[Editor’s note: This article about Marvel’s What if…? was written by guest author Jacob Hynes.]
It feels like it’s been forever since Marvel Studios’ first animated series, What If…?, arrived on Disney+. Praised for its unique animation style, which reflects the world of comics through the use of color and design, What If…? changed the landscape in the form of stories that could be told in the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse. However, since the first season’s finale back on October 6, 2021, the animated world of the MCU has been ultimately quiet. The promise of more animated series is keeping fans going, but it isn’t much longer until the fans get another taste of What If..? and the stories the Watcher observes across the multiverse. Today we come bearing the gifts of the holiday season with exclusive news on the What If…? season 2 release date for the episodes and other details. Continue if you wish to know more!
[Warning: possible spoilers from What If…? season 2 are below!]
[Editor’s note 11/15/23: The What If…? release date has been confirmed. Check out the new What if…? season 2 trailer here!]
What if…? and it’s endless possibilities
For those who may be unfamiliar with what the Marvel Studios series What If…? is about, don’t worry we here at The Cosmic Circus have you covered. What If…? is an animated series that explores alternate realities within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, resulting from the events of Loki season 1, which saw the breaking of the sacred timeline after the death of He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors).
What if…? is based on a series of comics that originally ran from 1977 to 1984, which used the same concept as the animated series. The first season delves into intriguing hypothetical scenarios across nine episodes, reimagining key events from the films and posing questions like “What if … Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?” or, my favorite, “What if … Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?”
Each episode of What If…? season 1 was a standalone narrative, allowing viewers to witness imaginative and often surprising twists in the Marvel universe. Each story is paired with one of the MCU films, however featuring one important narrative change, which cascades into something new and exciting which has never been seen before.
With this series, audiences and fans can experience stories they are already familiar with in a new way, which allows for a more expansive exploration of these chapters in the MCU. The Watcher, voiced by Jeffrey Wright, served as the narrator observing these alternate realities. It all culminated in a larger-than-life season finale where The Watcher brought together a team of individuals spread out across the multiverse, forming an Avengers team unlike we’ve ever seen before.
What if…? Comics Reading Guide
Update on Marvel’s What If…? season 2 release date on Disney+
The second season continues with The Watcher sharing with us both new and old parallel realities, such as a return to Captain Carter’s universe, a timeline that kicked off the first story of the series. But this season will have a far bigger impact on the 616 timeline, something fans have been asking for since the first season.
Some of the episodes fans can expect this season will also tackle some interesting storylines as they weave together narratives from different corners of the MCU. For example, an episode that changes the origin of one Guardians of the Galaxy character set in the 80s which leads to the development of an all-new set of Avengers with a classic taste. Another is an episode in which the forces of the Mandarin go toe to toe with the might of Asgard.
Fans can also expect some new stories as well, such as the case with one episode set in the Middle Ages, as well as a story set in the sovereign Haudenosaunee Confederacy before the colonization of America. New stories or twists on classics, every episode of What If…? season 2 is sure to excite fans of the MCU, as the stories continue to grow the ever-expanding narrative of the Multiverse.
As the Watcher would say, it’s a prism of endless possibilities. But make no mistake, this season will have far larger implications for the multiverse and the 616 timeline than ever before. However, how exactly it does that, is information we may share another day.
Today, we here at The Cosmic Circus can exclusively reveal the release date of What if…? season 2. The second set of adventures begins on December 22nd with an episode being dropped every day until December 30th. One episode will drop on Christmas, an extra special episode that features Happy Hogan and Darcy Lewis in the Avengers Tower, along with the return of Maria Hill, voiced by Cobie Smulders.
Are you excited to see What if…? season 2 soon?
What if…? season 2 will stream on Disney+ beginning December 22, 2023. Are you looking forward to the Marvel series this holiday season? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus or the Cosmic Circus Discord if you are!
[Note: This report was written by Guest Author Jacob Hynes]
First Report: Marvel Animation Working Title and Production Company Round-Up
Exclusive: Jeffrey Wright Will Return as The Watcher This Year
Pitching and Possibilities For Marvel’s What If…? Season 2
