Will Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Return? MCU Writer Teases Future

By Richard Nebens Posted:
Wanda Maximoff Elizabeth Olsen Marvel return

WandaVision kicked off Marvel Studios' Multiverse Saga, following Wanda Maximoff's full evolution into her superhero persona, although things took a huge turn when she became the main villain of 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The influence of the Darkhold showed what could happen with arguably the most powerful MCU character with that kind of influence, which led to pure chaos on Earth-616 and Earth-838.

Scarlet Witch, Doctor Strange 2
Marvel

In the end, the MCU's prime Wanda realized the error of her ways before destroying Mount Wundagore, even seemingly sacrificing herself as the mountain crumbled down on top of her at the end of Doctor Strange 2. This led fans to wonder whether this Phase 4 movie truly brought the end of the Scarlet Witch after such a thrilling journey since her debut in Captain America: The Winter Soldier's mid-credits scene in 2014.

But even with her future uncertain, there is still hope that this immensely powerful character hasn't seen her final days in the MCU, including from Doctor Strange 2's head writer.

Will the Scarlet Witch Make an MCU Return?

The Direct Image
Marvel

Speaking with Empire, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness writer Michael Waldron addressed the chances of Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff coming back to the MCU.

While Waldron confirmed that Wanda has removed herself from the equation, he opened the door to a potential comeback with a simple "we'll see" while admitting that he would enjoy seeing her return:

“She’s removing herself from the board… For now? Forever? We’ll see. I’d like to see her again…”

In a previous interview with Variety, Waldron expanded a bit on Wanda's possible death, empathizing with fans who are concerned for her MCU future:

"I think that’s up for interpretation. She made some kind of sacrificial act that destroyed the Darkhold in every universe, which is protecting Wanda in every universe from being seduced by the Darkhold. Whether she’s dead or not remains to be seen. I know what it’s like to love characters and to not want them to be gone and to hate when they do bad things. But that’s that’s part of the fun of watching stuff and getting swept up in it."

Elizabeth Olsen also spoke to Variety about how she was "expecting to return," despite her character's ambiguous future and the fact that "no one’s told [her she's] doing anything:"

“It’s weird that I’m expecting to return, but no one’s told me I’m doing anything! But in my mind, I’m just making the assumption that they’ll have me again. I don’t know to what capacity, but I hope I’m back. I hope there’s also more fun to be had in something different. Where do we go? I feel like we’ve done so much with her. It’s been really a wild couple years with her.”

How Long Until Wanda Maximoff's Return?

With Wanda being regarded as arguably the strongest character in the MCU, fans are largely expecting that she didn't actually die when Mount Wundagore crashed down on top of her. Particularly with that red flash of light that came from the rocks during that event, it seems highly unlikely that the most powerful magician on the planet went down that easily.

But the big question now - where and when could Wanda come back in the MCU's Multiverse Saga or beyond?

Theories have pointed to her playing a role in 2023's Agatha: Coven of Chaos, which could see the Scarlet Witch coming back to Agatha Harkness for assistance after her dive into the Darkhold's pages. Options beyond that show are a little more scarce, but with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars on the way in 2025, Earth's Mightiest Heroes would certainly hope to have someone with Wanda's power level on their side against Kang and Doctor Doom.

For now, Wanda is already set to return in some fashion in next year's animated What If...? Season 2, which will bring Elizabeth Olsen back for an unknown animated adventure in an alternate universe storyline. But with regard to her live-action status, only time will tell when or where the Scarlet Witch will be seen again.

Both WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness are available to stream on Disney+.

- About The Author: Richard Nebens
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.