We’ve not even reached the halfway point of What If…? yet, but Marvel Studios are being far from shy when it comes to teasing big things in the future from the animated side of the franchise. Production and development executive Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt admitted that a whole lot more was on the way, while producer Brad Widnerbaum said the expansion plans would blow our minds.
Executive Vice President of Film Production Victoria Alonso went one step further by confirming that an entire animation studio was being launched to handle the next batch of animated projects, after What If…? was outsourced to external companies. In short, it’s all systems go for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s two-dimensional efforts, with the fans and Disney Plus set to benefit in equal measure.
We’re now hearing from our sources – the same ones who told us Captain America 4 with Anthony Mackie was in development long before it was confirmed – that anywhere up to seven shows are either being discussed internally or moving forward at Marvel, although we cant specify at this stage which characters or comic book runs they’d be based on.
Multiple seasons of What If…? are already in motion, with the sophomore edition expected to premiere next year, but such is the vastness of the Marvel Comics back catalogue, the possibilities to mine for inspiration are virtually limitless. Hopefully we get the chance to see some lesser-known favorites take center stage, because not every superhero gets to be the star of their own live-action blockbuster.