Marvel’s What If…? Creators Reveal The Major Reason X-Men Characters Couldn’t Show Up (And When They Can)

Through two seasons of , Marvel Studios has used the multiverse-hopping animated series to tell all sorts of different stories that don’t fit into the main franchise timeline. Despite the expansive premise, the show has yet to include any X-Men characters, which Marvel Studios now has the rights to. It does seem strange to have such pivotal characters not involved in a story that’s all about exploring new corners of the MCU, but there’s a big reason for their exclusion.

Speaking to ComicBook.com, creators Bryan Andrews and A.C. Bradley opened up about the status of the missing mutant characters. According to the duo, they weren’t allowed to use the X-Men in any of the What If…? episodes because Marvel wants to make sure those characters debut in live-action properties first.

“They were pretty much off the table,” Andrews explained. “They’re like, ‘We got to do it first in live action and then you get to do it.’ And we’re like, ‘Ah, man!’ We would’ve loved to have played with all kinds of toys. But there’s limitations.”

Bradley went on to explain that a similar situation kept What If…? from using Sam Wilson’s Captain America character, who was revealed at the end of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Since the timing of that show’s release wasn’t set in stone when Season 2 of What If…? was being written, he had to be kept out of the animated series.

“It’s also why we couldn’t do Sam Wilson’s Captain America because we didn’t know when that would be coming out,” said Bradley. “We were writing season two, season one of The Falcon of The Winter Soldier were shooting, paused shooting, the scripts were being rewritten because of other things, and we were like, we don’t know when anything’s airing, so we couldn’t touch it because we’re not allowed to introduce… It makes sense. Let the character live in live action first and then come play in the multiverse.”

Season 2 of Marvel’s What If…?, which began premiering episodes daily on Disney+ beginning on December 22nd, continues the journey as The Watcher guides viewers through the vast multiverse, introducing brand new and familiar faces throughout the MCU. The series questions, revisits and twists classic Marvel Cinematic moments with an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles.

The series is led by Jeffrey Wright as The Watcher, with returning appearances that include Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Hulk, and Cate Blanchett as Hela. Devery Jacobs joins the cast as Kahhori, a new Native American character created specifically for the show. What If…? Season 2 is directed by Bryan Andrews, and executive produced by Andrews and AC Bradley.