun to hear you’re coming back."
Owen Wilson: "Yeah, we’re doing that. Yeah, Tom [Hiddleston] is great [at] doing Loki, and we’re filming that now in London."
When asked if the memes that came out from watching Loki is the most unexpected part of the experience, Wilson noted that he wasn't able to catch up with those because he's not on the internet that much:
Davis: "What’s been the most unexpected part of that? Is it the memes?"
Wilson: "I haven’t. I’m not so on the internet to know that…"
Davis tried to tease Wilson into giving an answer related to Mobius' jet ski subplot from the first season, but the actor admitted that he can't say anything, noting that Marvel is "so kind of uptight" about giving away spoilers:
Davis: Everybody wants you on a jet ski these days?
Wilson: Well, I do think that, you know, we’ll see what happens with this one. I immediately get kind of self-conscious because they’re so kind of uptight. They really like to…
When Secret Headquarters director Rel Schulman asked Wilson if he had ever been scolded by Marvel, the actor confirmed that it had already happened "multiple times:"
Rel Schulman: "Have you ever been scolded by Marvel?"
Wilson: "Yes. Yeah, multiple times."
What Happens When Marvel Reprimands Its Actors
Owen Wilson's comments suggest that Marvel is clearly not messing around when it comes to reprimanding its actors about revealing spoilers. The actor's reaction is similar to that of Thor: Love and Thunder star Tessa Thompson's previous remarks, with the actress expressing nervousness when talking about the Phase 4 project during interviews.
Past interviews may have already revealed why Wilson got in trouble for sharing accidental spoilers. Back in August 2021, the Secret Headquarters actor shared that he received a text saying "Strike 1" after he let it slip that he had a mustache for portraying Mobius in Loki. Wilson admitted that he didn't know who that was, but he speculated that it might have been Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige using a burner phone.
The fact that he received such a text from what many would consider a minor spoiler (his character's mustache) is pretty telling, and this goes to show that the "Marvel Snipers" are indeed real. Moreover, Wilson's confirmation that he was scolded "multiple times" may indicate that he spoiled something major on a separate occasion, potentially in another interview or even to his family members.
While it's good to know that Wilson is following Marvel Studios' strict protocols, there are still other actors who are accidentally letting spoilers slip during interviews and fan gatherings. Recently, Rosario Dawson revealed that Jon Bernthal's Punisher will make a triumphant MCU return while Pip the Troll actor Patton Oswalt was pretty confident in announcing that a sequel to Chloé Zhao's Eternals will happen down the line.
It's possible that those two Marvel veterans were also reprimanded by the studio, but only time will tell if they will reveal the repercussions of their slip-up. Hopefully, more MCU actors will be more careful when it comes to spoiling their own projects so that fans will have a worthy experience when watching the projects in the future.
Loki Season 2 is set to premiere on Disney+ in Summer 2023.
