What If…? was only the beginning of Marvel Studios’ journey into the world of animation. After the first season concluded, viewers were left wondering what future potential and impact the upcoming animated shows could have on the larger scope of the MCU. Now, with Disney+ Day coming very soon, it’s possible that some of these upcoming animated projects could be officially announced at that time. It’s known that Marvel Studios has more than one animated show in the works, with the What If…? first season completed and the second well into production.
After doing some digging and deep-dive investigative work, I’m excited to report that one of the animation styles Marvel will delve into for their future projects appears to be based on the highly popular Anime style of animation. Over the past couple of weeks, there has been an increase in recruitments for a few upcoming Marvel Animation Studios projects. They relate to a relatively recent job posting that has a specific call out that caught my eye.
The position currently seeks artists “who will be lead on the design and potentially the animation of key and hero FX for episodes… with a strong sense of design and graphic appeal.” The position also seeks designers who will be able to bring forth “fresh and unexpected viewpoints to their work and workplace.” And lastly, they must have “strong knowledge of 2D animation principles with a familiarity of high-end anime 2DFX style.”
This job listing was paired with other recent job postings for an episodic but yet-to-be-announced animated project for Disney+. However, this is only a soft confirmation as to the direction Marvel intends to take for at least one future project. There are currently no titles, writers, or directors on the projects to our knowledge so far.
After the resounding welcome from Star Wars: Visions, it seems that Disney saw continued value in reaching the anime audience or extended resources in an established relationship. The release of Star Wars: Visions was late into the month, but the instant reception was positive and already warranted more. Disney has already worked with Japanese studios (Kamikaze Douga, Science Saru, Studio Colorido, Geno Studio, Kinema Citrus, Trigger, and Production I.G) and is not afraid of embracing different mediums to tell stories within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
This potential expansion of the universe means that Marvel will go beyond just the animation seen in “What If…?” for future projects. And unlike “Star Wars: Visions,” this could play into the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse as yet another alternate universe.
Source: Job Listing
Note: an editorial decision was made to withhold some sources of information for this article for the protection of those involved. We have done our due diligence and are confident in our research. ~ Lizzie Hill
Marvelous Music: A Possible Playlist for ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’
