One of Marvel’s top brass confirmed the status of What If…? as fans wonder whether a Season 4 will ever see the light of day.
Utilizing a daily release schedule over eight straight days, Marvel Studios delivered Season 3 of What If…? in late December. Fans saw dozens of wild characters take center stage, including a closing montage with several wild Variants that never came to fruition in the show.
This season was the MCU’s fourth project released in 2024, continuing the animated story that first started in 2021 during the Multiverse Saga’s early days. Now, with 26 episodes under the show’s belt, the question of how long What If…? can continue is up in the air.
Is 'What If' Over?"
Marvel Studios' Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation Brad Winderbaum confirmed the status of What If...? after the Season 3 finale on December 29.
Speaking with The Geekcentric Podcast, Winderbaum commented on the series being "an anthology first and foremost" and having "an overarching narrative," especially for Uatu the Watcher.
He further commented on "all three seasons [culminating] by the finish line," confirming that What If...? officially ended with Season 3.
In terms of tying to the MCU, he explained how the team looks to "follow very closely the mythology that’s being set up for the multiverse," keeping with every major event in the live-action story:
"We always looked at it as, it's an anthology first and foremost, but that it would have an overarching narrative, especially when it comes to Uatu and his story as the Watcher and his struggle. Even though all three seasons culminate by the finish line, it is a slow burn and kind of keeps that anthological element of the story throughout, but if you look at the final episodes of each season as kind of a Watcher Act 1, Act 2, Act 3, I think it does stand alone as a Watcher story. And in terms of tying to the MCU, we do follow very closely the mythology that’s being set up for the multiverse as the MCU unfolds. Whether it’s kind of the revelation that the multiverse exists or the idea that it’s all now harnessed by Loki sitting in the center of the multiversal tree of stories, or, you know, as will be revealed over time why this was the perfect moment to culminate 'What If…?' in its third season."
Further explaining the show's status with Phase Hero's Brandon Davis, Winderbaum looked back on exploring "different aspects of the universe" through both Loki and What If...?.
Additionally, by the time fans get to the end of What If...? Season 3, they will be able to "see how it all balances out" across the Multiverse Saga.
"Yeah, it will. A good way to put it is, if you remember at the end of 'Loki' Season 1, the Sacred Timeline ruptures and blossoms into alternate realities, and then the next series out was 'What If...?,' where we got to explore those different aspects of the universe. And then, frankly, the end of Season 2, when he shows Peggy the multiverse, it's the Tree of Stories that we know Loki is sitting in the center of. Without going into detail, I think by the time you get to the end of this season, and then over the next couple of years as the Multiverse Saga reaches its exciting conclusion, you will see how it all balances out in a similar way."
On top of those quotes, The Cosmic Circus' Alex Perez shared a rumor during the end of What If..?'s Season 3 run that, while the series is ending (also marking the final MCU release of 2024), "the story will continue" in another way.
Where Will 'What If' Go From Here?
The final episode of What If...? put some of its characters in unique positions, which could lead to a new story being told behind the Marvel Comics team known as the Exiles. This would likely consist of the ultra-powered-up versions of Kahhori, Byrdie, Storm: Goddess of Thunder, and Captain Carter.
That team could join forces with Uatu and seek out new stories across the Multiverse, which may bring new Variants and Multiversal adventures not yet seen in What If...?. While multiple characters were not available to use in Seasons 1 and 2, that could change with a new offshoot of the animated anthology.
On top of that, fans expect at least some of What If...?'s characters to join the fight in either Avengers: Doomsday, Avengers: Secret Wars, or both. Particularly with Secret Wars being teased as the biggest crossover event in comic book movie history, all options should be on the table for character inclusions.
Hayley Atwell's Captain Carter was already utilized in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, meaning the door is open for any What If...? character to cross over into live-action.
Whatever the specifics may be, although What If...? may be over, its heroes are sure to live on in some other form.
All three seasons of What If...? are now streaming on Disney+.
