Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Black Panther, Iron Man, Vision, War Machine, and Black Widow at the Berlin airport in Captain America: Civil War - part of our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order
Superhero Movies How to watch the Marvel movies in order (release and chronological order)
Loki
Superhero Movies Marvel timeline: The MCU movies and TV shows in chronological order
Charlie Cox in Daredevil
Supernatural Shows How to watch The Defenders Saga in order on Disney Plus
Rey in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars Movies Every new Star Wars movie and TV show currently in the works
Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom
Marvel Movies Marvel Phase 6 release dates, news, leaks, rumors, and more
Spider-Man and Boomerang fighting in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Superhero Movies Upcoming superhero movies: every Marvel, DC, and comic book movie in 2026 and beyond
Tom Holland as Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Superhero Movies Upcoming Marvel movies and shows for 2026 and beyond
Reed Richards in Fantastic Four
Marvel TV Shows Daredevil: Born Again season 2 Avengers Tower Easter egg might be a Fantastic Four reference
Marvel Rivals Elsa Bloodstone aiming glowing double-barrel shotgun
Third Person Shooters All potential upcoming Marvel Rivals characters based on leaks, datamines, and in-game hints
Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine in Deadpool and Wolverine
Marvel Movies Ryan Reynolds says Deadpool "works best on scarcity and surprise," so he won't play the character again any time soon
Chris Evans as Cap in the first Avengers: Doomsday trailer
Marvel Movies Avengers: Doomsday release date, cast, plot, trailer, and more news
Lewis Pullman as "Bob" in Thunderbolts
Marvel Movies It turns out the MCU is actually pretty terrifying, as Marvel fans share their favorite scary moments
Spider-Man swinging while the villain Boomerang attacks in the sky
Marvel Movies Spider-Man: Brand New Day release date, cast, trailer, and everything else we know about the new Marvel movie
X-Men movies in order: Hugh Jackman as Wolverine with the rest of the X-Men in the the movie X-Men 2.
Marvel Movies How to watch the X-Men movies in order (release and chronological)
Netflix's The Defenders
Marvel TV Shows Daredevil: Born Again season 2 producer says it's not up to him whether Luke Cage and Iron Fist will return in the MCU
Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Entertainment
  2. TV
  3. Animation Shows

Marvel producer on why What If…? won’t feature X-Men or the Fantastic Four

News
By Bradley Russell published 19 August 2021

It's not happening (yet)

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in X-Men
(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

What If…? has an infinite number of possibilities – so could the X-Men or Fantastic Four show up in one of its many, many multiverses?

Short answer: no – at least not yet. Long answer? Marvel executive producer Brad Winderbaum has explained exactly why mutants and Marvel’s First Family won’t be showing up in What If…? anytime soon.

"We had very few parameters… but [no X-Men or Fantastic Four] was certainly one of them," Winderbaum told Collider.

You may like
  • Fox thought the first X-Men movie was a "disaster" and didn't think turning a Marvel comic into a movie would work
  • Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in X-Men: The Last Stand X-Men director says he's already thinking about potential sequels
  • Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Sebastian Stan and the rest of the cast of Thunderbolts* Marvel's X-Men director explains why Thunderbolts and Beef writers are the perfect fit for its "soap opera" style

"We wanted to make sure the characters were firmly rooted in the MCU. It had nothing to do with rights, nothing to do with the future stories we wanted to tell. It had everything to do with what What If…? is, which is a spin on an established storyline. We looked primarily at the Infinity Saga," Winderbaum said. "Once it’s there [in the MCU], we get to make it."

That wasn’t the only thing off-limits in What If…? Head writer A.C. Bradley recently told GamesRadar+ that two things were off the table when developing stories: swerving current MCU stories and a Star Wars crossover. Naturally.

Still no word yet on when Fantastic Four and X-Men are making their way to the MCU – but they are coming. A Fantastic Four movie has been officially announced and will be directed by Jon Watts. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, meanwhile, had previously confirmed that the X-Men wasn’t part of the MCU’s future five-year plan as of 2019.

