One variant character from What If…? has already appeared in the live-action MCU, so many more could follow suit after What If…? season 2.

Several variant characters from Marvel Studios’ animated What If…? could make their way into the live-action MCU. After the concept of the multiverse was introduced in Phase 4’s Loki season 1, Marvel Studios began to explore alternate realities and different versions of the MCU’s characters in the animated What If…? series on Disney+. What If…? season 1 premiered in August 2021, while season 2 released an episode daily for nine consecutive days over the 2023 Holiday period, introducing even more variant heroes and villains from across the MCU’s multiverse. Any number of these characters could appear in the MCU’s live-action future, following on from Captain Carter’s Phase 4 live-action debut.

After portraying Peggy Carter since 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, Hayley Atwell returned to voice a version of the character who became the world’s first super soldier instead of Steve Rogers in What If…? season 1’s premiere episode, “What If… Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?” Captain Carter later became a member of the Guardians of the Multiverse, and returned in What If…? season 2 to receive a huge power upgrade. However, Atwell also appeared as another Captain Carter variant in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, so many other What If…? heroes could also make the move from What If…? into the MCU’s upcoming live-action adventures.

10T’Challa’s Star-Lord Could Be The Perfect Replacement For Peter Quill

What If… T’Challa Became a Star-Lord? (2021)

Chadwick Boseman debuted as T’Challa, the Black Panther, in Captain America: Civil War, and was set to become a huge part of the MCU prior to his sudden death in 2020. Released posthumously, What If…? season 1, episode 2, “What If… T’Challa Became a Star-Lord?,” saw Boseman voice a variant of T’Challa who was abducted from Earth instead of Peter Quill. While Boseman wouldn’t be able to portray a variant of T’Challa in the MCU’s future, introducing T’Challa’s Star-Lord into live-action would allow the character to live on, and could provide a great replacement for Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord following his return to Earth in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

91988’s Avengers Would Be Great To See In Live-Action

What If… Peter Quill Attacked Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? (2023)

What If…? season 2, episode 2, “What If… Peter Quill Attacked Earth’s Mightiest Heroes?,” featured the formation of a team of Avengers compiled from the superheroes of 1988. Led by Peggy Carter and Howard Stark, What If…?’s 1988 Avengers team would be an exciting inclusion in the live-action MCU, potentially playing a pivotal role in the events of the Multiverse Saga’s Avengers: Secret Wars. This could mark the returns of Wakandan King T’Chaka, Hank Pym’s Ant-Man, Bill Foster’s Giant-Man, the Kree Mar-Vell, Bucky Barnes’ Winter Soldier and a younger version of Thor, whose live-action debuts could see them fight alongside the future iteration of the MCU’s premiere superhero team.

1988’s Avengers team formed to battle the Celestial Peter Quill, who had wreaked havoc across the Nine Realms in an effort to aid his father, Ego’s, expansion plans across the universe.

8Zombified Scarlet Witch Would Be A Terrifying MCU Addition

What If… Zombies?! (2021)

Recent rumors suggest What If…?‘s zombified Scarlet Witch is set to be the primary threat of Marvel Studios’ spinoff Marvel Zombies, but it’s possible that the villain could also debut in the live-action MCU. This iteration of the Scarlet Witch debuted in What If…? season 1, episode 5, “What If… Zombies?!,” which featured a group of heroes navigating a zombie-infested world. A frightening version of Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch was seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but Olsen has claimed there are no plans for her to reprise the role in the MCU’s future. Nevertheless, a zombie Scarlet Witch could introduce a terrifying foe to the MCU.

7Happy Hogan’s Freak Could Be Included In MCU’s World War Hulk

What If… Happy Hogan Saved Christmas? (2023)

Several Hulk characters have been featured in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, including Bruce Banner’s Smart Hulk, Jennifer Walters’ She-Hulk, Emil Blonsky’s Abomination and Skaar, Banner’s Sakaaran son. What If…? season 2, episode 3, “What If… Happy Hogan Saved Christmas?,” introduced yet another one, as Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan injected himself with the Hulk’s blood and became the Freak. This savage but sentient Hulk would make a great addition to the MCU, particularly with speculation that Marvel Studios is developing a World War Hulk project for the MCU, and could see Favreau become the MCU’s longest-running live-action actor, as he has been around since Marvel Studios’ first project, Iron Man.

