Loki season 2 is one of the most anticipated MCU adventures of the year, but Marvel has reportedly delayed the Disney Plus release date. Instead of late summer, season 2 might hit Disney’s streaming service in the fall. The release delay isn’t about Jonathan Majors’ off-screen controversies that might prompt Marvel to recast Kang. Well, not entirely. Even if it is, Marvel might not be able to recast Kang in time for Loki season 2 reshoots. Mind you, some spoilers might follow below.
Will Marvel recast Kang?
Marvel has yet to react to the Majors scandal. But the actor is set to appear in front of a judge this week, and the aftermath of these early hearings might lead to a reaction from Kevin Feige and Co. That’s just speculation, however. Others have already cut ties with Majors following the domestic abuse allegations that led to his late March arrest.
According to some reports, Marvel has been looking at options to recast Kang, the big villain of the Multiverse Saga, and a character Marvel can’t just get rid of right now. Other rumors said that Marvel hadn’t considered recasting Majors.
In light of this issue, postponing Loki season 2 seems like the reasonable thing to do. Kang should have a major role in the series. Loki has massive implications for the current Multiverse Saga, but also for the Infinity Saga that ended with season 1. And Kang is at the center of it.
There’s no Loki season 2 without having Kang in it. And word on the street is that various variants of Kang might appear in it.
Should Marvel recast Kang, a Loki season 2 release date delay might allow it to reshoot all of the character’s scenes for the current season featuring a new actor. That’s just speculation, and it’s much easier said than done. Picking the right replacement for Kang might take months, assuming we’re on that path.
Why is Marvel delaying Loki season 2?
According to The Cosmic Circus, Marvel has decided on an October release window for Loki season 2. That’s instead of the September release date for Loki that Owen Wilson recently teased.
The reason for the delay has to do with Marvel’s desire to deliver a great story with Loki season 2 and the current climate. The current climate refers to the writers’ strike Hollywood is dealing with right now rather than the Majors controversy, although Majors is likely also a factor.
Apparently, Marvel had delayed Loki season 2 indefinitely before deciding on the October 2023 schedule:
The shift in dates from September to October is due to production on the season hitting a snag with the aforementioned climate in the Entertainment Industry as of late. Sources have stated that Marvel Studios have had discussions considering the option of delaying the release of Loki season 2 due to several issues. At one time, there was a point where Marvel had placed the second season of Loki on an indefinite TBD date before deciding to move ahead with the potential October 2023 date.
The same sources told the blog that Majors will continue to play Kang variants in Loki season 2, despite the release delay. That is, we shouldn’t expect reshoots with a new actor.
Marvel has reportedly started preparations “if push comes to shove and the need arises” to recast Kang the Conqueror. Marvel and Disney are monitoring the case unfold, The Cosmic Circus says.
