- Loki season 2 has a rumored filming start date
- First MCU TV show to receive a second season
- Tom Hiddleston will reprise his role as Loki
- Head writer Michael Waldron may return
It seems that the development wheels are starting to turn on Loki season 2. The Marvel Studios project, which is the first MCU TV series to be renewed for a second season, has reportedly received a filming start date – and it's pretty soon, too, if you believe the reports.
According to multiple source, Loki's second season will start shooting later this year. That follows plenty of pre-production work that's already been carried out, so it would be unsurprising if principal photography begins soon. You'll have to read on to find out more about its potential start date, though.
That's not the only information we know about Loki season 2, either. Below, you'll find out more about the Disney Plus show's return, including its confirmed cast members, how it ties into other Marvel Phase 4 projects, and plot threads that need resolving. Based on how the first season ended, too, there are plenty of questions we need answering.
Spoilers follow for Loki season 1, as well as other MCU productions including WandaVision and upcoming projects like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Loki season 2 release date
Loki season 2 release date: what we know
Loki season 2 doesn't have a confirmed release date. But, based on new information that's come to light, it's possible that it may return some time in 2023.
According to a Production Weekly November 2020 listing, filming was apparently slated to start in January 2022 under the show's working title 'Architect'. However, pre-production work wasn't completed until February, so that date was clearly wrong.
Following that leak, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige even suggested (per Collider) we might not see the cameras roll on season 2 until 2023.
However, a new report from Backstage Magazine has seemingly confirmed that Loki season 2 will enter production in summer 2022. That follows a similar report from another Marvel leaker in The Cosmic Circus. Backstage claims that principal photography will take place at Pinewood Studios in London, which backs up claims made by The Ronin about its filming location, too.
Ordinarily, we'd advise you to take this speculation with a big pinch of salt. But, given the number of sources with decent track records, there must be some truth in it. If Loki's second season begins shooting this summer, it could debut on Disney Plus in early 2023. That's what we've previously speculated anyway.
One thing we do know is that previous Loki showrunner Kate Herron won't be returning (per Deadline) for season 2. Loki head writer Michael Waldron, though, should return to pen season 2's scripts, so there should be some continuity in the show's next outing.
Loki season 2 cast
Loki season 2 cast: who is returning?
Spoilers follow for Loki season 1 for the rest of this article.
There's been no confirmation on who'll return, but we can speculate based on season 1's ending:
- Tom Hiddleston as Loki
- Owen Wilson as Agent Mobius
- Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer
- Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15
- Eugene Cordero as Casey
- Tara Strong as Miss Minutes
Hiddleston, Wilson and Mosaku should all return as Loki, Mobius and Hunter B-15, respectively. This prediction is based on how season 1 ended, with Loki running into alternate reality versions of Mobius and Hunter B-15 at a different Time Variance Authority (TVA). This is the most logical assumption we can make, based on the duo not recognizing Loki.
It's plausible that Loki season 2 will see a reversal of roles between Loki and the other two, too. At the end of episode 6, Loki knows more about He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors) and his other variants, including Kang the Conqueror, than Mobius and Hunter B-15. So he seems better placed to take on the role of 'teacher' in season 2 and bring Mobius and Hunter B-15 up to speed on this supervillain.
Mbatha-Raw's Renslayer may also return. In the season 1 finale, we saw Mobius' former ally leave the TVA to search for whoever is responsible for the lies she's been fed. We know that this individual is He Who Remains, but Renslayer doesn't. So she may be in for a surprise when she finds out that He Who Remains is already dead.
A Renslayer variant could be the leader of the alternate reality's TVA, too, much like she does in the TVA in season 1. This would be the easiest way for Mbatha-Raw to return but, if this isn't something Marvel decides to do, Loki and company might meet her again somewhere in the multiverse.
Cordero's Casey may feature in some way. A bit-part (but fan favorite) character in season 1, Herron has revealed that Casey is "fine" by season 1's finale and that she hopes "there will be more Casey to be enjoyed" in season 2 (per THR).
