Loki
Season 2
Loki season 2 logo.jpeg
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Release
Original networkDisney+
Season chronology
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Season 1
List of episodes

The second season of the American television series Loki is based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. The season is produced by Marvel Studios, with Eric Martin serving as head writer and Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead leading the directing team.

Tom Hiddleston reprises his role as Loki from the film series, with Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Eugene Cordero, Tara Strong, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino and Jonathan Majors also starring, reprising their roles from the first season. Development on a second season had begun by November 2020, and was confirmed in July 2021, with Martin, Benson, and Moorhead all hired by late February 2022. Filming began in June 2022 at Pinewood Studios and concluded in October.

The second season is scheduled to debut on Disney+ in mid-2023, and will consist of six episodes. It will be part of Phase Five of the MCU.

Episodes

All six episodes will be written by Eric Martin, with duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead directing the majority of episodes.[1]

Cast and characters

Starring

Additionally, Ke Huy Quan appears as a Time Variance Authority archivist,[6] while Rafael Casal and Kate Dickie are cast in undisclosed roles.[7][8]

Production

Development

Development on a second season of Loki had begun by November 2020.[9] In January 2021, the first season's head writer Michael Waldron signed an overall deal with Disney which included his involvement in the second season of Loki.[10] Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore, who served as an executive producer on the series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, believed Loki had "really irreverent and clever and cool" storylines that lent to the series having multiple seasons rather than being a one-off event.[11] The second season was confirmed through a mid-credits scene in the first season finale, which was released in July 2021,[12] and star Tom Hiddleston said "deep discussions" about the second season were already underway.[13] First season director Kate Herron said she would not return for the second season as she had always planned to only be involved for one season,[14] while Waldron said it "remain[ed] to be seen" if he would be involved.[15]

In February 2022, the directing duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead were hired to direct a majority of the episodes for the second season. They previously directed two episodes of another Marvel Studios series, Moon Knight (2022), which went so well that the studio wanted them to work on other projects and they were quickly chosen for the second season of Loki.[1] Eric Martin, a first-season writer who took over some of Waldron's duties during production on that season,[16] was set to write all six episodes of the second season, with Hiddleston and Waldron confirmed to be returning as executive producers.[1] Benson and Moorhead were excited to approach another character in Loki who, like Moon Knight's Marc Spector / Moon Knight, was defined by being an outcast and had "complexity in being [an] outcast".[17] Pre-production had begun by the end of April 2022.[18]

Writing

Waldron said the season would continue the story of the first season but in a way that felt different, subverted expectations, and explored "new emotional ground" for Loki.[19] Hiddleston explained that Loki is once again with the Time Variance Authority (TVA) and working with Mobius M. Mobius, despite Mobius not remembering Loki, and has confronted Sylvie about her actions at the end of the first season.[20] He added that the second season would be "a battle for the soul of the TVA".[21] The season will help connect the entire Multiverse Saga of the MCU.[6]

Casting

Hiddleston, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Eugene Cordero, Tara Strong, Owen Wilson, and Sophia Di Martino return from the first season as Loki, Ravonna Renslayer,[2] Hunter B-15,[3] Casey / Hunter K-5E,[22][4] Miss Minutes, Mobius M. Mobius, and Sylvie, respectively.[2] Jonathan Majors also returns in the season, portraying Victor Timely, another variant of He Who Remains, who he portrayed in the first season, and Kang the Conqueror, who he played in the film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023); Timely was also introduced at the end of Quantumania,[5][23] appearing in that film's mid-credits scene. Director Peyton Reed stated that the usage of the scene had felt natural due to the MCU's focus on multiversal stories, and the fact that the season and film were being concurrently developed.[24] In May 2022, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige stated that the "whole cast" would return from the first season.[25][26]

