what if a brand new much-awaited series from Marvel Studios . Marvel Studios and comics have been pioneers of including multiple storylines in a single space. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a vast expanse of many characters, their worlds and narratives, all interlinked and, although seemingly enormous, tightly bound. The stories are most definitely subsets of a bigger picture, which is a mere speck on a giant canvas. It is the sheer limitlessness of possibilities that led to the inception of the idea of “What if…?”
“What if…?” is a venture steering away from regular live action, into an animated superhero action genre following the likes of Invincible (2021), Yu Yu Hakusho (1990-94) and Justice League (2001).
Why is it different?
What if…? is set around the concept of, as the name suggests, alternate realities of what could’ve been in the cinematic universe. Although this article is merely based on the first trailer and past comics, what happens in the show is wildly up for speculation as Marvel Studios has long since given us a hint of going off of the comics. “What if…?” Is part of phase 4 of the MCU production line, picking up after the ending of season 1 of Loki, explaining a few drop points from there and expanding on the idea of the existence of the Multiverse.
It is confirmed that Uatu the Watcher, voiced by Jeffrey Wright, would be the narrator of the season, overseeing the happenings around Earth and its solar systems. We see role reprisals of many past MCU actors; Hayley Atwell, Paul Rudd, Mark Ruffalo, Samuel L. Jackson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Hemsworth, Kurt Russell, Sebastian Stan, Paul Bettany, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman and, with his very last role, Chadwick Boseman.
The trailer leaves with A LOT of unanswered questions of a Peggy Carter as the super soldier, Erik Killmonger as (maybe) the Black Panther, T’Challa playing the role of what Peter Quill played, the Guardians of the Galaxy probably taking the place of the Avengers, the return of Ultron, Loki as the King of Asgard and Tony Stark as, well not Iron Man. Further, we see how Marvel has included the famous scenes from the Marvel Zombies Comics (2005), with many of the present heroes fallen prey to their wrath. There are just too many maybes and it is very characteristic of Marvel to leave us with this.
The first season of the show will be composed of 9 episodes and will be available to be streamed on Disney Plus from the 11th of August. It is definitely something to look forward to as it is literally where the MCU could take new forms and shapes, possibly only again talked about in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).
Oh, and also, Howard the Duck is almost undeniably going to have both a longer screen time and a major role to play. So don’t forget to catch what if on Wednesday!(Aug -11 – 2021)