What If...? Writer Confirms What We Suspected All Along About Season 2
"What If...?" has been Marvel's first foray into animation, amid their new Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) lineup on Disney+. The series closes out a whirlwind Season 1 this week, following a cliffhanger that involves Ultron, the Infinity Stones, and the show's own narrator tumbling toward a state of multiverse madness.
Bryan Andrews, the show's director, spoke with Entertainment Weekly, saying, "I know people are starting to get a sensation that things are building to something. And they are. And craziness ensues."
The show was billed, as its title implies, around speculation as to how things might have turned out differently in the MCU if things hadn't followed the sacred timeline established by the Time Variance Authority, so fans are unsurprisingly speculating about the future of the show itself. Many have wondered whether the show is too niche, or whether MCU fans overall want an animated show when plenty of superhero animation already exists (including shows from Marvel itself).
However, Andrews is here to let us know that at least one thing we suspected is set in stone.
Season 2 of "What If...?" is already written
Much like the Sacred Timeline managed by He Who Remains, "What If...?" director Bryan Andrews says Season 2 of the show is already written, which means that — barring unfortunate circumstances or industry-wide strikes — fans can be certain of its arrival.
"Going into the second season, we're sticking with anthology form," Andrews said. "It's going to be all-new stories, lots of fun, new heroes, and pulling more from Phase Four than we were obviously able to this season."
Andrews also hinted at doors that might be opened in Season 2 due to the release of new and upcoming feature-length MCU films. "We'll see hints of 'Eternals' and 'Shang-Chi' and the 'Black Widow' characters," he promised. Andrews also noted that the creative freedom his team has with "What If...?" opens up doors for the stories they can tell. "We're not a show that's designed to set up Avengers 5 ... When I took the job, one of my rules was, 'Let's be free.'"
Writing is only one of the first steps in producing a television show, so fans shouldn't expect Season 2 of "What If...?" to drop soon. It's probably a ways off, but that's okay, because there will be plenty of new MCU content to enjoy before it arrives.