Marvel Studios and LucasFilm subsidiary ILM Immersive are teaming up to release What If…? – An Immersive Story, a new interactive story coming exclusively to the Apple Vision Pro.
Step inside the Multiverse like never before…
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) May 8, 2024
‘What If...? – An Immersive Story’ is the first-ever interactive @DisneyPlus Original story, coming soon to Apple Vision Pro from Marvel Studios and @ILMImmersive. ? pic.twitter.com/jg5UKnfHDC
In a press release, Marvel revealed that its Disney+ original series will get a new narrative-driven experience on Apple's mixed reality headset. According to ILM Immersive, What If...? - An Immersive Story will have Vision Pro users play "a leading role" where they will traverse various realities and encounter multiple variants of beloved Marvel characters. More interestingly, a description of the app explains that users will "even learn how to harness the power of the Infinity Stones."
"'What If…?' the animated series as well as the comic book has always been about looking over the horizon into realities that have yet to be conceived," What If...? executive producer Brad Winderbaum said in a press release. "'What If…? – An Immersive Story' takes this one step further and actually allows you to visit these strange new worlds, not as a Watcher but as an actual participant. The creative work on this project is nothing less than stellar, and we could not be more excited for fans to interact firsthand with some of their favorite Marvel heroes."
The announcement of this being an exclusive mixed reality experience on Vision Pro is not entirely surprising, as Disney and Apple have previously established a working relationship for the media conglomerate to support Apple's spatial computer. Most notably, it included a dedicated Disney+ app available the same time the Vision Pro released, with some of those films, including Avengers: Endgame, available to view in 3D while wearing the headset.
What if...? is an animated TV series that hit Disney+ in 2021, with a second season premiering last December. As the title implies, the show explores alternate timelines to show what would happen if key moments from the Marvel Cinematic Universe played out differently. The show quickly became popular for Marvel Studios, with a third season currently developing alongside a spinoff series called Marvel Zombies.
In our review of the season 2 premiere for What If...?, my colleague Jesse Schdeen wrote: "What If...? season 2 gets off to a strong start thanks to a stylish and entertaining episode that borrows more than a little from the Blade Runner franchise."
What If...? - An Immersive Story has yet to recieve a release date.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
