Mild spoilers for the latest episode of Loki, “Science/Fiction” lie ahead.
The second season of Marvel Studios’ Loki has been firing on all cylinders since it debuted for Disney+ subscription holders. Its narrative has been engrossing, the production design has been impressive and the score remains top-notch. One can’t compliment the Marvel Cinematic Universe show without also shouting out the impeccable costumes, which come courtesy of Christine Wada and her tewam. The veteran thread enthusiast has done a considerable amount of work over the years, so it’s only natural that some of her past credits would impact the work she’s done on the multiverse-bending series. However, when I spoke to her on behalf of CinemaBlend, I was surprised to hear her explain how Bridesmaids was “really helpful” for the proceedings.
Most of us here are familiar with Bridesmaids, right? It’s Paul Feig’s comedy about a woman who hits an array of speed bumps while serving as her best friend’s maid of honor. Kristen Wiig (who also co-wrote it) played the lead role, and she was joined by Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy (in her breakthrough role) and more talented stars. It’s filled with iconic scenes including that food poisoning sequence (which cut a gross moment) as well as the wild bathroom scene. So after hearing these reminders alone, it’s clear this is a far cry from an MCU production, story-wise. However, there’s apparently a key similarity when it comes to costuming.
I was able to speak with Loki’s Christine Wada over Zoom, during which we discussed a number of topics in regard to her work on the acclaimed superhero drama. Because she’s worked on major films and TV shows like Zombieland: Double Tap and Our Flag Means Death, I couldn’t help but ask which ultimately proved to be most integral to her MCU work. While I wasn’t expecting her to name-drop the beloved 2011 comedy flick, Wada’s logic is totally understandable and has to do with character relationships within an ensemble:
Honestly, I think a lot of it is from when I was an assistant designer, to tell you the truth and doing a lot of like, the period stuff that I did early on, because there are so many period movies I did. But I'd say in terms of my movies, Bridesmaids is really helpful, because you had so many different characters, and you really learn how to make them all feel like buddies but have their own lanes, right? So whether you're doing that in a futuristic context or a period context, you just start to learn how to assemble a cast and make it feel believable. And bring a character to each one, and there's a real art to that, for sure.
Loki Costume Designer Discusses The ‘Funny’ Aspect Of Designing Sylvie’s McDonald's Uniform
Like the Oscar-nominated movie, Loki features an array of characters that differ when it comes to their personalities as their personal styles. There is a slight level of uniformity, considering that the bulk of them work for the same organization – the Time Variance Authority. But at the end of the day, the titular character’s fresh shirt and tie paired with that sleek jacket don’t feel quite as corporate as his pal Mobius’ look. And B-15’s Hunter outfit is distinct from Sylvie’s grounded and otherworldly combos. But all in all, Christine Wada and her collaborators did an excellent job making the outfits and using them to convey the vibes of each character and their relationships with one another. And the fact that much of the creative approach is linked to a movie that sees Kristin Wiig have a meltdown and throw chocolate makes it that much cooler.
Costuming and character bonds were particularly vital during the latest episode of the 2023 TV schedule entry. The installment, “Science/Fiction,” saw the God of Mischief re-assemble Mobius, Ouroborus, B-15 and more after the destruction of the Temporal Loom. After gathering them from (dying) branched dimensions, the lead protagonist – who’d begun time-slipping again – reached the conclusion that he wants to save the TVA only to get his friends back. It was a sweet bit of character growth for him and, as a whole, it drove home what I’ve been enjoying about Season 2. And that’s the fact that the show has truly become one centered around an ensemble as opposed to a single lead.
Given the craziness that’s transpired so far, there’s no telling what viewers might see in the season finale this coming week. Whatever the case though, I have no doubt the costumes are going to be on point, and you better believe Bridesmaids (which is streamable with a Peacock subscription) will be in the back of my head while I’m tuning in.
You can stream Loki’s final new episode of the season starting on Thursday, November 10 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. And with Season 2 coming to a close, look ahead by checking out the schedule of upcoming Marvel shows.
