| The Good, the Bart, and the Loki | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Directed by | David Silverman |
| Written by |
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| Based on | The Simpsons byMatt Groening |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Edited by | Roger Injarusorn |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Disney Platform Distribution |
Release date |
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Running time | 6 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Good, the Bart, and the Loki (also known asThe Simpsons: The Good, the Bart, and the Loki) is an Americananimated short film based on the television seriesThe Simpsons produced byGracie Films and20th Television Animation forDisney+. It is the fourth short film inThe Simpsons franchise, and the second promotional short, afterThe Force Awakens from Its Nap (2021), that ties in with Disney+'s brands and titles.The Good, the Bart, and the Loki is directed byDavid Silverman and celebrates theMarvel Cinematic Universe, particularly its television seriesLoki, withTom Hiddleston reprising his role asLoki. The short was released on July 7, 2021, on Disney+, alongside thefifth episode ofLoki.
Odin banishesLoki toSpringfield, where he lands at theSimpsons' home.Bart Simpson welcomes him inside, and while at dinner, Loki banishesLisa to Asgard. There, Lisa comes acrossMjolnir, granting her the powers ofThor. Lisa returns to Springfield with the "SpringfieldAvengers" (other citizens dressed as variousMarvel Cinematic Universe characters) to exile Loki, who has since switched guises with Bart, resulting in Bart being exiled. Later that night while in Bart's room, Loki changes back, and is happy to finally be part of a functional family.
In amid-credits scene, Loki disguised asMoe Szyslak gives patrons atMoe's Tavern free drinks. In two post-credits scenes,Ralph Wiggum as theHulk smashes Loki similarly to a scene fromThe Avengers (2012), and Loki stands beforeRavonna Renslayer at theTime Variance Authority, where she finds him guilty of his various crimes, such as crossing over to theSimpsons universe.
WhenThe Simpsons was added toDisney+, co-creator and executive producerJames L. Brooks had suggested the creation of a series of short films in which the Simpsons would "invade the rest of Disney+" as a way to promoteThe Simpsons and reach viewers who may not have been familiar with the series.[3] By April 2021, which was the end of production on the first short,The Force Awakens from Its Nap, executive producerAl Jean felt the then-upcomingMarvel Studios seriesLoki would be a good candidate for the next crossover short and was hopeful to getTom Hiddleston to reprise his role asLoki.[3][1] In June 2021,The Good, the Bart, and the Loki was announced, with Hiddleston attached.[2] The short's title is a parody of theSergio Leone filmThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966),[1] and was directed byDavid Silverman.[3]
Jean felt choosing whichSpringfield residents would be which members of theAvengers was "the most fun thing".Lisa Simpson was chosen to becomeThor as a reference toNatalie Portman'sJane Foster becoming Thor inThor: Love and Thunder (2022), with Jean noting the parallels between Thor and Loki and Lisa andBart Simpson were "pretty clear". The creative team had hoped to include a cameo fromStan Lee, butMarvel Studios told them they stopped featuring Lee in cameos after his death in 2018.[3] The team also wanted to include a "ridiculous amount of post-credit sequences for a four-minute short".[4] The post-credits scene fromLoki was based only on thefirst episode of the series, with the team having a week to complete it and add it to the film.[3][1]
Tom Hiddleston reprises his role as Loki in the short.[2] Marvel helped theSimpsons team get Hiddleston "on board"; he recorded his part remotely in England. RegularSimpsons voice actorsDan Castellaneta,Nancy Cartwright, andYeardley Smith reprise their roles asHomer Simpson, Bart Simpson, and Lisa Simpson, respectively, whileMaurice LaMarche voicesOdin, andDawnn Lewis voicesRavonna Renslayer.[1]
Marvel Studios provided the music fromThe Avengers (2012) composed byAlan Silvestri to feature inThe Good, the Bart, and the Loki.[3][1]
The Good, the Bart, and the Loki was released on Disney+ on July 7, 2021, alongside "Journey into Mystery", the fifth episode ofLoki.[2] The promotional poster for the short was inspired by the poster forAvengers: Endgame (2019).[5]
Max Marriner atGameRant gave the short 2 out of 5 stars, saying it "embodies The Walt Disney Company at its coldest and most corporate" and was disappointed it did not feature any of the series' "signature snappy satire and absurdity", calling the humor "tired and drab". He did enjoy the art in the credits and theSimpsons design of Loki, but ultimately feltThe Good, the Bart, and the Loki lacked the same passion Marvel Studios gave to their projects.[6] In April 2022, Rich Knight ofCinemaBlend rankedThe Good, the Bart, and the Loki second on their list ofThe Simpsons shorts, believing it to be funnier thanThe Force Awakens from Its Nap and called the several mid-credits scenes the short's best part.[7]
