Marvel Studios' 2025 animated projects seem to be on track to fill a big void in theMCU. Following the success of the Infinity Saga, Marvel Studios ventured into long-form storytelling with Disney+ shows such asWandaVision,Loki, andThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Phase 4 also featured a single animated MCU animated show —Marvel’s What If…?, which opened the door for a few other animated releases in Phase 5.
Despite Marvel’s lower theatrical output, 2025 is packed with highly-anticipated releases. In late October 2024, Marvel Entertainment releaseda teaser trailer for the MCU’s 2025 Disney+ projects, which include live-action series such asDaredevil: Born Again, Wonder Man, andIronheart, as well as animated shows such as animated shows such asthe upcomingWhat If…?season 3,Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,Eyes of Wakanda, andMarvel Zombies. All these animated projects are unique in their own way, and not only because each of them takes place in a different universe.
What If…? Missed Its Chance To Use Various Animation Art Styles
What If…? Features Several Different Timelines But Uses The Same Art Style For All Of Them
Marvel’s What If…?is the MCU’s first and only anthology series so far. It explores the MCU multiverse through multiple"what if?“scenarios that take place in many timelines across the multiverse, which makes it the perfect project to use one unique art style for every episode, as every universe introduced inWhat If…?reveals drastic changes in comparison to the MCU’s main timeline.Yet, every episode inWhat If…?’s three seasons employs the exact same animation style— 3D animation with cel shading, CGI, and a blend of 2D and 3D backgrounds and effects.
The same yearMarvel’s What If…?season 1 premiered, Disney released an anthology with a unique animation style for each episode:Star Wars: Visions.
As an anthology series,Marvel’s What If…?could have done much more with its format. Throughout the decades, Marvel Comics has explored hundreds of different comic book art styles that could work well in motion, from Jack Kirby’s classic sci-fi extravaganza to David Aja’s minimalistic signature to Mark Bagley’s larger-than-life embodiment of Marvel’s Ultimate era. A wide variety of art styles would have also highlighted how infinitely diverse the MCU multiverse is.
Marvel Studios’ 2025 Animated Projects Introduce New Animation Art Styles
The MCU’s Upcoming Animated Shows Use Different Animation Styles To Marvel’s What If…?
As shown in Marvel Entertainment’s teaser for the MCU’s 2025 series,Marvel Studios will introduce two brand-new animation styles in the MCU multiverse.Phase 5’sEyes of Wakandaseems to follow the same animation style asArcane— a blend of 3D and 2D art style inspired by anime and its source material, theLeague of Legendsvideo game. Meanwhile,Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s animation style takes inspiration from the hand-drawn nature of the comic book format, with a low frame rate motion similar to that of theSpider-Versemovies.
Phase 5’sMarvel Zombiesshow will inheritWhat If…?’s art style
The zombified heroes seen in Marvel Entertainment’s teaser forMarvel Zombieswill likely be new variants. However, the connection betweenMarvel ZombiesandWhat If…?may come from the zombies’ invasion between universes, as the zombie virus spreads through the multiverse in Marvel Comics' original storyline. Therefore,Phase 5’sMarvel Zombiesshowwill inheritWhat If…?’s art style, and it might reveal that some of the zombies introduced inWhat If…?season 1 episode 5 managed to invade a different timeline.
The MCU Is Still Missing A Key Animation Style
Marvel Studios Hasn’t Created A Fully 2D Original Animated Show Yet
Phase 5 featured the return ofX-Men: The Animated Seriesin the form ofX-Men ‘97, which revived the beloved 1990sX-Mencartoon with massive visual upgrades, including 3D animated action sequences. Given its predecessor’s legacy,X-Men ‘97earns the name of Marvel Studios’ first official 2D-animated series. However,Marvel Studios hasn’t announced any original 2D series yet. Apart fromX-Men ‘97, shows such asSpectacular Spider-ManandAvengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroesprove that original takes on Marvel lore work well in cartoon format.
Why Marvel’s What If Show Is Ending After Season 3
Marvel Studios has confirmed that What If…? season 3 will be the series’ last, despite there being many more multiverse stories to tell.
Before Marvel Studios announces a brand-new, self-contained 2D-animated show, the studio is more likely to confirm another entry inX-Men ‘97’s continuity.X-Men ‘97’s massive success ensures at least two new seasons (one of which is already in production), and raises the likelihood of a similar revival.Spider-Man: The Animated Seriescould be the next 1990sMarvelshow to be revisited and modernized. Other 1990s animated shows likeThe Incredible HulkandThe Avengers: United They Standcould follow suit.
