More MCU-set cartoons could follow in the footsteps of What If…?

Yesterday saw the release of Marvel’s What If…? on Disney+, an animated series showcasing a variety of alternate takes on the Marvel Cinematic Universe caused by slight shifts in the existing story. The first released episode feature Peggy Carter taking on the role of Captain Carter instead of Steve Rogers becoming the first Captain America, and previews have revealed other strange divergences like T’Challa as Star Lord or Spider-Man as the Sorcerer Supreme.

While animated shows have been a mainstay for Marvel since the 60s, What If…? is the first animated series to specifically be set within the MCU (or “adjacent” to the MCU, I suppose). Assuming the show does well, and in all likelihood, it probably will, Marvel is already preparing to pull the trigger on several other animated MCU projects.

“We realized that there’s a lot of cool avenues you can explore with animation,” What If…? executive producer Brad Winderbaum told Variety. “Any project we create is going to be something that needs to be animated in order for the story to be told. There’s very little desire to take a piece of IP that’s popular because we’re coming out with a movie and just make an animated show about it. We’re not going to do that.”

Marvel Studios is developing a number of new animated MCU shows for Disney+ following the debut of What If…? https://t.co/jqlhqnghlB pic.twitter.com/CcGVdlyGfX

— IGN (@IGN) August 12, 2021

These prototypical shows will focus on both overlooked or underutilized characters and concepts already in the MCU, as well as plotlines and characters from the Marvel comics that have yet to be explored.

“All of our animation ambitions are going to still be under Marvel Studios, which means they’re going to be produced by Kevin Feige and they’re going to be born of the same stuff that makes the rest of our content,” Winderbaum explained. “Time will tell as the story of the multiverse unfolds.”