Disney has made a significant investment in the upcoming second season of Loki, as the company looks to breathe new life into Marvel Studios, its currently underperforming division.
As revealed by a recent Forbes article, Disney has spent a colossal sum of $141.3 million USD (£110.6 million GBP) on the pre-production and filming of the next installment of Loki. Given the current circumstances, there’s no room for failure as Disney seeks to revitalise the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and rekindle viewers’ interest in its series. Interestingly, the second season of Loki saw more pre-production and filming expenses than notable Marvel blockbusters such as Doctor Strange (£102.7 million GBP), Thor 2: The Dark World (£99.4 million), and Guardians of the Galaxy (£91.1 million GBP).
The second season, fronted by Tom Hiddleston reprising his role as the infamous Asgardian god of mischief, is slated to premiere on Disney+ this October. Owen Wilson will return alongside newcomer Ke Huy Quan. Marvel’s performance this year has been lackluster, with films such as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 falling short of projected expectations. Another blow came with Secret Invasion, a series that held great promise for Disney but unfortunately faced criticism over plot inconsistencies, subpar CGI, and a gravely serious tone, leading to a disappointing 7% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Since its launch in 2019, Disney+ has yet to turn a profit, even reporting an operating loss of $695 million USD in Q1 of 2023. The popularity of Loki, however, provides a beacon of hope for Disney, as the company pins its hopes heavily on the success of this series.
