Written by Joy Lyn Parohinog Francisco
Marvel Studios’ What If…? will adapt a story from Sandman creator Neil Gaiman. The second season of Disney Plus‘ What If…? includes an episode devoted to Marvel 1602.
Writer Neil Gaiman and artist Andy Kubert produced Marvel 1602 in 2003. It was an eight-part story which placed Marvel superheroes in the Elizabethan era.
What If…? To Adapt Story From Sandman Creator Neil Gaiman
Image: Marvel Comics Group
Neil Gaiman originally pitched the book for Marvel Television; however, they rejected it. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige explained:
Something like 1602 I think would be really cool to do at sometime down the line. I love it. It is spectacular. But the key to it, the fun of it, is that you need to know those characters very well. You need to know each and every one of those characters and who their present-day reincarnations are in order to enjoy and understand and appreciate how Neil was able to reinvent them and do that period spin on them for 1602. If you don’t know them yet and if they haven’t had their own stories yet, I don’t think it would be as much fun. If you don’t know them well and you haven’t been introduced to them in a similar medium in their traditional environments, plucking them out of that won’t seem as unique or different.
Now the series landed a spot in animation form. As The Sandman continues to reel in Netflix viewers, the timing is actually perfect. Indeed, Sandman fans can see Gaiman’s take on the MCU. In other words, the waiting worked.
True to its title, What If…? brings situations to light. Without a doubt, it’s actually become an outlet for creative thinkers and artists to play on possible scenarios. For example, in Season One it’s just a slight change where Agent Carter stood to oversee Steve Rogers during the experiment. In fact, we all know where that story led to. In addition, it included a cameo in a movie of a certain ex-Sorcerer Supreme.
What If…? To Adapt Story From Sandman Creator Neil Gaiman
Image: Marvel Comics Group
What If…? is a highly connected show in terms of the multiverse aspect of the MCU. It even outweighs WandaVision’s connection, even Eternals. What If…? is the series that ties a lot of the multiverse together.
During SDCC, Marvel Studios announced the characters in What If…? Season Two. They include those from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and WandaVision.
Some people argue that Phase Four of the MCU is a mess. On the contrary, it isn’t. After all, it succeeds as a multiverse. If it seems that the stories are all over the place, it’s because they begin several stories.
Furthermore, they set up Avengers: Secret Wars.