What has for long been speculated by analysts and consultants has now been confirmed by more official sources: Loki is the most successful MCU series on Disney Plus. The statement is taken from Kevin Feige's latest publicity event, where the Marvel Studios chief also showed the first trailer for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
Streaming ratings or viewership numbers are not easy to come by, that is because none of the competing companies or services such as Netflix, Disney, Hulu, HBO Max, or Paramount Plus are obligated to make this strategic data widely available. Instead, the second-best option is found in Nielsen ratings, whose methodology has its own challenges when it comes to streaming but that nonetheless also puts Loki ahead of WandaVision, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Hawkeye, as well as the latest of these, Moon Knight.
As reported by Deadline, Feige commented that Loki ended up being a “bold swing” and that such a “wild ride paid off." The Marvel Studios boss then highlighted that Tom Hiddleston's first lead effort did admirably well, even more so than its Marvel peers. Feige also noted that, as of now, Loki is the only MCU series to have been renewed for a second season that will see the entire cast return, although under new direction from duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, who will step in place of Kate Herron as production begins next month.
Benson and Moorhead's work in Moon Knight says a lot about Loki season 2, as the two directors have specialized in the horror genre for most of their careers. This is something that is not foreign to Loki, a show already influenced by David Fincher's filmography. While the god of mischief is technically dead in the MCU's main sacred timeline, both Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness could have done a lot of setting up for Loki season 2.
One undisputed fact is that, for all his merits, Loki still fell short of the same viewership attained by either The Mandalorian's first or second season, even when accounting for the fact that those were released in 2019 and 2020, respectively, at a time when Disney Plus' subscriber base was lower than it was once Loki came out during last year’s summer. Still, Loki stands well above The Book of Boba Fett when it comes to ratings, a feat only WandaVision achieves in Marvel Studios' camp, despite the fact that the bounty hunter series got worse reception.
There is no estimated release for Loki's second season, though with production just beginning and a healthy dose of MCU content like She-Hulk and so many others, it would not be surprising to see Loki make his grandiose return in summer 2023.
Loki season 1 is now available on Disney Plus.
Source: Deadline