The MCU is turned upside down in incredible new What If…? trailer

Marvel’s What If…? comes to life in this epic new trailer that makes some startling revelations.

The MCU-Disney Plus train isn’t stopping. With Loki about to come to a close, Marvel Studios is gearing up for its next streaming chapter: What If…? The show, which, as its name implies, takes heavy inspiration from Marvel’s beloved comic book series of the same name, will put fun spins on the MCU storylines we’ve experienced over the past decade.

Unlike other MCU projects, Marvel Studios has been relatively forthcoming about what we should expect from the show and its storylines. We even got a trailer for it back in 2020. Now, with the series right around the corner, a new trailer has arrived.

The new footage not only gives us a better look at the series, but it also reveals its premiere date to be August 11. Take a look:

Watch Marvel’s What If…? trailer

There are quite a few details to take away from the trailer. We get to see Killmonger and Tony Stark becoming friends (or allies, at least?), T’Challa assembling what appears to be his own iteration of the Avengers (with what looks to be a new version of the Black Panther alongside him), and Spider-Man being in a seemingly serious situation as he desperately shoots his webs at something off-screen.

Arguably one of the most intriguing of those scenarios is Killmonger and Tony Stark forming an alliance. A recently-revealed What If…? Funko Pop! figure featured Killmonger holding an Ultron head, so it will be exciting to see whether his “friendship” with Tony Stark is what leads him to cross paths with the killer robot.

Lastly, it’s a little nostalgia-inducing to see Tony Stark back in action without Robert Downey Jr. lending his voice to the character. Having said that, even though it will probably take viewers some time to adjust to the Armored Avenger’s new voice, it will likely be a non-issue as the series progresses and we get invested in this new iteration of everyone’s favorite philanthropist.

How important is What If…? For the MCU?

With What If…? being animated, some may feel the show’s place in the MCU hierarchy to be relatively low. However, there’s a case to be made for the series playing a prominent role in the franchise’s ever-evolving lore.

Firstly, there’s What If…?”s possible place in the MCU’s multiverse storyline. The franchise has already started its deep dive into its multiverse with Loki, a journey that will continue with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and later — as Kevin Feige revealed during Disney’s 2020 Investor Day event — with Spider-Man: No Way Home. Considering its exploration of alternate MCU scenarios, it’s not unreasonable to assume that What If…? will be another branch of that story.

Secondly, there’s the fact that the series will be the proper MCU introduction of one of Marvel’s most significant cosmic characters: The Watcher. Such an important player being introduced in the series makes it even likelier that whatever transpires in this new TV series will affect the big-screen side of the MCU in some form or another.

We’ll get a full picture of what What If…? will represent for the MCU when it arrives on Disney Plus on August 11, 2021.

What did you think of the What If…? trailer? Which MCU storyline are you most excited to see this show put a spin on? Let us know in the comments below!