What If…? Season 2 Cast & Marvel Character Guide

Marvel Studios’ What If…? season 2 will be introducing several new characters into the animated worlds of the MCU, while also marking the return of much of season 1’s brilliant voice cast. What If…? originally premiered in 2021 as part of Phase 4, exploring alternate realities in the MCU’s multiverse, that was first introduced in Loki season 1. Over nine episodes, variants such as Captain Carter, T’Challa’s Star-Lord, and Doctor Strange Supreme embarked on solo adventures before coming together as the Guardians of the Multiverse. What If…? season 2 is set to expand on these stories and characters, and introduce new worlds to the MCU.

The first trailer for What If…? season 2 confirmed the series’ December 22, 2023, release date, as well as shining a light on several new and returning characters that will expand on the MCU’s multiverse. Many actors from the MCU’s history will be reprising their roles, voicing their pre-established characters, while some of What If…?’s heroes, such as Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, and Gamora, are voiced by non-MCU actors. What If…? season 2 will be releasing an episode per day for nine consecutive days over the Holiday period, delivering an exciting roster of characters and stories back-to-back.

Jeffrey Wright as The Watcher

Jeffrey Wright Voiced The Watcher In What If…? Season 1

Jeffrey Wright debuted as the voice of the Watcher in What If…? season 1, and is set to return as the enigmatic cosmic figure in the upcoming second season. The Watcher is the audience’s eyes and ears throughout What If…?, using his position as an extra-dimensional being to observe and narrate the stories of the multiverse, while not intending to ever intervene. Wright is best known for his roles in the Hunger Games franchise, Westworld, and the James Bond franchise, though has appeared as the Watcher in What If…? and I am Groot.

Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, A.K.A. Captain Carter

Hayley Atwell Has Portrayed Peggy Carter Since 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger

After portraying Peggy Carter, Steve Rogers’ love-interest and former Director of SHIELD, in the live-action MCU since 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, Hayley Atwell voiced a variant of the character in What If…? season 1. This version of Peggy took the super-soldier serum instead of Rogers, becoming Captain Carter. As the world’s first Avenger, Captain Carter was pivotal to What If…? season 1’s overarching storyline, and the same is expected for What If…? season 2. The series’ trailer revealed that Carter will be involved in several episodes, acting as the glue tying the whole season together.

Josh Keaton as Steve Rogers, A.K.A. HYDRA Stomper, A.K.A. Captain America

Josh Keaton Voiced Steve Rogers In What If…? Season 1

While Chris Evans departed the MCU in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, the character of Steve Rogers lives on in What If…?, voiced by Josh Keaton. Keaton is known for his voice roles in Batman: The Animated Series, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Arcane, and Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Keaton’s primary version of Steve Rogers never took the super-soldier serum, but was gifted the HYDRA Stomper armor by Howard Stark. However, he has been teased as a villain in What If…? season 2 – similar to the return of Bucky Barnes as an adversary in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Mick Wingert as Tony Stark, A.K.A. Iron Man

Mick Wingert Voiced Tony Stark In What If…? Season 1

Similarly to Steve Rogers, What If…?’s Tony Stark is also voiced by an actor other than the MCU’s Robert Downey Jr., who hung up the Iron Man armor following Stark’s sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame. Mick Wingert, known for his voice roles in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, Arcane, and a selection of anime projects, voices Tony Stark in What If…? and a variety of other animated Marvel media. What If…? season 2 will include a missing episode from season 1, which explores what happens when Tony Stark ends up on Sakaar instead of the Hulk, after Iron Man’s Sakaaran armor was glimpsed in What If…? season 1.

Chris Hemsworth as Thor

Chris Hemsworth Has Portrayed Thor Since 2011’s Thor

Chris Hemsworth has portrayed Thor in the MCU since his eponymous 2011 debut, making his most recent appearance in 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder. He will reprise the role for What If…? season 2, with the trailer revealing that Thor will be featured as a member of an Avengers team from 1988. Because of his Asgardian physiology, Thor has a much longer lifespan than the average human, allowing him to be involved with 1988’s Avengers as well as the present day team in the live-action MCU. What If…? season 1 featured an only child variant of Thor, but it’s unclear if season 2 will see this version return.

Lake Bell as Natasha Romanoff, A.K.A. Black Widow

Lake Bell Voiced Natasha Romanoff In What If…? Season 1

Scarlett Johansson is another MCU actor who didn’t reprise her role for What If…?, with Lake Bell instead assuming the voice role for Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow. Lake Bell is known for her roles in Boston Legal, The Secret Life of Pets, Childrens Hospital, and as Dr. Graham in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, as is set to return as Black Widow in What If…? season 2. A version of Black Widow from an Ultron-destroyed reality was sent to another universe by the Watcher at the end of What If…? season 1, potentially causing issues that could be explored in the upcoming season.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange, A.K.A. Doctor Strange

Benedict Cumberbatch Has Portrayed Strange Since 2016’s Doctor Strange

The live-action Doctor Strange has been set up as a crucial figure in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, having already traveled to other realities, and been given knowledge about incursions and other multiversal concepts. Similarly, What If…?’s Doctor Strange Supreme is a hugely important character, and Benedict Cumberbatch will reprise the role in What If…? season 2. In season 1, Strange Supreme’s actions led to the destruction of his home reality, and transformed him into something of a villain, which could be expanded on in the upcoming season. Akin to Captain Carter, it seems Strange will be involved with several different What If…? stories.

