What If...? marked a major step in Phase 4 as it furthered the introduction of the MCU's Multiverse and served as Marvel Studios' first foray into animation. Season 1 already delivered Captain Carter, Doctor Strange Supreme, Infinity Ultron, and plenty more crazy scenarios, and Season 2 appears slated to bring in plenty more.
The official production brief for Moon Knight previously confirmed What If...? Season 2 was slated to be released by the end of 2022. Meanwhile, Disney+ Netherlands sent out a newsletter claiming the animated premiere was set for July 20, but obviously, that proved to be false.
Now, Marvel Studios has finally confirmed when What If...? Season 2 will be coming to Disney+, and it appears to have been delayed.
What If...? Season 2 Delayed to 2023
Marvel Studios officially announced at its San Diego Comic-Con animated panel that What If...? Season 2 has been delayed to premiere in early 2023. Season 3 has already entered development for Disney+ with no confirmed release window at this time.
The delay announcement follows official Disney listings claiming the Multiversal follow-up was set for a late 2022 release on Disney+.
Total Film confirmed the heroes “saving the multiverse, one universe at a time” will include Hela, Captain Carter, Scarlet Witch, Iron Man, Black Widow, Doctor Strange, and more. ComicBook also listed the inclusion of young Peter Parker, Yondu, Korg, Thanos, the Grandmaster, Red Guardian, Ego, Shang-Chi, Bucky, Captain America, and Gamora.
Discussing Film described the scenarios in Season 2 to involve "a Hela story," "Odin vs The Mandarin," "Captain Carter meeting Winter Soldier," and "Tony [Stark] on Sakaar with Valkyrie and Hulk."
Murphy's Multiverse revealed the panel included confirmation of an episode inspired by the 1602 comic storyline which took place in a world where Marvel's heroes instead existed in the Elizabethan era.
What If...? Dials Up the Crazy for Season 2
What If...? Season 2 already appears to be dialing things up a notch from the first batch of episodes. Marvel Studios has not only plucked from the Infinity Saga this time around but has also reached into Phase 4 to produce some weird and wacky scenarios, many of which make perfect sense.
Among the most exciting is the promise of a face-off between The Mandarian and Odin, although it's unclear whether Tony Leung and Anthony Hopkins will be back. Either way, the two titans of war have led the Ten Rings and the Asgardians, respectively, for thousands of years, which will undoubtedly lead to an epic battle.
Adapting Neil Gaiman's 1602 will undoubtedly prove exciting for comic readers, as the limited series has been among Marvel's most popular. Among the heroes originally included were Nick Fury, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four; Doctor Doom, Magneto, and Scarlet Witch were villains in the series.
In the same sense that Marvel Zombies has now spun out of Season 1's undead installment, 1602 may have the scope to warrant an animated spin-off series in the years to come. After all, the scope of the eight-issue limited series was massive and far more than that of one episode's worth.
On a simpler note, many will be excited to hear confirmation of Hayley Atwell's Captain Carter returning in a follow-up to her Season 1 episode. Captain Carter will have already teamed up with the Avengers by the time the story picks up, setting the course for an alternate take on The Winter Soldier, with Steve Rogers' HYDRA Stomper teased in the post-credits scene to take Bucky's role.
What If...? Season 2 will premiere on Disney+ in 2023.
