Marvel Studios will release And if…?The final season in 2024, although the MCU anthology series has enough potential for many more standalone episodes. The MCU’s launch of the Multiverse Saga in Phase 4 opened the door for a Marvel Comics adaptation And if…? issues, which told self-contained stories set in alternate timelines where events played out differently than on Earth-616. First released in 1977, Marvel’s And if…? the comics introduced scenarios that the main MCU universe couldn’t explore.
After 1st season released in 2021 and 2nd season released in 2023, And if…? Season 3 is expected to be released in December 2024. And if…?The third and final season will mark the end of the anthology series, bringing together characters like Captain Carter, Kahhori, Strange Supreme and Uatu the Watcher for one last confrontation. And if…? Season 3 will also introduce new characters in animated form, including Shang-Chi, Moon Knight, Agatha Harkness, the Eternals, and none other than Storm wielding Mjolnir as the Goddess of Thunder. Unfortunately, And if…? will end before reaching its full potential.
And if…? It will end before you make the most of the X-Men’s introduction
The MCU’s X-Men won’t have their own what if…? Stories
The introduction of the Tempest in And if…? The third season marks the first time an X-Men hero appears in the anthology series. “What if… Storm wielded Mjolnir?” could be the most anticipated episode of And if…? season three, and could easily set the stage for future similar episodes starring mutants. And if…? Episodes featuring timelines where mutants existed in the MCU all along could have shown how different the franchise would have been. However, And if…? There won’t be a Season 4, which means famous mutant characters like Wolverine, Cyclops, and Magneto won’t star in their own alternate timelines.
And if…?The mutant-focused episodes would offer a glimpse into all the Sacred Timeline universes where the X-Men already exist
Marvel Comics’ And if…? issues include alternate timelines with lots of interesting material for short animated adaptations. Examples include “What if…Magneto had formed the original X-Men?”, “What if…Professor X had become the Juggernaut?” and “What if…Wolverine was a SHIELD agent?” Of course, the MCU could have added more exciting original scenarios like “What if… the X-Men fought Thanos?” and “What if… The X-Men replaced the Avengers?” And if…?The mutant-focused episodes would offer a glimpse into all of the Sacred Timeline universes where the X-Men already exist.
And if…? May not live up to its promise after three seasons
And if…? Missed the chance to present unique hypothetical scenarios
By definition, Marvel And if…? Stories revolve around hypothetical scenarios that differ from the main continuity due to a significant change. And if…? episodes like “What If… Captain Carter Was the First Avenger?” and “What if…Doctor Strange lost his heart instead of his hands?” largely followed this concept with the idea that a single difference turned Peggy Carter into a Super Soldier and Stephen Strange into an evil sorcerer who destroyed their entire universe. Majority And if…? The episodes, however, simply introduce alternate timelines where many elements are inherently different without any correlation.
The MCU’s live-action projects already form an extensive overarching storyline, and And if…?autonomous nature should offer a breath of fresh air
And if…? it also puts a lot of focus on its overarching stories. And if…? the first season saw Uatu reunite the Guardians of the Multiverse, And if…? season 2 saw Strange Supreme fight multiversal characters while trying to restore his timeline, and And if…? Season 3 will have Captain Carter and Kahhori putting together a new multiversal team. While these stories are impressive, they distract from the main appeal of the original And if…? concept. The MCU’s live-action projects already form an extensive overarching storyline, and And if…?The country’s autonomous nature should offer a breath of fresh air, at least in theory.
Why what if…? It’s ending after three seasons
The Multiverse Saga will focus on other projects before its conclusion
With The Fantastic Four: Getting Started signaling the end of the Multiverse Saga when Phase 6 begins in mid-2025, And if…? season 4 would only have a few years to complete. And if…?The central concept of Limits the series to the MCU multiverseand the possible soft reset of the MCU after Avengers: Secret Wars could make it impossible for the series to continue without ignoring the rearrangement of the Sacred Timeline that the Avengers’ battle against Doctor Doom could entail. Marvel’s decision to give And if…? an overarching plot with multiversal stakes cements the animated show’s place in the Multiverse Saga.
If Phases 5 and 6 are not delayed, the Multiverse Saga will end in 2027. Marvel’s schedule for the next three years is quite packed, with projects that include several animated projects slated for release in 2025. In 2025 alone, the Marvel will release Marvel Zombies, Eyes of Wakandaand Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Manmore And if…? season 3. Therefore, And if…? Season 4 would need to begin production in 2026 and would be released in late 2026 or early 2027 at the earliest. At this point, Marvel will be putting all of its efforts into big events like Avengers: Judgment Day, Spider-Man 4and Avengers: Secret Wars.