Chadwick Boseman’s Star-Lord was originally supposed to get his own What If…? spinoff series

Marvel’s latest Disney+ series What If…? wrapped up with a full-on battle for the multiverse, wth a rag-tag team of heroes taking on a super-powered Ultron for the fate of all realities. Season 2 is already on the way, but it turns out there was also a spinoff being planned that we’ll — sadly — likely never get to see.

In an interview with Variety, What If…? director Bryan Andrews revealed they were mapping out a full-fledged animated spinoff series that would’ve starred Chadwick Boseman’s Star-Lord, an alternate version of the Black Panther who winds up in space and makes the galaxy itself a better place.

Star-Lord T’Challa was easily one of the most popular new characters from the series, made all the more endearing that he was voiced by the late Boseman — who turned in this voice work as one of his final performances before his tragic death in August 2020 to cancer.

“I don’t know if he knew this, but there was planning to have Star Lord T’Challa spin off into his own show with that universe and crew,” Andrews told Variety. “We were all very excited. We know he would have loved it, too. And then, you know, he passed, and so all that’s in limbo. So, who knows? Maybe one day.”

Andrews went on to say he now believes Boseman worked ahead to leave this final performance for Marvel fans, putting a beautiful spin on a character he — and the world — loved so much: “T’Challa was so important to him — and also this new version of Star Lord T’Challa was so important to him. He dug it.”

Sadly, the creators confirm that Season 1’s finale marks Boseman’s final voice work on the series, as that episode was the last he recorded for the project before his passing. So if T’Challa Star-Lord potentially returns down the line, he will have to be voiced by a different actor. No word on if they plan to bring the character back in Year 2.

Season 1 of What If…? is streaming now on Disney+.