What If...? (2021)
What If...? is a 2021 animation series. It stars Jeffrey Wright, Terri Douglas and Matthew Wood.
Every episode asks a single question: what if one hinge moment in the Marvel films had gone another way? Marvel Studios' first animated series builds each half-hour around a divergence, letting the Watcher, a cosmic observer sworn to never interfere, narrate outcomes where Peggy Carter takes the serum, or T'Challa grows up far from Wakanda. Voiced largely by the original film cast, the anthology treats the multiverse as a playground for genre swaps, from horror to heist to space opera. It rewards fans who know the source timeline well enough to feel each swerve, then follows the ripples with real stakes.
Quick answers
What is What If...? about?
Every episode asks a single question: what if one hinge moment in the Marvel films had gone another way? Marvel Studios' first animated series builds each half-hour around a divergence, letting the Watcher, a cosmic observer sworn to never interfere, narrate outcomes where Peggy Carter takes the serum, or T'Challa grows up far from Wakanda. Voiced largely by the original film cast, the anthology treats the multiverse as a playground for genre swaps, from horror to heist to space opera. It rewards fans who know the source timeline well enough to feel each swerve, then follows the ripples with real stakes.
When was What If...? released?
What If...? was released on 11 August 2021.
How many episodes does What If...? have?
What If...? has 26 episodes across 3 seasons.
Where can I watch What If...??
What If...? is available on Disney+.
Where to watch What If...?
Stream: Disney+
Official site
Cast
- Jeffrey Wright as The Watcher (voice)
- Terri Douglas as Additional Voices (voice)
- Matthew Wood as Additional Voices (voice)
- Fred Tatasciore as Additional Voices (voice)
- Robin Atkin Downes as Additional Voices (voice)
- Shelby Young as Additional Voices (voice)
- Debra Wilson as Additional Voices (voice)
- Dave B. Mitchell as Additional Voices (voice)
- Helen Sadler as Additional Voices (voice)
- Piotr Michael as Additional Voices (voice)
- Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter / Captain Carter (voice)
- Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes (voice)
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Explore What If...? guides
A few thoughts on What If...?
For a look under the hood of what makes this animation move, The Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams is the working artist's bible. The Illusion of Life lays out the Disney principles the studio still leans on. And The Pixar Touch tells how a scrappy team turned computer animation into an industry, useful context for Marvel's own animated leap.
Marvel's animated universe beyond the films
What If...? is Marvel Studios' first swing at animation, and Marvel heroes have thrived in that form for decades. These series carry the same comic-book energy in ink and color, giving the X-Men, Avengers, Spider-Man, Iron Man and the Fantastic Four room the live-action films rarely allow.
DC's animated heroes from Saturday mornings to now
What If...? plays in Marvel's corner, but the animated superhero tradition is just as rich on the DC side. These shows span generations of that world, from the earnest team-ups of classic Saturday-morning cartoons to sleek modern sagas, mixing caped icons and teen sidekicks with a lighter, more playful touch.
Anthology series that remix a universe from new angles
Every episode of What If...? reruns a familiar universe with one choice changed. These series share that anthology and alternate-timeline instinct, whether they hand animators free rein over a galaxy far away, ride an endless mystery train, or watch a hero break time and reshape the world around him.