What If... Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?

"What If... Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?"
What If...? episode
Promotional poster
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 6
Directed byBryan Andrews
Written byMatthew Chauncey
Editing byGraham Fisher
Original release dateSeptember 15, 2021 (2021-09-15)
Running time33 minutes
Cast
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"What If... Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?" is the sixth episode of the first season of the American animated television series What If...?, based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name. It explores what would happen if the events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films Iron Man (2008) and Black Panther (2018) occurred differently, with Erik "Killmonger" Stevens enacting a secret plan to enter Wakanda that involves saving and befriending Tony Stark. The episode was written by story editor Matthew Chauncey and directed by Bryan Andrews.

Jeffrey Wright narrates the series as the Watcher, with this episode also starring the voices of Michael B. Jordan (Killmonger), Jon Favreau, Chadwick Boseman, Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Andy Serkis, Don Cheadle, Paul Bettany, John Kani, Leslie Bibb, and Mick Wingert (Stark). The series began development by September 2018, with Andrews joining soon after, and many actors expected to reprise their roles from the MCU films. Animation for the episode was provided by Flying Bark Productions, with Stephan Franck serving as head of animation.

"What If... Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?" was released on Disney+ on September 15, 2021. Critics praised the focus on Killmonger and noted the episode's portrayal of him as an anime fan, but criticized the abrupt ending.