Marvel Studios' What If...? is one of the most intriguing projects in the ambitious Phase 4 slate of the MCU, mainly due to the vast amount of story possibilities that the series can showcase. Based on a comic book storyline of the same name, What If...? is set to explore alternate scenarios from MCU movies featuring the same characters from the successful Infinity Saga chapter of the franchise.
Set to be released sometime in the Summer of 2021, What If...? is a notable entry in Phase 4 as it will be the first animated project under the MCU banner. It's unknown if any of the realities presented in the show will somehow carry over to the big screen. However, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness offers an opportunity to at least reference one of the stories that What If...? presents.
Several MCU stars like Hayley Atwell and Robert Downey Jr. were already confirmed to return to voice their respective characters in the show, but a newcomer in the form of Jeffrey Wright will debut as the Watcher. And now, an official still from the MCU series has emerged, highlighting Wright's mysterious character.
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As part of the official 2021 preview from Disney, Jeffrey Wright's Uatu a.k.a. The Watcher was showcased in an official still from Marvel Studios' What If...?
Based on the announcement from 2019's San Diego Comic-Con, Jeffrey Wright's the Watcher will ultimately serve as the show's narrator. As the omnipotent being that oversees the many alternate realities, the character could be responsible for several scenarios that the show will focus on.
For those unaware, the Watchers are ancient species that observe different events across multiple dimensions and the entire universe itself. They usually have a code of non-interference since they only want to collect and compile information. However, given that the multiverse might be in shambles due to WandaVision and Multiverse of Madness, it's possible that they could get involved with the conflict to either save or even destroy reality itself.
In the official trailer of What If...?, numerous alternate realities like Peggy Carter becoming Captain America and T'Challa being Star-Lord were featured. However, one of the most notable scenes was the final sequence where the MCU's Doctor Strange was fighting an evil version of himself.
Could Uatu serve as the guide of Doctor Strange throughout the multiverse, allowing for What If...?'s stories to be told from the perspective of the Sorcerer Supreme?
As a result, What If...? could become a vital piece in the multiverse puzzle of Phase 4, and it could very well define the madness part of the much-anticipated Doctor Strange sequel in 2022.
