Credit: Marvel Studios/Sony PicturesWhile turmoil rumbles as Marvel Studios reworks the future of the MCU, fans bid farewell to this version of the Multiverse. Is it truly the end of an era for What If?
Marvel’s What If? series has been a breath of fresh air to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the past three years, and it feels as if those three years of animated action are finally drawing to a close with a third and final season. After breathing new life into some of our favorite characters, it feels like we’re saying goodbye to the likes of Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Panther all over again.
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It might be some time before we see a truly successful entry like those that inspired the series, but Marvel Studio’s Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation Brad Winderbaum just promised fans a parting gift they won’t soon forget. The question is, are they prepared to join the Watcher and ask, “What if?”
What If?: Marvel Asks One More Time
We’ve seen T’Challa become Star-Lord, our favorite superheroes become zombies, and Ultron nearly wipe out the entire Multiverse. With that knowledge in mind, it’s safe to say that What If? is quite the cinematic series.
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The show reunited most of the live-action cast to tell completely unique stories featuring our favorite heroes and villains and allowed Marvel to experiment with styles, plots, and scenarios ripped straight from the comics. However, a recent update shared that the upcoming third season will complete the series as an animated trilogy.
In a recent report, What’s On Disney Plus shared the following statement from Brad Winderbaum:
“It feels like the completion of a trilogy. It takes us to places that you’d never expect. It goes beyond the first two seasons in its exploration of the multiverse. It pulls in characters that are very unexpected and has what I think is an extremely moving and very fulfilling culmination for Uatu the Watcher.”
All good things must come to an end, but there will undoubtedly be a very vocal response when the final episode drops. While it’s unrealistic to expect Marvel to keep it going to the point it reaches rigamarole status, Disney+ might actually be facing a massive loss.
Beyond the Multiverse
What If? was Marvel’s perfect testing grounds and an ideal canvas to paint some otherwise impossible scenarios. Given the established canon of the live-action MCU, certain restrictions can limit what stories make it to the big screen.
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Because of its medium, formula, and lack of traditional limits, the series was how Marvel tested weird, strange, or unusual scenarios to see how fans would respond. After all, it introduced many fans to Marvel 1602 and is likely a prime reason why Marvel: Zombies is set to get its own live-action adaptation.
Simply put, the series worked because it gave fans what they wanted, allowed Marvel to experiment, and likely inspired future projects coming down the pipeline. Three seasons is certainly a solid entry for any popular series, but it feels like so many corners of the Multiverse are yet to be discovered.
Were you a fan of Marvel’s experimental series? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!