In a Variety interview, Herron also teased that Casey is employed in a different role in this alternate version of the TVA, and eagle-eyed fans may have already noticed – in season 1's final episode – what role he's likely to have next time around.
It's been a long journey! All episodes of Marvel Studios' #Loki are now streaming on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/EbkkJeDWz7July 18, 2021
One character whose future had been up in the air is Sophia Di Martino's Sylvie. However, now we know that Di Martino is likely to return. Di Martino has answered questions about her return in plenty of interviews, including a Q&A in the November 2021 edition of Elle magazine, which suggests she'll be part of next season's cast.
What could that entail exactly? Waldron has previously told Polygon that there wasn't enough time in season 1 to explore Sylvie's backstory in more detail. The show's lead writer didn't rule out that viewers may learn more in season 2 ("I guess we'll see"), as well as hinting that we could even be introduced to another MCU version of Thor.
Finally, we expect Tara Strong to lend her voice to sentient AI program Miss Minutes in season 2. There's been no confirmation about this but, if the TVA is a prominent location in Loki season 2, Miss Minutes should be a part of it.
Loki season 2 plot
Loki season 2 plot: what will the story be about?
Unsurprisingly, plot details are scarce. However, Hiddleston told Marvel.com that there have been "deep, deep discussions" about what Loki season 2 will entail, and that he hopes it'll be "full of even more" surprises. Speaking at MCM London Comic-Con (per RadioTimes.com), Hiddleston added: “We can’t say anything [about season two] unfortunately – we’d love to give you something [but we can't]."
Regardless, Hiddleston seems keen to continue exploring Loki's road to redemption, telling Variety: "I understand the audience sees good in Loki — they want him to get past his internal and external obstacles. They want him to repair that relationship with his brother and step into the hero that he can be.
"He realizes, ‘Actually, I can choose my path and choose to do the right thing. Or I choose, at least, not to repeat the same old tricks that I repeated over and over in a cycle of trust and betrayal.’ It’s exciting to retain all the characteristics that makes Loki, Loki, and at the same time to play slightly different music within him."
One of season 2's early plot points should deal with the fallout of Loki turning up in a different TVA. Waldron told Marvel.com that there were "different versions" concerning season 1's ending, but this one felt like the right fit for the show.
So Loki finds himself in a TVA that he recognizes, alongside people that he knows, but none of them are aware of who he is.
Season 2's opening episodes can go one of two ways, then, in our view. The first would see Loki interrogated by Mobius about who he is, Loki will reveal all about the real identity of Kang (Jonathan Majors), and they'll join forces to stop him. That would allow Mobius and Loki reprise to their buddy cop relationship from season 1's early episodes – something that fans wanted to see more of before the show went in a different direction with Sylvie's introduction.
Alternatively, Loki could decide to take a leaf out of Sylvie's book. Knowing that He Who Remains' variants (Kang included) are a danger to the MCU, he could decide to destroy the TVA to get Kang's attention, try to take Kang down himself, and become a fully-fledged hero.
That 'hero' idea is more plausible when you take comments from Waldron into account. In the same Polygon article we linked to earlier, Waldron said: "I think that you’re gonna see a Loki that looks at himself in a different way certainly that at the top of this [season 1]", which teases the prospect of the god of mischief continuing on his heroic path.
We might also find out more about the inner workings of the TVA. As Hiddleston told Marvel.com, the "moral complexity" of the TVA is a fascinating subject. It was only touched upon throughout season 1, so we could get a better look at how it functions, its values, and the moral compass of its work force.
As for He Who Remains, will he reappear? Seeing as he was killed by Sylvie in season 1's finale, no – but we may see one of his variants. It remains to be seen if that variant will be Kang or not. The season 1 finale ended with Loki looking at a statue of what appeared to be Kang in the TVA, so it's possible that Majors could feature in some capacity.
If he does, and if Loki season 2 is released in early 2023, it'll precede Kang's next appearance in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. We dive into what Loki season 1's finale means for other Marvel projects in more detail below, but Majors refused to reveal much when asked when his character would turn up next in an Entertainment Weekly interview.