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, A.K.A. The Scarlet Witch

Elizabeth Olsen Has Portrayed Wanda Maximoff Since 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Although Elizabeth Olsen is taking a break from the MCU following Wanda Maximoff’s death at the end of 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the fact that What If…? season 2 was produced prior to this exit means she will be involved in the series as Maximoff, a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch. Wanda Maximoff saw some huge developments in the MCU’s Phase 4, taking her from hero to villain, so it’s unclear which version of the character will be featured in What If…? season 2. There have been calls for the Scarlet Witch to return to the MCU, but nothing has yet been confirmed by Marvel Studios.

Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, A.K.A. The Winter Soldier

Sebastian Stan Has Portrayed Bucky Barnes Since 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger

Sebastian Stan has portrayed Bucky Barnes since 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, originally seen as simply Steve Rogers’ childhood friend and Howling Commando, but later as a villain and then antihero. Stan’s future in the MCU is bright, with an upcoming appearance as Barnes in Phase 6’s Thunderbolts, acting as the de facto leader of the team. Prior to this, Stan will voice the Winter Soldier in What If…? season 2, where he will be featured as a member of the 1988 Avengers team, presumably still under his HYDRA conditioning, so this will be an interesting dynamic to explore.

Cynthia McWilliams as Gamora

Cynthia McWilliams Voiced Gamora In What If…? Season 1

Zoe Saldaña seemingly retired from the role of Gamora in the MCU after 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, yet even before this, she didn’t voice Gamora in What If…? season 1. Instead, Cynthia McWilliams voiced the daughter of Thanos, and is set to return in What If…? season 2 to explore the missing episode centered on Gamora and Tony Stark’s Iron Man. McWilliams is best known for roles in The Lake House, Prison Break, Nashville, and Coyote. After being featured as a Guardian of the Multiverse in What If…? season 1, it’s unclear what the next steps are for Gamora.

Cate Blanchett as Hela

Cate Blanchett Debuted As Hela In 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok

Cate Blanchett has been confirmed to be reprising her MCU role of Hela, the Asgardian Goddess of Death, in What If…? season 2. Blanchett first appeared as Hela in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, yet was presumably killed during the destruction of Asgard. What If…? season 2’s trailer depicts Hela walking through the rain with lightning illuminating her signature helmet, so it’s likely she will still be depicted as a villain in the upcoming season. Blanchett’s remarkable career has involved high-profile roles in projects such as Elizabeth, The Aviator, Blue Jasmine, Carol, and Tár, among many others.

Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, A.K.A. Ant-Man

Michael Douglas Has Portrayed Hank Pym Since 2015’s Ant-Man

While Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang was featured as Ant-Man in What If…? season 1, Michael Douglas will be taking on the role of the size-changing hero in the upcoming season. Douglas’ Hank Pym was the MCU’s original Ant-Man, and will be featured as a core member of 1988’s Avengers team in What If…? season 2, set a year after Janet Van Dyne’s, a.k.a. the Wasp’s, disappearance into the Quantum Realm, though it’s unclear if this same story will be told. Following his most recent appearance in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Douglas’ future in the MCU is unclear, though it’s possible Hank Pym could return in live-action,

Laurence Fishburne as Bill Foster, A.K.A. Giant-Man

Laurence Fishburne Debuted As Bill Foster In 2018’s Ant-Man & The Wasp

Last seen in 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp, Laurence Fishburne’s Bill Foster was the father-figure to Ghost, and former business partner of Hank Pym. Back in the day, Foster helped Pym test the Ant-Man suits, even growing in size, teasing his identity as Giant-Man and Goliath in Marvel Comics. In What If…? season 2, Fishburne will be voicing Bill Foster as a member of 1988’s Avengers team, operating as the superhero Giant-Man. Fishburne is best known for his iconic roles in The Matrix franchise, the John Wick franchise, and the DCEU as Perry White.

What If…? Season 2 Characters With Unconfirmed Voice Cast

What If…? Season 2 Will Explore Many New Worlds

While much of What If…? season 2’s voice cast has been confirmed, there are still several characters whose actors haven’t yet been revealed. Among them, T’Chaka’s Black Panther, a Nova Corps version of Nebula, a young Peter Quill with Celestial powers, Odin, Mar-Vell, General Ross, Shang-Chi-related characters, Valkyrie, Rocket, and Thanos’ actors all have yet to be confirmed. What If…? season 2 will also debut Kahhori, an exciting MCU original superhero whose voice actor hasn’t been announced. Whether MCU actors return to reprise their roles of not, the stories of What If…? season 2 are sure to be entertaining.