6Nebula’s Nova Corpsman Could Appear In An Upcoming MCU Project

What If… Nebula Joined the Nova Corps? (2023)

What If…? season 2 kicked off by introducing a new variant of Karen Gillan’s Guardian of the Galaxy Nebula, and this hardened, heroic iteration of Nebula would be a great addition to the live-action MCU. “What If… Nebula Joined the Nova Corps?” also made steps to set up Marvel Studios’ Nova project, despite news on the upcoming project being scarce in recent years. The Nova Corpsman version of Nebula could make an appearance in the MCU’s Nova series, and could bring What If…? season 2, episode 1’s film noir vibes into the live-action MCU. Gillan’s MCU future hasn’t been confirmed, but it’s possible she could reprise this multiversal role.​​​​​​​

Karen Gillan’s MCU future after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is unclear, though it’s possible she could return as she retired from the Guardians team to build a new community in Knowhere alongside Dave Bautista’s Drax the Destroyer.

5Infinity Ultron Would Be A Formidable Villain In The MCU

What If… Ultron Won? (2021)

What If…? season 1 included variants of several iconic MCU villains, but the season’s primary foe was Infinity Ultron, a version of Avengers: Age of Ultron’s foe who successfully downloaded himself into Vision’s body, and later acquired the six Infinity Stones. With the MCU now halfway through the Multiverse Saga, Infinity Ultron’s live-action debut could pose a threat to all of reality, just as he did in What If…? season 1’s finale, “What If… the Watcher Broke His Oath?” The Guardians of the Multiverse formed to battle Infinity Ultron, so the villain’s live-action appearance could also bring this exciting multiversal team into the MCU’s main continuity.

4Hela Could Return To The MCU As A Hero

What If… Hela Found the Ten Rings? (2023)

Cate Blanchett’s Hela hasn’t been seen in the live-action MCU since 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, where she was presumably killed during Surtur’s destruction of Asgard. However, Blanchett returned to voice Hela, the Asgardian Goddess of Death, in What If…? season 2, episode 7, “What If… Hela Found the Ten Rings?” After being exiled to Earth, Hela began a chain of events that culminated in her becoming a hero, which would be an excellent dynamic to explore if this variant appeared in the live-action franchise. Following Loki’s ascension to the God of the Multiverse in Phase 5, Hela’s return could prove that all of Odin’s children were destined to become powerful heroes.​​​​​​​

3Strange Supreme Would Be A Great Addition To Doctor Strange 3

What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands? (2021)

What If…? season 1, episode 4, “What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?,” has been widely regarded as one of the series’ strongest episodes. This episode showed the consequences of meddling with the multiverse, as Doctor Strange’s reversal of the Absolute Point of Christine Palmer’s death inadvertently destroyed his entire universe. Strange Supreme returned in What If…? season 2 as a villain fighting to restart his reality, and though he presumably sacrificed himself at the end of What If…? season 2’s finale, it’s possible that Marvel Studios’ potential Doctor Strange 3 could feature a showdown between Strange Supreme and Benedict Cumberbatch’s original variant.

An evil variant of Doctor Strange did appear in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, fighting the MCU’s original version of the Master of the Mystic Arts with music after being corrupted by the Darkhold, though this version is not the same as What If…?’s Strange Supreme.

2Kahhori Could Change The Power Levels Of The MCU

What If… Kahhori Reshaped the World? (2023)

Prior to Devery Jacobs making her live-action debut as Bonnie in Marvel Studios’ Echo series, the actor voiced the MCU original superhero Kahhori in What If…? season 2. Kahhori became empowered by the Tesseract, a.k.a. the Space Stone, after the Infinity Stone crashed to Earth in pre-colonial America, gifting her abilities that make her one of the MCU’s most powerful heroes. After battling Strange Supreme alongside Captain Carter in What If…? season 2’s finale, the perfect next step for Kahhori would be in a live-action MCU appearance, bringing Native American representation to the MCU, and changing the power levels of the franchise forever.

1The Watcher Could Give Jeffrey Wright A More Prominent MCU Role

What If…? Seasons 1 & 2

Jeffrey Wright has proven his gravitas, presence and power as What If…?‘s Watcher, the enigmatic narrator of every multiversal story in the series. While Wright has made the Watcher one of the best elements of What If…?, it would be great to see him debut as the otherworldly character in the live-action MCU. With the Multiverse Saga expanding, and set to come to blows in Avengers: Secret Wars, the Watcher could have a pivotal role in the MCU’s future. Wright’s live-action debut could also pay off the Watchers’ tease in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and could help to explain continuity errors, timeline issues and Marvel Television canon confusion.