In July 2022, Rafael Casal was confirmed to be cast in an undisclosed "major role" in the season.[7] In September, Ke Huy Quan was revealed to have been cast as a TVA archivist in the season,[6] and Cordero was confirmed to have been made a series regular for the season.[4] Feige personally reached out to Quan to ask him if he was interested in joining the MCU following the success of his return to acting in the film Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022).[27] In December, Kate Dickie was revealed to have been cast in an undisclosed role, reportedly as a villain.[8]

Filming

Principal photography began on June 13, 2022,[28] at Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom,[29] with Benson and Moorhead directing the majority of the episodes,[1] and Isaac Bauman serving as cinematographer.[30] It was previously reported to begin in January 2022, under the working title Architect.[9][31] In July 2022, location filming occurred throughout London,[32] including at the Chatham Historic Dockyard in Kent;[33] the set photos indicated a 1970s setting for some of the season.[32][34] Filming concluded in October.[35]

Post-production

Paul Zucker returns as editor from the first season.[36]

Music

Natalie Holt was set to return from the first season as the composer by July 2022,[37] and planned to begin scoring the season in late 2022.[38]

Marketing

Hiddleston, Di Martino, and Wilson shared footage from the season at the 2022 D23 Expo along with announcing Quan's casting.[6][20]

Release

The second season is scheduled to debut on Disney+ in mid-2023,[39] and will consist of six episodes.[1] In March 2023, Wilson believed the season would be released at the end of the mid-2023 timeframe or in September 2023.[40] It will be part of Phase Five of the MCU.[39]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Kroll, Justin (February 17, 2022). "'Loki': Justin Benson And Aaron Moorhead Tapped As Season 2 Directors Of Marvel Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 17, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Hatchett, Keisha (August 2, 2022). "Marvel TV Status Report: The Latest on Secret Invasion, Loki Season 2, Daredevil, She-Hulk and 5 Others". TVLine. Archived from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Seddon, Dan; Sandwell, Ian (February 11, 2023). "Loki's Wunmi Mosaku opens up about the difference filming season 2". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Cordero, Rosy (September 19, 2022). "'Loki': Eugene Cordero Upped To Series Regular For Season 2". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Anderson, Kyle (February 16, 2023). "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Ending and Post-Credits Scenes Explained". Nerdist. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023. ...this post-credits scene is actually a scene from Loki season two.
  6. ^ a b c d Motamayor, Rafael; Russell, Shania (September 10, 2022). "Loki Season 2 Footage Description: The God Of Mischief Is Back With Even More Glorious Purpose [D23]". /Film. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (July 15, 2022). "'Loki': Rafael Casal Joins Season 2 Of Marvel Series For Disney+". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (December 2, 2022). "'Loki': Kate Dickie Part Of Season 2 Cast Of Disney+ Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Laman, Douglas (November 5, 2020). "Disney+'s Loki Reportedly Renewed for a Second Season". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on November 5, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  10. ^ Kroll, Justin (January 7, 2021). "'Loki' Exec Producer Michael Waldron Tapped To Write Kevin Feige's 'Star Wars' Movie As Part Of New Deal With Disney". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  11. ^ Travers, Ben (April 19, 2021). "'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' Will Run as a Drama Series at 2021 Emmys — Exclusive". IndieWire. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  12. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (July 14, 2021). "'Loki' Will Return for Season 2 at Disney Plus, Marvel Reveals in Season 1 Finale". Variety. Archived from the original on July 14, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  13. ^ Paige, Rachel (July 15, 2021). "'Loki' Will Return for Season 2 on Disney+". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  14. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 16, 2021). "'Loki' Director & EP Kate Herron Says She's Not Returning For Season 2". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  15. ^ Singer, Matt (July 29, 2021). "Creator Michael Waldron Answers All Our Questions About 'Loki' And 'Heels'". ScreenCrush. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  16. ^ Robinson, Joanna (June 3, 2021). "How the Man Behind Loki Is Shaping Marvel's Phase 4 and Beyond". