Marvel's What If...? Season 2 Will See The Return Of Cate Blanchett As Hela
We have huge news for all the goth girl lovers out there. With the second season of Marvel's "What If...?" slated for an early 2023 release, one of its first voice actors has been confirmed, and it's a pretty massive one. According to the Disney blog Laughing Place, show director Bryan Andrews revealed at a LightBox Expo panel that Cate Blanchett will lend her voice to the second season as Hela, the villainous half-sister of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) introduced in "Thor: Ragnarok."
No direct quotes from the panel have been given regarding this reveal. However, Andrews did seemingly tease that an episode will be dedicated to the character, showing a side of her that wasn't shown in "Ragnarok." According to Laughing Place, he also discussed how surreal it was to record the Oscar-winning actress for the episode. We certainly wish that this LightBox Expo was recorded, but considering how they allegedly showed a teaser for "What If...?" during it, it's no surprise that further details are being heavily guarded.
There are a few things we do know about the upcoming season, however. /Film's Ryan Scott saw the first episode at San Diego Comic-Con this year, with the season premiere once again around multiverse favorite Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell).
Now, this? This is truly special
Given how "What If...?" exists to expand the MCU's multiverse, it's not surprising that we'll be seeing the Goddess of Death once again. It's also not surprising that it's taken this long for her to reappear in the franchise – Blanchett is not exactly one to appear in genre fare, especially not superhero sequels. I mean, have you seen her in "Tár?"
Still, it's exciting that she will be lending her voice to the character once again. Hela remains a popular villain among MCU fans not only for her incredible aesthetic but for how lowkey in retrospect she is. While an Asgardian deity that was wronged by Odin, her primary motivations weren't steeped in real-world politics or complex dynamics that needed to be unpacked. She was unabashedly petty, angry at Odin (Anthony Hopkins) not necessarily for imprisoning her in Hel, but for replacing her with Thor and Loki. That is her entire motivation, and it's objectively hilarious. Look, having multi-faceted and morally grey villains in the MCU is great, but it's also nice to have a villain that's just kind of a jealous loser. It'll be interesting to see what her episode of "What If...?" will showcase about her, and given the vastness of the multiverse, anything can happen.
The second season of "What If...?" will premiere on Disney+ sometime in early 2023.