I Rewatched Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness & I’m Actually Glad Marvel Changed The Phase 4 Movie's Original Scarlet Witch Plan
Marvel Studios changed the original plan for the Scarlet Witch in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and after rewatching the Phase 4 sequel, I'm glad the MCU went in a different direction. Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff has become one of my favorite MCU characters in the decade since her debut in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Wanda's official transformation into the Scarlet Witch still gives me chills, and, controversially, I loved her role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness much better than what Marvel originally had planned.
Over the last decade, Wanda Maximoff's Scarlet Witch has gradually become one of the most important characters in the MCU. This took a huge leap in Phase 4, as WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness finally put Wanda, who had been a secondary character until then, front-and-center. I loved watching this evolution, and have enjoyed rewatching on numerous occasions in the years since her sacrifice in Multiverse of Madness, and this has only made me more grateful Marvel didn't stick to the Scarlet Witch's original arc.
Scarlet Witch Was A Recovering Mentor In Doctor Strange 2’s Original Plan
X-Men '97's Creator Revealed Doctor Strange 2's Original Scarlet Witch Story
Back in September 2024, X-Men '97 creator and former showrunner Beau DeMayo confirmed speculation about the original Scarlet Witch story in 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. According to DeMayo, who was fired from Marvel Studios in August 2024 and has been involved in very public disputes with Marvel in the months since, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness originally saw Wanda Maximoff recovering after the events of WandaVision. This means we would have seen a far more mellow Scarlet Witch compared to the villain we got.
Crucially, Beau DeMayo suggests that Wanda Maximoff would have become a mentor figure to Xochitl Gomez's America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, rather than hunting her in hopes of claiming Chavez's universe-hopping powers. The Phase 4 movie would have seen the Scarlet Witch fight Nightmare alongside Doctor Strange, America Chavez and Wong, before inadvertently murdering the latter and leaving us on a cliffhanger. This original plan might have been impactful, but I prefer the Scarlet Witch story thatMultiverse of Madness actually explored.
I Loved Seeing The Scarlet Witch Become A True MCU Villain
The Scarlet Witch Has Been A Villain In Marvel Comics
Marvel's choice to transform Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch into a villain in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was marked with huge controversy. Many felt as though this story wasn't a natural evolution from WandaVision and was out of character for Wanda Maximoff, but I fervently disagree. WandaVision did not redeem Wanda at all, and, in fact, ended with her being viewed as more of a villain than ever before, especially since she claimed the Darkhold for herself, so her dark turn in Multiverse of Madness was the clear next step.
Marvel Comics' Scarlet Witch has been depicted as a villain and antihero on countless occasions, so I think it made complete sense for her live-action incarnation to also explore these darker sides to her persona. The Scarlet Witch is one of the most powerful and unstoppable characters in the MCU, so it was great to see her formidable and unpredictable gifts extend across the multiverse. We've also seen Wanda's dark side be teased in basically all her previous appearances in the MCU, so I loved seeing this come to a head in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Doctor Strange 2’s Original Plan Wouldn’t Have Shown Off The Scarlet Witch To Her Full Potential
Scarlet Witch's Villain Arc Made Sense In The MCU's Phase 4
It's hard to actually imagine the extent of the Scarlet Witch's power in the MCU, and, interestingly, this power has usually been limited by Wanda Maximoff's desire to do good and act out of heroism. I believe that, had she tried to redeem herself after WandaVision and become a mentor to America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, we still wouldn't have got a complete idea of how powerful she actually is. Transforming her into a villain, however, removed her inhibitions and limitations, allowing her to fully embrace her remarkable power.
Elizabeth Olsen's MCU Project | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
Captain America: The Winter Soldier | 2014 | End-Credits Cameo |
Avengers: Age of Ultron | 2015 | Main Cast |
Captain America: Civil War | 2016 | Main Cast |
Avengers: Infinity War | 2018 | Main Cast |
Avengers: Endgame | 2019 | Supporting Cast |
WandaVision | 2021 | Lead |
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | 2022 | Main Cast as Villain |
What If...? Season 2 | 2023 | Voice as Wanda Merlin |
Marvel Zombies | 2025 | Voice as Zombie Scarlet Witch |
It actually would have been a shame for Elizabeth Olsen's next appearance after WandaVision to just relegate her to a feeble and mopey witch in recovery. She committed heinous acts against the residents of Westview in WandaVision, keeping them imprisoned for weeks to carry out her every wish - wrapping up this storyline too quickly and making her completely sympathetic immediately would have been an insult. I think it was the right choice to turn the Scarlet Witch into a bona fide villain in Multiverse of Madness, but that doesn't mean I think she should stay that way.
As Much As I Loved The Villainous Scarlet Witch, I Want Wanda Maximoff To Return To The MCU As A Hero
Elizabeth Olsen Has Been Rumored To Return To The MCU
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ended with the Scarlet Witch realizing the error of her ways and, instead of killing America Chavez and stealing her power, she destroyed the Darkhold Castle on Mount Wundagore with her still inside it. In the years since, Marvel Studios has confirmed that the Scarlet Witch is indeed dead, but this hasn't stopped us all hoping for and theorizing about Elizabeth Olsen's return to the MCU. No body, no death, right? The Scarlet Witch's possible return means we can all have what we want from the iconic Marvel character.
I wanted the Scarlet Witch to become a villain; mission accomplished. Many others wanted to see her redeem herself and become a true superhero, which could be the case if Elizabeth Olsen reprises the role. I would love to see Wanda Maximoff return to the MCU, especially after Agatha All Along confirmed that her sons, Billy and Tommy, have been reincarnated. A reunion could be on the cards as the Multiverse Saga continues to progress, even despite the Scarlet Witch's death in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as death is seldom the end in the MCU.
Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness
- Release Date
- May 6, 2022
- Runtime
- 126 minutes
- Director
- Sam Raimi
- Writers
- Michael Waldron
- Producers
- Jamie Christopher, Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Scott Derrickson, Victoria Alonso
Cast
Doctor Stephen Strange
Xochitl GomezAmerica Chavez
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness follows Doctor Strange as he navigates diverse and perilous alternate realities in the Multiverse with the aid of mystical allies. Directed by Sam Raimi, this installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe introduces a mysterious new adversary.
- Prequel(s)
- Doctor Strange
- Sequel(s)
- Doctor Strange 3
- Studio(s)
- Marvel
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