Marvel Studios has assembled one of its best ensembles yet for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Led by Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, the supporting cast includes names like Ralph Ineson, Julia Garner, Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, and Natasha Lyonne.
We don't know who the latter is playing, though fans have speculated that the Russian Doll star could be everyone from Alicia Masters to the voice of H.E.R.B.I.E.
What we didn't expect was for Lyonne to join the cast of What If...? season 3 as a newly created superhero. Disney's press site has confirmed she's playing Byrdie, an original character who is shown flying into action alongside Captain Carter and Kahhori in the officially released still below.
The only character from the comics we can find with a similar name is Birdy, a mutant ally of Sabretooth who doesn't have wings and isn't likely tied to the MCU's Byrdie in any way.
It looks like the redhead pictured below has real wings - similar to the comic book version of Joaquin Torres - so she may be an alternate reality "Falcon." As you might expect, speculation is already running rampant about whether this is the same character Lyonne will play in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
While we'd say it's possible, chances are that isn't the case. Don't forget, filmmaker Matt Shakman has said Marvel's First Family are the only superheroes in their reality, so it's doubtful Byrdie will fly into action alongside them.
Still, we can't help but wonder whether Lyonne might get the opportunity to suit up as this hero in the upcoming Avengers movies...
Watch as classic characters make unexpected choices that will mutate their worlds into spectacular alternate versions of the MCU. The Watcher (voice of Jeffrey Wright) will guide viewers as the series traverses new genres, bigger spectacles, and incredible new characters.
The series features an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles. Season 3 features fan-favourite characters like Captain America/Sam Wilson, The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes, Hulk/Bruce Banner, The Red Guardian, Captain Peggy Carter, Agatha Harkness, Shang-Chi, Storm the Goddess of Thunder, and numerous others.
Episodes of What If...? season 3 are directed by Bryan Andrews and Stephan Franck and are written by Matthew Chauncey, Ryan Little, and A.C. Bradley.
Executive producers are Brad Winderbaum, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, and Bryan Andrews, with co-executive producer Matthew Chauncey, and producers Danielle Costa, Carrie Wassenaar, and Alex Scharf.
What If...? season 3 premieres on Disney+ on December 22 with a new episode daily for 8 days. You can watch the trailer here.