With the release of Marvel's series What If...?, fans are wondering whether the show is canon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel's new Disney+ series is an animated anthology show, which explores alternate timelines within the MCU. The series reveals how even small changes in the MCU would drastically alter events and characters. What If...? is executive produced by A.C. Bradley and brings back several MCU stars to voice the animated versions of their characters. Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter), Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier), Michael B. Jordan (Erik Killmonger), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), and Tom Hiddleston (Loki) are among the returning cast.

Marvel shook up the MCU in Loki. In the series, Marvel reveals that He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors), a Kang the Conqueror variant, has been secretly controlling the Time Variance Authority and the Sacred Timeline. According to He Who Remains, if the TVA weren't monitoring the timeline, the Multiverse would be unleashed, and an infinite number of Kang variants would start a Multiversal War. In the series, Lady Loki (Sophia Di Martino) doesn't buy the story. He Who Remains took her life away with his Sacred Timeline, so she kills the Kang variant, unleashing the Multiverse on the MCU.

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With the vastly different style of What If...?, the series may have fans questioning if the show is canon. Though the series brings back many of the actors from the MCU, not all of them will participate. Dave Bautista, who plays Drax, even claims Marvel didn't ask him to be a part of the show. Additionally, the series is the first animated offering from Marvel, which significantly differentiates it from the MCU's live-action projects. Still, the show is a part of the MCU. With the Multiverse opening up in Loki, any story is possible, and Bradley already confirmed in an interview (via IGN) that the events of What If...? are a canon part of the Marvel universe.

Captain Carter with Bucky and Dum Dum Dugan in What If?

What If...? being canon opens up endless possibilities for the MCU. Now, the show doesn't just contain a fun mishmash of Marvel stories. It could have a greater impact on events. Alternate versions of characters appearing in What If...?, such as Peggy Carter's Captain America replacement or a zombie Tony Stark, could also appear later in the MCU, possibly showing up in other movies or shows. With alternate characters perhaps playing a part in projects down the line, the MCU opens up the possibility for returns from actors including Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr., possibly putting a twist on their former roles.

It remains to be seen how fans will respond to What If...? and how the series will impact the MCU. With some actors not voicing their original roles, the show immediately creates a disconnect with Marvel audiences. Also, the animation could be jarring for fans who have come to expect a certain consistency in MCU projects, perhaps making the episodes feel less important than Marvel intends. Nevertheless, the MCU is trying to make What If...? must-see TV. Time will tell if fans think it's as essential as Marvel wants it to be.

More: Loki Secretly Answers One Lingering Endgame Timeline Branch Mystery

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