What If...? (2021)
One question changes everything.
Taking inspiration from the comic books of the same name, each episode of this animated anthology series questions, revisits and twists classic Marvel Cinematic moments.
| Type | TV series |
|---|---|
| First aired | 11 August 2021 |
| Status | Ended, last episode 29 December 2024 |
| Genre | Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy |
| Starring | Jeffrey Wright |
| Seasons | 3 seasons, 26 episodes |
| Episode length | about 36 min |
| Time to watch it all | about 16 hours |
| Rated | TV-14 |
| Scores | TMDB users 8.0/10 |
Where to watch What If...?
What If...? is streaming on Disney+ ($15.99 a month) in the US. At ten hours a week, all of the series takes about 1 month of Disney+, or $15.99 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 12 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
What kind of watch this is
What If...? is an animated anthology that takes familiar MCU moments and asks what happens when the dice roll differently. It runs 36 minutes per episode, which is short enough to fit into a lunch break but long enough to completely ruin your afternoon. With 3 seasons and 26 episodes, you are looking at roughly 16 hours of alternate realities. The Watcher observes these divergences, offering a dry guide to a multiverse that seems to have no rules. It is less about the action and more about the logic of "what if." You will likely find yourself arguing with the timeline by the second episode.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes starts the run strong. Season 1 sits at 89% with a 7.85 average, backed by 123 reviews. Metacritic lands on 69, a solid "generally favorable" from 16 critics. The consensus notes surprising takes on beloved characters.
Season 2 climbs to 90% on RT, averaging 7.7 from 29 reviews. Metacritic jumps to 79 from 7 critics. The site calls it a superlative sophomore effort that reaffirms the series' creative status.
Season 3 cools to 79% on RT, with a 6.7 average from 29 reviews. Metacritic does not list a score for the final season. Critics call the slate a mixed bag, but agree the through-line lands.
How it did with audiences
On TMDB, users rate it 8 out of 10. Parrot Analytics named it the most in-demand new U.S. series from July to September 2021, with 17.5 times the average demand. It also ranked eighth in Ecuador for a week in late October. TorrentFreak listed it as the sixth most-pirated series of 2021. Nielsen noted it and Star Wars: The Bad Batch shared 2 billion viewing minutes on U.S. screens between May and October 2022. It held the record for Disney+’s biggest animated premiere until 2024.
What came next for the cast
Jeffrey Wright moved from the Hunger Games sequels to roles in The Batman, Asteroid City, and a Knives Out mystery. Terri Douglas appeared in My Soul to Take before lending her voice to Toy Story 5. The credits list these shifts. They do not list a causal link to this specific anthology series. A career is a series of choices, not a single plot point.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched What If...?.
Sources
- What If...? on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q65980671 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “What If...? (TV series)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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