‘Loki’ costume and production designers talk traveling through time — and to a McDonald’s circa 1982

The second season of Marvel Studios’ Loki not only explores the literal inner workings of the temporal bureaucracy known as the Time Variance Authority, but it also sends viewers — as well as Tom Hiddleston‘s fan favorite God of Mischief and his pal Agent Mobius (Owen Wilson) — through time and space.

Oh, and into a McDonald’s in Broxton, Oklahoma, in 1982. 

Back from the first season is costume designer Christine Wada. ABC Audio wanted to know if she ever thought working for Marvel would have her making the period-accurate Mickey D’s uniforms spotted in a scene where Sophia Di Martino‘s Loki variant Sylvie gets a job at the Golden Arches.

“No,” Wade answered flatly but added a laugh.

She called the task “really fun,” noting McDonald’s consulted with the show’s creative team to get the details just right.

“Our uniforms right on the cusp of when they phased out to a new one, which is really kind of perfect for our show . . .” she said, calling Loki a “costume designer’s dream come true.” 

Literally building the world of the TVA and beyond was production designer Kasra Farahani and his team. 

Much of season 2 takes place deep inside the bureaucratic bowels of the TVA.

Farahani explained, “If those spaces were inspired by the mid-Sixties, these spaces . . . were definitely inspired by more Cold War tech and architecture and the bunkers from the mid-fifties. So it’s like sort of ten years earlier or so.”

He stressed real sets and practical props over computer magic wherever possible, calling it “a joy to be able to find new corners of the TVA to world build in and to develop.” 

The fourth episode of Loki’s second season debuts Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.

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