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News of Marvel Studios’ What If…? Season 3 came at the recent D23 Brazil event, where Disney gathered fans for a showcase of what’s to come in the theme parks, the Star Wars franchise, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, among other Mouse House-owned studios.
The event was packed with exciting updates, including new footage and teasers for upcoming films and series. It also featured an update for What If…?‘s final season, which premieres this December.
Credit: Marvel Studios
D23 Brazil: Exclusive Marvel Previews
Following Southern California’s D23 Expo, Disney’s magical experience expanded to South America with D23 Brazil. Here, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, along with key actors like Anthony Mackie and David Harbour, presented exclusive content that set the tone for Marvel’s future. Fans were treated to new footage of Captain America: Brave New World, which will hit theaters in February 2025, and updates on The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025).
Brad Winderbaum, Marvel’s Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, also took the stage to highlight Marvel’s upcoming Disney+ slate. Central to his presentation were teasers for What If…? Season 3 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. The crowd was also thrilled by appearances from Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio, who shared special updates of Daredevil: Born Again.
Credit: Marvel Studios
What If…?—A Hidden Gem in the MCU
Amid the MCU’s massive slate of live-action series like WandaVision, Loki, and Hawkeye, the animated What If…? series quietly carved out its niche on Disney+. Launched in 2021, the show took a daring leap into the Multiverse, reimagining fan-favorite characters in alternate realities. It offered viewers a fresh take on familiar heroes, with standout episodes like Chadwick Boseman’s poignant final performance as T’Challa—this time, reimagined as Star-Lord rather than Black Panther. Another fan-favorite was the debut episode, where Peggy Carter, voiced by Hayley Atwell, took up the shield as Captain Carter instead of Steve Rogers, played here by Josh Keaton.
Though the series saw several recasts for iconic roles, with actors like Mick Wingert stepping in for Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Lake Bell voicing Black Widow instead of Scarlett Johansson, it maintained a strong connection to the MCU by weaving in many original actors. The show’s strength lay in exploring familiar characters through a different lens, giving fans a “what if” scenario that stayed true to the spirit of the Marvel universe.
Credit: Marvel Studios
The Final Season: What to Expect
As confirmed during D23 Brazil, What If…? Season 3 will officially mark the end of this unique animated series. The final season drops on Disney+ starting December 22, with a new episode each day over eight days, reminiscent of last season’s holiday rollout. Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) posted:
“Witness the season that ends it all. #WhatIf Season 3 arrives December 22 on @DisneyPlus. Unwrap a new episode daily for 8 days!”
The newly released trailer showcased an exciting glimpse of characters entering the Multiverse fray, with beloved figures like the weather-controlling mutant Storm making her animated return. Alison Sealy-Smith, who originally voiced Storm in X-Men: The Animated Series, reprises her role, bringing a wave of nostalgia for fans of the ’90s series.
Marvel also confirmed that Season 3 will feature episodes exploring the worlds of Shang-Chi, Sam Wilson’s Captain America, Moon Knight, and Agatha Harkness. Agatha’s character has seen a resurgence in popularity after Agatha All Along—a spinoff of the hit series WandaVision—dominated Disney+ earlier this year.
Credit: Marvel Studios
Scaling Back for Success: The MCU in 2024
The announcement of What If…? coming to an end marks another step in Marvel’s recent strategy of streamlining its content. After being criticized for overwhelming fans with too much content, Disney CEO Bob Iger spearheaded a shift in 2024 to focus on quality over quantity. As a result, this year has seen fewer releases, with just Deadpool & Wolverine in theaters and live-action series like Echo and Agatha All Along on Disney+.
However, this leaner approach has paid off. Deadpool & Wolverine shattered box office records, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, while Agatha All Along captured the internet’s imagination, cementing its place as one of the most talked-about shows of the year.
Marvel’s decision to slow down comes after years of non-stop content releases that left some fans and critics feeling overwhelmed.
Credit: Marvel Studios
The End of What If…?
For fans of the Multiverse, What If…? has been a refreshing change of pace from the high-stakes, interconnected narratives of the MCU’s live-action films. The show allowed Marvel Studios to flex its creative muscles, offering fans an anthology series where anything was possible.
“The audience was the first to see an exclusive trailer and poster celebrating the third and final season of the popular series What If…? The culmination of the adventure through time and space, Season 3 sees classic characters making unexpected choices that will mutate their worlds into spectacular alternate versions of the MCU,” The Walt Disney Company shared about the event.
Credit: Gage Skidmore, Flickr
As Marvel gears up for its 20th anniversary in 2028 with plans for Phase Seven already in motion, the end of What If…? marks the closing of one chapter while leaving the door open for even more ambitious storytelling.
What are your thoughts on What If…? wrapping up this December? Share your reactions and predictions in the comments below.
