With Marvel’s What If…? season 2 now streaming on Disney+, Marvel Studios has been releasing tidbits of information about the upcoming What If…? season 3. The latest news is that the series will finally start exploring characters from Marvel’s Phase 4—and possibly take inspiration from Marvel Comics’ Avengers: Mech Strike series.
Seasons 1 and 2 of What If…? largely lean on phases 1-3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which began with Iron Man and ended with Avengers: Endgame. Some of the show’s main characters included Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Thor, and Natash Romanoff. Characters who were introduced in Phase 4, like Monica Rambeau, Alexi Shostakov (a.k.a. Red Guardian), and Shang-Chi were absent from What If…?.
That isn’t to say that What If…? seasons 1 and 2 relied solely on nostalgia for the MCU’s early days. There was some crossover between the series and Phase 4 movies, like Captain Carter appearing in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Plus, one episode took place in the realm of Ta Lo from Shang-Chi.
But it looks like the MCU’s current roster of characters may start to play a bigger role in season 3.
What If…? reveals Monica Rambeau, Red Guardian, and Sam Wilson’s Captain America
Yesterday, Marvel and What If…? posted some season 3 animation stills on their Instagram accounts, giving audiences a few peeks at what’s in store.
The first still shows Bucky, Sam Wilson, and Monica Rambeau standing and looking at something offscreen. Sam is in the Captain America uniform he first donned in the series finale of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Monica is wearing her uniform from The Marvels.
The second still shows two giant mechs, one of which is holding a giant Captain America shield. It’s possible that this episode will be based on Avengers: Mech Strike, a comics run that saw the Avengers fight Kang using mechanical armor. (If you’re wondering if Marvel sold a boatload of mech toys based on the series—oh, yes, they definitely did.)
The third and fourth stills feature Red Guardian, first with Bucky, and then being held aloft by Giant-Man. We also saw Red Guardian and Bucky in a clip that Marvel released shortly after the season 2 finale.
Who else will show up in What If…? season 3? We’ll have to wait and see. Although season 3 doesn’t have a release date yet, it’s a good sign that Marvel’s already ramping up publicity for it.
(featured image: Disney+)