Speaking of Kang, Renslayer has a close relationship with the time-traveling evil genius in Marvel's comics, so we're sure to see more of Mbatha-Raw in season 2. If she does appear, Mbatha-Raw hinted at where Renslayer's head will be at.
“We just dipped our toe into [this] at the end of the show, but you realize that the Multiverse just is so epic," she told Marvel.com. "The possibilities are endless. There's so much potential for what's on the other side of that Time Door. And ultimately, she wants revenge with whoever put this whole facade together.”
Speaking to Digital Spy, Mbatha-Raw added that she wasn't sure about the direction of Renslayer's character arc, saying: "Honestly, I genuinely don't know where it's going. I feel like there's so much potential, especially when you're dealing with time, as Renslayer does, you know? So, yeah, I don't know... I'm sort of open to the next chapter. We'll see. I would, of course, be open to (a movie). I don't know where it's all going at this point, but we'll see."
Herron also expressed her interest in seeing the show's supporting cast, such as Hunter B-15, have their backstories fleshed out.
In the same Variety interview regarding Casey's new TVA role, Herron said: “I was like, we shouldn’t see her memories [as part of episode 4]. It’s a character that thought they had power and realizes they have no power. It felt really powerful to at least give her some power in that scenario. The memories are private. They’re hers. Also, as a fan, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, who is she?!'”
Meanwhile, Di Martino is unsure what's in store for Sylvie, telling Elle: "I don’t know anything about season 2. I don’t know how far it’s going to be removed from what happened at the end of series 1. I don’t know if she will have changed again by the time we see her again. I don’t know where she’ll be, what headspace she’ll be in. I assume she’ll fundamentally still be the same character, but the multiverse makes even [that] a little bit complicated."
As for whether we'll get multiple seasons of Loki, Waldron remained tight-lipped when Polygon inquired.
"Time will tell, but I do my hope is that season 1 stands on its own," he said. "We always wanted to tell a complete story there. And in whatever the next chapter may be will stand on its own as well."
Loki season 2 trailer
Loki season 2 trailer: is there one?
No. Once one is released, we'll update this section.
Loki season 2: MCU impact
Loki season 2: how will it impact future Marvel movies and TV shows?
By now, Marvel fans will know how important Loki season 1's multiverse exploration has been for the MCU's future. Spider-Man: No Way Home was affected by multiversal events, while Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will examine it in greater detail. Loki is even rumored to make a cameo appearance in Doctor Strange 2 (per THR), although Marvel is yet to confirm this.
The first season of What If...?, Marvel's animated anthology series, was also loosely connected to Loki's first season, based on the fact that it explores alternate versions of MCU characters and the dimensions they inhabit. So we could see elements of that carried over into Loki season 2.
Majors, meanwhile, will star in at least one other Marvel property. Kang the Conqueror, one of He Who Remains' variants, will be the villain in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which arrives in July 2023.
During a chat with Variety, Herron revealed that Majors' casting was made alongside Peyton Reed, who directed the first two Ant-Man films and is returning to helm the third. It's currently unclear if Majors has been cast as Kang (or another variant) in other Marvel movies or TV shows.
Loki season 2 could have ties to Marvel's Fantastic Four MCU film, too.
Comic fans will know that Kang is linked to Doctor Doom, the Fantastic Four's most famous villain, so it's plausible that this superhero group could end up battling Doctor Doom and a Kang variant in their first solo MCU adventure. There's no release date for Fantastic Four as yet, so it will be a while before we can say we got this piece of conjecture right or not.
As for Marvel's TV show line-up (outside of What If...?), this is harder to predict.
We've speculated that She-Hulk villain Titania being from another universe, so this could be a multiversal tie to the fallout of Loki season 1 if our prediction is correct. Secret Invasion may have multiversal elements, too, if Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury has to deal with a secret influx of time variants of MCU characters. Finally, Armor Wars, which will star Don Cheadle as War Machine/James Rhodes, might link to Kang if Marvel decides to bring Iron Lad (another Kang variant) into the equation.
We hope that one or two of our predictions will be right but, honestly, we're just happy that Loki season 2 is in the works. We can't wait for more Loki-centric adventures and we're sure they'll be worth the wait.
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