Marvel’s What If...? writer A.C. Bradley and director Bryan Andrews on Chadwick Boseman’s ‘1000 per cent’

Just because it’s an animated series, doesn’t mean any true fan can afford to skip Marvel’s latest Disney series.

Animated Marvel series What If… might seem like a minor work in the gargantuan Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it is unskippable for any true fan – or even a casual viewer.

Almost a year ago, Chadwick Boseman died after a years-long battle with colon cancer, and with his death, the world thought they saw the last of his T’Challa/Black Panther.

It was a character of great significance to many fans, young and old, who saw themselves represented onscreen as a superhero with gravitas and humanity. And Boseman brought to it an understated dignity, a mighty feat for a comic book franchise.

With the Black Panther sequel already in the works without T’Challa, What If…? marks Boseman’s final screen appearance, even if you only get to hear him through his voice performance.

Marvel's What If on Disney+

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The premise of What If…? is that it retells now-famous MCU stories with a difference, a collection of multiverse narratives that explores what happens if a small twist of fate changes everything.

The opening episode asks what if Peggy Carter took the super soldier serum instead of Steve Rogers while the third episode ponders what happens to Earth if the Avengers never got off the ground?

It’s the series’ second episode that carries the emotional weight, featuring Boseman’s T’Challa recast not as Black Panther but as Star-Lord. T’Challa’s Star-Lord isn’t as goofy as the Peter Quill Star-Lord but he’s a bit more fancy-free than the responsibility-laden Black Panther.

But at the core of it is T’Challa’s decency and compassion, carried through Boseman’s performance, which he recorded before his death almost a year ago.

Marvel's What If on Disney+

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What If…? head writer A.C. Bradley wrote that episode, which has a different resonance now than when they were in production with it.

“I had the sad privilege of writing some of Chadwick’s last lines in the MCU,” Bradley told news.com.au over Zoom. “Of course, when we were breaking that episode, the tone is a bit more jovial, it’s fun.

“And now it takes on a much stronger meaning. Hopefully it will resonate with people.

“When Chadwick came in to record, it was very obvious he understood the importance of Black Panther. He understood how important it is for future generations and for the current generation to see a black man stand shoulder to shoulder with Steve Rogers and Thor Odinson, to be a hero that saves the world.

“The one kind of pressure I felt was I have to make sure that this version of T’Challa lives up to everything Chadwick has done in the Black Panther movie. Then he came in to record, and he didn’t give a hundred per cent, he gave a thousand. He knocked it out of the park for us and for that I’m forever grateful.”

Marvel's What If on Disney+

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Boseman is just one of the dozens of MCU actors who lent their voice to their animated avatars. Among the cast list is a who’s who of talent, including Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Ruffalo, Stanley Tucci, Michael Douglas, Hayley Atwell and Sebastian Stan.

Some of What If…?’s characterisations were so different that even the actors who have been playing them for years were thrown for a curve.

“They’re all so talented, they get it, even if at first they were reticent”, explained What If…? director Bryan Andrews. “Like, Sebastian [Stan], maybe he didn’t want to break any rules, but he was a little bit like, ‘uh, guys, is this really what we’re doing?’ but once we said ‘yes’, he’s like ‘gotcha’. And then he can have fun and roll with it.

“It was a hint of a pivot, but for the most part, everyone just kind of got it. Like Chris Hemsworth, he was like ‘Oh, I like this Thor’. It’s definitely different than the Thor he plays, it’s dialling up more of the comedy and he’s already a comic genius.”

Samuel L. Jackson and Jeremy Renner reprise their MCU roles in animated form.

Bradley and Andrews were among a brains trust that came up with 30 ideas they wanted to explore in these alternative MCU universes, which was then whittled down to 14 by Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige.

From 14, it was ultimately cut again down to 10 but the first season will debut with nine after one instalment was pushed into season two due to pandemic-related production delays.

“There were some ones that we would love to see that we didn’t choose because it was an embarrassment of riches,” Andrews said. “But we got a lot of the rad ones in there we wanted to see.”

While the first season focuses on familiar characters such as Nick Fury, Peggy Carter, Doctor Strange and Killmonger, expect the second season to expand its repertory.

“We’re going to go wider because the MCU keeps growing,” Bradley said. “We’re going to have Black Widow, Shang Chi, Eternals, Thor – they will be out by the time our second season airs.

“We’re hoping to be able to push the envelope in more places. The first season, we concentrated on the classic heroes, but also making sure everyone got their moment to shine.”

What If…? starts streaming on Disney+ on Wednesday, August 11

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Originally published as Marvel’s What If...? writer A.C. Bradley and director Bryan Andrews on Chadwick Boseman’s ‘1000 per cent’