For more on what the MCU does have planned, check out our comprehensive guide to Marvel Phase 4.

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
TOPICS
Disney Plus
CATEGORIES
Disney Plus Streaming Services
Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell
Social Links Navigation
Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

Read more
Marvel Movies Fox thought the first X-Men movie was a "disaster" and didn't think turning a Marvel comic into a movie would work
 
 
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in X-Men: The Last Stand
Marvel Movies X-Men director says he's already thinking about potential sequels
 
 
Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Sebastian Stan and the rest of the cast of Thunderbolts*
Marvel Movies Marvel's X-Men director explains why Thunderbolts and Beef writers are the perfect fit for its "soap opera" style
 
 
Artwork for X-Men: The Animated Series
Marvel Movies Marvel's X-Men movie could feature obscure mutants, as the writer loves "supporting members" over Cyclops and Wolverine
 
 
Tom Holland as Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Superhero Movies Upcoming Marvel movies and shows for 2026 and beyond
 
 
X-Men movies in order: Hugh Jackman as Wolverine with the rest of the X-Men in the the movie X-Men 2.
Marvel Movies How to watch the X-Men movies in order (release and chronological)
 
 
Latest in Animation Shows
Will Byers in Stranger Things: Tales From '85 season 2
Animated Shows Stranger Things: Tales From '85 showrunner compares it to Star Wars: Clone Wars, as he teases season 2
 
 
Mike and Eleven in Stranger Things Tales From '85 season 2
Animated Shows Netflix renews Stranger Things animated spin-off Tales From '85 for season 2
 
 
Zoe/Tech Jacket firing weapons in Invincible season 4
Superhero Shows Invincible changed the gender of Tech Jacket because Robert Kirkman wanted to fix a major comic book "shortcoming"
 
 
Stranger Things: Tales From '85
Sci-Fi Shows Stranger Things: Tales From '85 review: "Makes you nostalgic for the early days of Stranger Things"
 
 
Lucas, Dustin, Will, and Mike in Stranger Things: Tales From '85
Animated Shows Stranger Things: Tales From '85 gives us the epic final showdown we deserved in season 5 – and there's not even a Demogorgon in sight
 
 
Eleven in Stranger Things: Tales From '85
Animated Shows Stranger Things: Tales From '85 ending explained – Does Nikki die? Where did the monsters come from?
 
 
Latest in News
Arc Raiders chicken Scrappy in machine helmet
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders dev thinks yesterday's niche "can become mainstream tomorrow" as extraction shooters boom in popularity
 
 
Clair Obscur Expedition 33
RPGs The Witcher 3 director says Crimson Desert and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 take him back to the golden age of RPGs
 
 
A screenshot of the upcoming PC game, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced uses the same engine as Shadows
 
 
A man with a mustache tucks into a meal in Farm to Table
Simulation Games Just like Silksong, Subnautica 2 causes a chain reaction and pushes a second game to move its release date early
 
 
Marathon Thief shell in dark lighting
FPS Games Bungie doesn't see Marathon going anywhere: "We know where we want to take the story over the next few years"
 
 
Dragon Quest 11 S
Dragon Quest Former Dragon Quest director says JRPG icon Yuji Horii taught him the series is "not about the storyline"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Resident Evil Requiem gameplay reveal
    1
    Resident Evil Requiem singing zombie actor is suddenly in the running for fan-favorite
  2. 2
    2 key details in the Resident Evil trailer are making fans doubt it's set at the same time as Resident Evil 2
  3. 3
    Arc Raiders dev thinks yesterday's niche "can become mainstream tomorrow" as extraction shooters boom in popularity
  4. 4
    10 Best RPGs for kids to play in 2026
  5. 5
    I didn't have official Sonic the Hedgehog gaming PCs on my 2026 bingo card, but I'm very happy to see them

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...