As a long-time Marvel fanatic who’s seen more Avengers movies than I can count (and I mean that literally), the recent hints about the future of “What If…?” have me more intrigued than Loki with a Tesseract! The idea that the show could be woven into the grand tapestry of upcoming Marvel movies like “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars” is as exciting as a Hulk-sized scoop of ice cream on a summer day.
The excitement surrounding the exploration of the Marvel multiverse is at an all-time high, given that Phases 4-6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are collectively known as The Multiverse Saga. In live-action, films like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Loki, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, The Marvels, and even Deadpool & Wolverine have delved into alternate realities. Meanwhile, What If…? has been exploring this theme in animation. We’re only a month away from Season 3 of What If…? premiering on the 2024 TV schedule, and recent developments have sparked speculation about whether upcoming Marvel movies like Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars might tie into the series finale.
Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Studios’ Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, dropped by Phase Hero for a chat about the recently wrapped up “Agatha All Along” and upcoming Marvel TV series lineup, including “What If…?” Season 3. During their conversation, Winderbaum gave some insights on what lies ahead for Jeffrey Wright’s Uatu and the characters that will interact with him in the forthcoming episodes of this final season:
I cannot say too much, but I’m just gonna put this out there, that there are bigger universe reasons why it feels like What If… ? needs to coast in for a landing right now. It doesn’t mean there can’t be more What If… ? down the road, but it is part of a bigger tapestry that’s being woven in real time.
Despite Winderbaum not explicitly referring to “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars”, it’s reasonable to draw connections given his reference to a larger narrative arc. Just as “Infinity War” and “Endgame” concluded The Infinity Saga, “Doomsday” and “Secret Wars” are expected to mark the culmination of The Multiverse Saga. It’s hard to imagine any reason within this grander cosmic scheme for “What If…?” to conclude, although, as Winderbaum pointed out, this doesn’t necessarily rule out its potential return at a later date.
It’s challenging to pinpoint the specific reason behind this, given the enigma surrounding “Doomsday” and “Secret Wars,” which are shrouded in mystery even by Marvel Studios’ usual standards. In terms of the plot, aside from the Avengers presumably reforming, we only have two pieces of information: first, the Fantastic Four will make their appearance following their debut in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” next summer; second, Robert Downey Jr. is set to reprise his role as Doctor Doom in the MCU, who will be the primary antagonist in these upcoming films since the original plan for Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror to take on that role has been cancelled.
Based on my current understanding, it seems likely that the events depicted in “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars” will be so significant they could alter the multiverse in a way that might prevent “What If…?” from continuing with its usual style of stories. Yet, I’m optimistic that “What If…?” may still play a role in these upcoming movies. In particular, I’d love to see Jeffrey Wright reprise his character Uatu, as he would surely be compelled to observe the unfolding events.
Starting from December 22, subscribers of Disney+ will receive daily installments of “What If…?” Season 3. Meanwhile, “Avengers: Doomsday” is set to premiere in theaters on May 1, 2026, and “Avengers: Secret Wars” will follow suit on May 7, 2027.
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2024-11-15 04:07