Marvel Studios’ What If…? First Look Trailer Drops

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Space. Time. Reality. It’s more than a linear path. Marvel Studios’ What If…? coming to Disney+, some where, some when in 2021.

Marvel Studios dropped the first-look original trailer for the animated series What If…? during yesterday’s Disney Investor Day 2020 presentation. During the presentation, the President and Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige gave fans an exclusive first look at the studio’s first animated series, What If…?.

Marvel Studios’ first animated series is set to debut on Disney+ in Summer 2021.

Marvel Studios’ What If…? But, What Is It?

Marvel Studios’ What If…? is a series that takes inspiration from the comic books of the same name. Like the comics, the animated series will flip the traditional movie scripts on their head, and tell the stories the fans have come to lovingly memorize in a totally new way!

The Marvel Zombies episode is based on a comic series that was written by Robert Kirkman, with art by Sean Phillips and covers by Arthur Suydam. Photo: Marvel Studios

Marvel Studios’ What If…? asks what would happen to the Marvel Cinematic Universe if pivotal events from the MCU films change in small or unexpected ways. As revealed last year, the animated format of the series will allow MCU audiences to boldly go into uncharted territories.

Photo: Marvel Studios

There will be episodes asking reality-altering questions like “what if Peggy Carter was the one who became a super soldier?” or “what if T’Challa became the legendary outlaw, Starlord?”

Starlord T’Challa voiced by Chadwick Boseman, with Howard the Duck. Photo: Marvel Studios

Developing the 1st Marvel Studios Animated Show

Following D23, showrunner and head writer Ashley Bradley (Trollhunters) sat down with Discussing Film to, well, discuss the animated series. Bradley explained, “on the reel [shown at D23], there is this image of a Star-Lord T’Challa because we wanted to see what if the worlds of Black Panther and the Guardians of the Galaxy collided.”

Photo: Marvel Studios

In the interview with Discussing Film, Bradley further explained the inspiration for episodes of the animated show. Here is what she had to say about the shows comic book inspiration:

Ashley: We’re all big fans of the comics, and we do use those to a degree. During our first weeks there, I very strongly pitched doing The Mighty Thor – Jane Foster Thor – [by writer Jason Aaron and cover artist Russell Dauterman]. Jane wielding the hammer, I believe, first happened in a What If comic. I was very poignantly told that was never going to happen, and got a little angry and thought, “Why, because they don’t want a woman holding the hammer?”. I was very politely told, “No, we’re doing it. We’re doing it in the movies. You can’t do it. Please don’t tell anyone. We’re with you on it; it’s an amazing idea. Taika Waititi wants to write it.” At that point, you go, “Then Taika Waiti can write it!”

So we did use the comic books to draw from, which was a lot of fun. We also used our passions of ours in other ways to change the story. We’ve all stood in a parking lot outside after one of the movies and talked about what if this had happened or that had happened. This is just us taking that and getting to do it on a bigger level, fulfilling the audiences’ dreams. What we drew from was this collective consciousness of what we want to see. What would we do differently?

MCU All-Stars Are Returning

The animated series focuses on different MCU heroes in each episode, featuring a voice cast that includes a host of stars who will reprise their roles, including the previously announced Hayley Atwell, who has portrayed Agent Peggy Carter both on the big screen and the small screen.

Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) after receiving the Super Soldier Serum in Marvel Studios’ What If…? Photo: Marvel Studios

The series will also star Jeffrey Wright (Westworld, Green Eggs and Ham) as the voice of Uatu the Watcher.

Jeffrey Wright is the voice of The Watcher. Photo: Marvel Studios

Also, keep your eyes peeled for a whole host of other MCU stars, including Chadwick Boseman (T’Challa), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Michael Rooker (Yondu), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes), Chris Sullivan (Taserface), Natalie Portman (Jane Foster), Neal McDonough (Dum Dum Dugan), Djimon Hounsou (Korath), Michael Douglas (Ant-Man/Hank Pym), and so many more.

Marvel Studios’ first animated series, What If…?, heads to Disney+ in Summer 2021.

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