Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Marvel's What If...?

The trailer for Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of What If…? hints at the show’s connection to the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios’ first animated series on Disney+ explored a handful of ideas that couldn’t necessarily be done in live-action. Based on the comics of the same name, What If…?’s first season saw a staggering amount of MCU actors reprise their roles to answer the series’ titular question—from “What If...Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?” to “What If...The Watcher Broke His Oath?”

Despite the fact that it was originally thought to be a mere anthology series playing with the idea of alternate universes/timelines, the final episodes of What If…? season 1 saw its narrator, the Watcher (Jeffrey Wright), break his oath of non-interference and assemble the Guardians of the Multiverse. Episode 8, “What If...Ultron Won?,” introduced audiences to a universe where Tony Stark’s villainous A.I. defeated Earth’s mightiest heroes during the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron. On top of that, Ultron (Ross Marquand) acquires all the Infinity Stones, purges the galaxy, and becomes aware of the Multiverse and, in turn, the Watcher himself—a threat to the MCU at large.

Related: How The Watcher's Ultron Plan Mirrored Avengers: Endgame

Wednesday, Marvel Entertainment released a trailer for the What If…? episode of Marvel Studios Assembled, the documentary series that offers an in-depth look at the making of this year’s MCU installments, including WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, and Black Widow. This latest episode, of course, covers What If…?’s premiere season and hints at the series' connection to the future of the MCU and how it gives audiences a better idea of the larger MCU. Check it out below:

As addressed in the documentary, which is available now on Disney+, the What If…? comic book series often served as a testing ground for what could happen in canonical issues. That being said, while many of the storylines explored in seasons 1, 2, and so on of the animated series may not tie into live-action, it’s reasonable to assume the series’ most popular aspects will. In the wake of Loki, and in anticipation of multiversal films like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it seems likely characters such as The Watcher may someday appear on the big screen.

In What If…?’s season finale, Doctor Strange Supreme (Benedict Cumberbatch), Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell), T'Challa's Star-Lord (Chadwick Boseman), Party Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Lake Bell), Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), and Gamora (Cynthia McWilliams) work to defeat Ultron. Ultimately, they succeed before Doctor Strange Supreme contains Arnim Zola (Toby Jones) and Killmonger. Theories persist saying that this version of Doctor Strange and Captain Carter, who is already confirmed to be appearing in season 2 alongside The Watcher, will someday appear in live-action. Even if they don’t, What If…? will continue to utilize fresh MCU concepts and flesh out narratives possible from a multiversal perspective.

More: Every MCU Event That Could've Caused Phase 4's Multiverse Madness

Source: Marvel Entertainment