Following yesterday's exciting What If...? updates, we may have confirmation that a certain weather witch will feature in the third season of Marvel's animated anthology series.
Marvel Animation's Matt Chauncey, who serves as Head of Story for the third seasons of What If...? and X-Men '97, revealed that season 3 will not only introduce another new character created just for the show (following season 2's Kahhori), but will also feature the "long-anticipated" MCU debut of a "well-known Marvel character."
He didn't reveal any names, but a previous rumor claimed that Storm would factor into the third season, and Nexus Point News is now reporting that X-Men '97's Alison Sealy-Smith will return to voice the character.
Since X-Men '97 is not set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this would technically count as Ororo Munroe's MCU debut (though some Multiversal shenanigans could be at play), but we don't know for certain if she is the character Chauncey was referring to.
How Storm will be introduced remains to be seen, but we have heard that the mutant hero will become "worthy" to wield Thor's mighty hammer, Mjölnir.
Here's what Sealy-Smith had to say about returning as Storm for X-Men '97 (she originally voiced the character in the '90s show) during a recent interview with EW.
"Somebody like me, who did absolutely nothing but Shakespeare for about five years of my career, it was like I was made for these beautiful one-liners. Summoning the power of the arctic winds!' and 'Rise, desert sands!' I was in my element. I was in that studio going, 'This is it. This is what this instrument was for.'
"Season two of 'What If...?' continues the journey as The Watcher guides viewers through the vast multiverse, introducing brand new and familiar faces throughout the MCU," reads the season 2 synopsis. "The series questions, revisits and twists classic Marvel Cinematic moments with an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles."
Though a release date has yet to be officially announced, the third season of Disney+'s What If...? is expected to premiere on December 22.