‘Loki’ Season 2 Is Losing A Key Part Of Season 1

Loki was a smash hit for Disney Plus, breaking the service’s own lofty streaming records across a few different categories, and cementing itself as the most popular Marvel show so far. But the arrival of the Multiverse is going to be reshaping things both on and off screen for season 2 of the series, the first Disney Plus show to secure a follow-up that isn’t just a movie.

Loki season 2 was talked about a while ago, but confirmed at the end of this past season finale with a teaser. But it will go forward without the woman who directed all six episodes of season 1 and served as executive producer, Kate Herron.

Herron spoke to Deadline about how she was always meant to be there for just a season, and as a result, isn’t coming back:

“I’m not returning. I always planned to be just on for this, and to be honest, Season 2 wasn’t in the — that’s something that just came out, and I’m so excited. I’m really happy to watch it as a fan next season, but I just think I’m proud of what we did here and I’ve given it my all. I’m working on some other stuff yet to be announced.”

She doesn’t rule out returning to Marvel in the future, but not for a while, and definitely not for Loki’s second season, that much is clear. It also seems clear that Loki getting a second season is a bit of a surprise, and may not have been the original plan.

The season finale of Loki (spoilers), threw Loki back into a version of the TVA where no one recognizes him, and statues of Kang the Conqueror replace those of the fictional Timekeepers. Clearly the set-up is for more timeline shenanigans to come, as what does the TVA do now that the Multiverse is here?

Loki season 2 does not have a date, but the assumption is that it will arrive after Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness in early 2022, which will deal directly with the mangled timeline, but before Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in 2023, which has Kang the Conqueror as its main villain. Given the timeline split, it’s possible we could get a few different Kangs as villains going forward, including in Loki, but we’ll have to see.

I am sure there will be no shortage of talented folks lining up to direct future episodes of Loki, but I sort of hope they pick a singular director again, as that sort of unifying vision for the series really helped it become what it was. Herron will be missed, but hopefully season 2 can shine regardless.

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