Critical Role Explores Possibility of a Marvel-Inspired What If…? Project

The creators of Critical Role have always been open about their ambitions to expand the rich worlds they’ve built. Recently, CEO Travis Willingham shared that there’s still plenty to uncover in Exandria, and that their exploration of new projects goes beyond just animated adaptations to include video games and books.

Willingham, along with co-founder Laura Bailey, revealed that their potential projects aren’t confined to just the established lore from their Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. During a special talk show, they addressed various questions from fans around the globe. One intriguing question was whether they had ever thought about creating their own version of Marvel’s What If…? series, which delves into alternate realities.

“We’ve definitely discussed that in various formats, so it’s always a possibility,” Willingham affirmed. “Great idea. Great minds think alike.”

The original What If…? comics from Marvel reimagined key moments with a twist, like “What If Captain America Hadn’t Vanished During World War II?” and “What If Someone Else Besides Spider-Man Had Been Bitten By The Radioactive Spider?” Marvel Studios later adapted this concept into an animated series that explored alternate scenarios, such as Peggy Carter taking on the mantle of Captain America and T’Challa becoming Star-Lord. This approach has allowed for innovative storytelling that offers fans fresh perspectives on beloved characters and narratives.

A Critical Role What If…? series could open up a treasure trove of creative possibilities, especially given its roots in tabletop RPGs. Imagine Grog from Vox Machina as a wizard instead, or Scanlan joining the Mighty Nein. What if Laudna had survived the fierce encounter with Otohan Thull? The potential scenarios are endless, and if Critical Role were to pursue a What If…? series, there would be no shortage of ideas to explore.

As of now, this project remains in the realm of speculation and hasn’t been officially confirmed. However, if Critical Role were to embark on a Marvel-style What If…? series based on their Dungeons & Dragons adventures, fans would undoubtedly be excited to see where it leads.

Get ready, Critters—there might just be a Calamity animated movie on the horizon!