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  17. ^ Weintraub, Steve (April 7, 2022). "'Moon Knight' Directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead on Joining the MCU, Helming Episodes 2 & 4, and 'Loki' Season 2". Collider. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  18. ^ Ellwood, Gregory (April 28, 2022). "Tom Hiddleston: "Lots Of Questions Will Be Answered" In 'Loki' Season 2 [Interview]". The Playlist. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  19. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Patten, Dominic (May 7, 2022). "'Doctor Strange 2' Scribe Michael Waldron On "Emotional" 'Loki' Season 2, New 'Star Wars' Pic, & Kang The Conqueror's Whereabouts – Hero Nation Podcast". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 7, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  20. ^ a b Campione, Katie; Ortiz, Andi (September 10, 2022). "'Loki' Season 2 Adds 'Everything Everywhere' Breakout Ke Huy Quan, Debuts First Footage at D23". TheWrap. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  21. ^ Miller, Leon (September 26, 2022). "Loki Star Tom Hiddleston Teases Season 2 Plot Details". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  22. ^ Hermanns, Grant (June 13, 2022). "Loki Season 2 Will Bring Back TVA Secretary Casey, Confirms Star". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  23. ^ Odman, Sydney (February 18, 2023). "'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' End-Credits Scenes Tease Future MCU Villains". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  24. ^ Lambe, Stacy (February 24, 2023). "'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' Director Says End Credit Scene Is From 'Loki' Season 2 (Exclusive)". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  25. ^ White, Peter (May 17, 2022). "'Loki' Revealed As Most-Watched Marvel Series On Disney+ As Kevin Feige Debuts 'She-Hulk' Trailer At Upfront". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  26. ^ McCullough, Hayley (May 18, 2022). "Loki's Entire Main Cast Confirmed for Season 2 Return". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  27. ^ Mantilla, Ryan Louis (January 11, 2023). "'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Star Ke Huy Quan Reveals Kevin Feige Personally Asked Him to Join the MCU". Collider. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  28. ^ Daniels, Nia (June 13, 2022). "Loki season 2 starts UK shoot with Tom Hiddleston". Kemps Film and TV Production Services Handbook. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  29. ^ Cook, Laurence (January 31, 2022). "UK Greenlit: Tom Hiddleston Returns in 'Loki' + Clooney's 'Boys in the Boat'". Backstage.com. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  30. ^ Christopher, Charles (June 14, 2022). "Loki Season 2 Officially Begins Filming With New Set Photo Unveiled". Game Rant. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  31. ^ "Production Weekly – Issue 1219 – Thursday, November 5, 2020 / 163 Listings – 35 Pages". Production Weekly. November 4, 2020. Archived from the original on November 5, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  32. ^ a b Miller, Leon (July 4, 2022). "Loki Season 2 Set Photos Feature an Eternals Reference, Mobius' Return". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  33. ^ Plainse, Josh (July 13, 2022). "Loki Season 2 Set Photos Have TVA Office Vibes For Mobius & Trickster". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  34. ^ Garbutt, Emily (July 13, 2022). "Loki season 2 leak reveals the return of Sylvie in an unlikely location". Total Film. GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  35. ^ Rajput, Priyanca (October 17, 2022). "Marvel's Loki season 2 wraps filming in London". Kemps Film and TV Production Services Handbook. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  36. ^ "Paul Zucker Resume" (PDF). Murtha Skouras Agency. June 6, 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  37. ^ Johnston, Dais (July 7, 2022). "Exclusive: Composer Natalie Holt Will Return For Loki Season 2". Inverse. Archived from the original on July 8, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  38. ^ Lussier, Germain (July 12, 2022). "Obi-Wan Kenobi Composer Natalie Holt on Star Wars Pressure, John Williams, Loki Season 2, and More". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  39. ^ a b Vary, Adam B. (July 23, 2022). "Marvel Studios' Phases 5 and 6: Everything We Learned at Comic-Con About the Multiverse Saga". Variety. Archived from the original on July 24, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  40. ^ Khalifeh, Mona (March 23, 2023). "Owen Wilson on a 'Wild' Loki' Season 2 and Oscar Winner Ke Huy Quan Joining the Cast (Exclusive)". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
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