Marvel's artistic brainstorming train — a.okay.a. the wildly ingenious and at occasions unhinged (in the easiest way!) animated collection What If…? — is unfortunately coming to an finish.

The Disney+ MCU anthology collection that explores alternate variations of occasions from main Marvel motion pictures begins its third and closing season on Dec. 22, with new episodes rolling out each day till the collection finale on Dec. 29. And Marvel TV boss Brad Winderbaum calls the eight-episode swan music "very bittersweet" as Jeffrey Wright's all-seeing narrator, Uatu the Watcher, brings the complete story to a "melancholy" finish.

Under, Winderbaum reveals what followers can anticipate from the ultimate season of What If…?, why now was the correct time to finish the present, and the way subsequent yr's animated occasion collection Marvel Zombies connects to the season 1 zombie episode.

What If…?'s 3rd and final season will be a 'very fulfilling culmination' for the Watcher

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Why finish What If…? after this season?

BRAD WINDERBAUM: There are larger universe causes to culminate it now. For those who're a fan of the general MCU, you'll discover that the primary season premiered after Loki season 1, when the Sacred Timeline blossomed right into a multiverse and impulsively all these new tales emerged. That was once we began telling these tales in What If…? And on the finish of season 2, when the Watcher takes Peggy to look out on the multiverse, it's taken the type of the tree of tales that Loki sits in the course of on the finish of Loki season 2. So the fruits of season 3 and of the collection itself does slot in to the general MCU tapestry in that approach. That being stated, there's infinite tales to inform with What If…?, and time will inform whether or not we make extra. However for now it’s, I feel, a phenomenal option to finish this period and to culminate the story of the Watcher.

So there's a risk this present might nonetheless return sooner or later?

I hope so.

Was it at all times the plan to finish What If…? after three seasons, or did that call come about later because the MCU developed?

It happened organically as the remainder of the MCU was coming collectively and the Multiverse Saga was beginning to discover its conclusion. It simply looks like the correct time. And I'll say this, our artistic group led by Bryan Andrews, our creator and director of What If…?, is continuous in Marvel Zombies, which comes out Oct. 3. For those who do not forget that zombies episode from season 1, that could be very very similar to the half 1 prologue for this big, epic occasion that’s popping out subsequent yr.

Do folks want to return and rewatch that episode earlier than seeing Marvel Zombies?

Yeah, undoubtedly. Definitely earlier than subsequent October I’d give {that a} rewatch.

Does Marvel Zombies choose up instantly from the episode of What If…? How does that episode arrange the brand new collection?

It ties proper in. It’s the similar universe. For those who've by no means seen that episode of What If…? you do come on the universe from a unique angle. So you can simply watch the 4 episodes of Marvel Zombies coming in utterly blind as a result of it does inform its personal story. However in the event you do know that episode of What If…? and what occurs in it, it does join solely to that episode.

Jeffrey Wright promises 'epic and sweeping' What If…? season 2 finale conclusion

Are you increasing another episodes into spinoff initiatives?

That's an excellent query. There are definitely characters that I’d wish to revisit. Kahhori, I like that episode a lot from season 2, and he or she comes again in season 3. I feel she's simply such an inspiring, cool character and actually has an excellent charisma and presence on display screen. After which there's a brand new character named Byrdie voiced by Natasha Lyonne this season that I’d like to see extra of sooner or later as effectively.

How does this closing season match into the bigger MCU?

I can't actually reply that particularly, however I’ll say that it does match into the saga as we enter the third act of the saga. What If…? season 3 does set the desk in quite a lot of methods.

Does the collection finale finish on a cliffhanger, or will it present whole closure for followers?

I feel What If…? ought to really feel like a heat blanket. It's a vacation launch, it's a brand new one each morning, it's somewhat reward you get as you're residence with your loved ones over the vacations to look at when you're ingesting your morning espresso or sizzling chocolate. And it has that pleasure and that heat and that glow of the season, as a result of these characters are very human and they’re at occasions super-funny, however at occasions have to actually cope with some life classes. And so there's a way of melancholy. The ending is each pleased and unhappy. And definitely for me, having labored on this for therefore lengthy and for this being the present that launched the studio, it is vitally bittersweet.

Whereas every episode tackles a wildly completely different story, what are you able to reveal about the primary serialized arc we'll see all through the complete season?

It's largely an anthology with somewhat little bit of a serialized chaser, and this season — and this collection total — you can have a look at as an examination of the Watcher. This man was pleased being an introverted spectator of the world round him however takes an opportunity and steps out of his consolation zone and enters the tales of the folks he loves, the folks he respects. And that comes at a price, and the season offers with that price.

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Did you at all times understand how this present would finish?

There wasn't an thought for the way it might finish, however there definitely was an concept that ultimately this is able to be a narrative in regards to the Watcher. He's not only a narrator, he's not only a spectator. He’s additionally a insurgent in his personal approach. He’s a rule-breaker and a man attempting to reconcile what he’s alleged to do with what he desires to do. And that was very attention-grabbing to us. And definitely when it got here time to culminate the story, that turned the factor that drove us. It has a really satisfying closing two episodes. I discover them very emotional to look at in the event you love the characters and also you're following the story of the Watcher — he does characterize in some methods what it means to be a fan and the way you work together with the fabric that you simply love. I feel that the ending could be very enjoyable however very unhappy, very satisfying in all of the methods.

What episodic tales are you most excited for followers to see this season?

The Shang-Chi Western episode with Kate Bishop is so superior, and actually leans into that style in such a enjoyable approach. The Mech Avengers episode, I imply, being a baby of the '80s, watching all that Voltron, that was a dream come true to have the ability to play with these toys. Previous-timey Hollywood, Dominic Cooper coming again as Howard Stark, doing his Howard Hughes directing factor, is a lot enjoyable. There's surprises in all of them, however the "Howard [the Duck] Received Hitched" [episode], you don't anticipate that episode to go the place it goes. I imply, by the tip, particularly as a mum or dad, it hits fairly laborious. And Kathryn Hahn reprising the icon that’s Agatha — actually, there's not an episode within the bunch that I wouldn't watch a thousand occasions over. And imagine me, I’ve, being in these edit rooms. So I'm excited for the world to see it now.

Which MCU actor will shock followers probably the most with what they did for What If…? this season?

Dominique [Thorne] is again as Riri Williams, and that's a dystopian episode in a world that’s run by this tyrant model of Mysterio, and he or she's actually unbelievable in that story. I feel individuals are going to be shocked by that. It's nice to have Hailee [Steinfeld] taking part in Kate Bishop once more. And Sebastian Stan is simply insanely cool and in a position to present so many dimensions of Bucky. David Harbour, he's simply so enjoyable as that character [Red Guardian]. You're like, "Extra please." And Anthony Mackie as Captain America main the Mech Avengers, he's nice. And that episode says a lot, it's such a tremendous pilot to the season. Walton Goggins coming again and doing his character from Ant-Man and the Wasp, he's so good that you simply begin recontextualizing [his] live-action appearances really, and realizing how unbelievable he was in his unique look. There's simply actually too many to even point out, however these are only a few. I'll say this: When Kathryn noticed the musical numbers within the "Agatha Went to Hollywood" episode, she was like, "We’ve to do that in stay motion."

This interview has been edited for size and readability.

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