Did Marvel use AI to create Loki season 2 poster? The rumor, explained

Marvel Studios is not new to the AI debate. 

Recent rumors suggest the superhero studio may have once again employed the use of AI to create the poster for the highly-anticipated second season of Loki on Disney Plus. Back in June, Secret Invasion was outed for doing something similar, although with the entire opening credits, instead of just a poster. Tensions have been on high alert since then, and it’s understandable why the mere whiff of AI in connection to Loki has roused the public. 

The Secret Invasion backlash prompted the studio behind the opening credits to release a statement ensuring no jobs were impacted. The impact on creatives’ jobs has been the crux of the AI argument, along with a host of other concerns, and was part of the reason why writers and actors took to the picket lines this summer. 

However, whether Loki deserves to be lumped into the AI conversation all depends on whether or not this rumor is true.

Where did the Loki AI rumor originate?

The internet is full of rumors, and most of the time they don’t see the light of day. However, on Oct. 3, The DisInsider posted a picture of the Loki season 2 poser to X (formally known as Twitter) with claims that it had been AI-generated, and because of Marvel’s close connection to the issue, the rumor took off. 

In one of two screenshots, a close-up of the oversized clock behind Tom Hiddleston’s God of Mischief shows the smeared and slightly faded outline of the Roman numeral five. Above this, near Hiddleston’s hairline, the V in the Roman numeral seven also has a slight curve to the bottom of it. Distorted edges and squiggly lines are typically a telltale sign of AI. 

Online, fans aired their complaints and expressed disappointment and frustration that Marvel (and Disney) would enact such an offense so close to its previous one. 

Given the current landscape of Hollywood and the volatile opinions toward AI, a rumor like this has the potential to negatively impact the reception Loki receives ahead of its season 2 premiere, which drops this Thursday, Oct. 5. So, let’s talk about whether there’s merit to this accusation. 

Is the rumor true?

The short and sweet answer is no, the rumor is not true. Marvel does not appear to have used AI to create the large clock used in the poster for Loki season 2. The image, which you can see in its entirety here, actually belongs to Shutterstock.

However, as pointed out by the Twitter/X user @OwnerOfVishanti, Shutterstock does allow AI art on its site, so those telltale signs pointed out above still stand. If the Shutterstock image used in the Loki poster was indeed generated by AI, then Marvel and Loki do have — in part — a connection to the AI debate, although by two degrees of separation.

In 2022, Shutterstock launched an action plan to begin allowing AI-generated art onto its site “in an ethically responsible way.” That includes implementing on-site tools specific to Shutterstock, forbidding AI-generated art from being submitted by contributors, and compensating artists whose work is used in training models and other functionalities. You can read Shutterstock’s full FAQ sheet here.

As it stands, there’s no reason to believe Marvel used AI to create the Loki season 2 poster from whole cloth. However, the “proof” is related only to the Shutterstock-sourced clock behind Loki, and not his variants or those of other members of the cast pictured running up the winding rail that surrounds his head. Similarly, the AI/Marvel debate could wind around in mysterious ways, down the road. If or when that happens, we will update this article.

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