Marvel's What If...? is scheduled after Loki so the franchise can explore the infinite possibilities of the multiverse. For some time now, there have been numerous signs of the MCU stepping into the multiverse as it moves beyond the Infinity Saga. For one thing, the first movie of 2022 will be titled Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. For another, this year's Spider-Man: No Way Home will reportedly feature several actors from past Spidey franchises. The MCU's most recent offering, the season 1 finale of Loki, set the stage for all of this with its game-changing developments.

After killing He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors), a variant of Kang the Conqueror who maintained the Sacred Timeline, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) introduced chaos to the universe and effectively began a multiversal war in the Loki finale. While the immediate effects of this won't be seen in live-action for a while, the MCU is diving headfirst into the multiverse with the animated series What If...?, which explores what would've happened if certain events from the movies went differently.

Related: What If...? Trailer Breakdown: All MCU Character Changes & Alt Timelines

In a recent interview with Deadline, What If...? executive producer Brad Winderbaum explained the decision to schedule the animated show after Loki. Though they might not seem like shows that would feed well off of each other, their importance to the Marvel multiverse makes them perfect together. "It’s no coincidence that the show picks up right after Loki," Winderbaum said. "The multi-verse has erupted in every possible direction. What if…? gives us a chance to explore that."

T'Challa As A Ravager In Marvel's What If

Interestingly, Tom Hiddleston is one of the many Marvel actors supplying his voice to What If...?, as Loki will play a part in the series. Hiddleston previously hinted that the series will set up the MCU's future, something that is only possible through the multiverse. While What If...? may have simply seemed like a fun interlude when it was first announced, it's clear now that that show functions as a proper introduction to the multiverse, which plays a big role in Phase 4 and beyond.

What If...? will explore several intriguing scenarios, from Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) taking the super-solider serum to T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) becoming Star-Lord instead of Peter Quill. Whether any of the stories explored in What If...? could bleed into the live-action side of the MCU remains to be seen, but it doesn't seem that far outside the realm of possibility. Loki opened the door to the multiverse, and What If...? will supply the first steps into it. Plus, the fact that there's a season 2 already in the works shows that this concept will be sticking around for a while. Marvel fans have been waiting a long time to get into the multiverse, and now it officially arrives in just a couple of weeks.

More: Loki Makes What If…? The Real First MCU Multiverse of Madness

What If...? premieres Wednesday, August 11 on Disney+.

Source: Deadline

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