Despite years of speculation surrounding Wanda Maximoff's fate in the MCU, a new report suggests Marvel Studios could move forward with the Scarlet Witch’s next major appearance without bringing back Elizabeth Olsen. The character has remained presumed dead since the ending of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, even as projects like Agatha All Along continued her legacy. While many fans have expected Wanda to eventually resurface in upcoming event films like Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars, the latest rumor claims Marvel may be considering a unique approach for the Scarlet Witch's return.
According to insider Alex Perez of The Cosmic Circus, there is evidence pointing to the Scarlet Witch appearing in Avengers: Doomsday, though not necessarily with Elizabeth Olsen physically involved on set.
Perez claimed Marvel Studios allegedly used stunt doubles wearing masked costumes resembling those seen in the 2005 film Kingdom of Heaven in order to conceal unannounced characters tied to Doctor Doom's followers.
He specifically noted that "even if you see [Scarlet Witch] in [Avengers: Doomsday], chances are it isn’t [Elizabeth] Olsen:"
There is evidence that points to the Scarlet Witch being in Doomsday, but I cannot reveal too much because of my source. The important thing to keep in mind here is that even if you see her in the film, chances are it isn’t Lizzie Olsen, because most of the time they filmed with stunt doubles who don’t speak and are masked with masks that look like the ones from the movie Kingdom of Heaven."
He described this tactic as "a very cheeky way" to get a variety of characters in Doomsday that haven't been confirmed yet:
"Which was a very cheeky way to get to film a lot of characters who 'aren’t confirmed' yet but are in the movie, mainly as part of Doom's followers."
Perez has consistently hinted at Wanda being important to Marvel's next crossover as well, previously describing WandaVision as an "obligatory watch" for both Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars earlier this year.
Perez's comments became more speculative from there, as he tied Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom to Wanda Maximoff through an unexplained power or ability.
Perez also pointed fans toward the previously leaked Doomsday concept art as supporting evidence, teasing that "crowns come in all shapes, sizes, and colors" before listing blue, red, purple, and green crowns:
"Aside from that, there is something plotwise that Doom does in the movie that has only ever been done in the MCU by two other people up until now, and it points to Wanda being the one who grants him this ability. Lastly, if you really want to find some evidence that Wanda is in this movie, look no further than leaked concept art. Remember to look closely. Crowns come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Blue, Red, Purple, and Green."
That said, the theory becomes harder to understand when comparing it to the actual leaked artwork from 2025. Wanda herself does not visibly appear in the images, which mainly depict Doom seated on a throne alongside several apparent allies or followers, including what fans believe could be variants of Doctor Strange, Yelena Belova, Sue Storm, and Franklin Richards.
Perez's "crowns" clue may reference Billy Maximoff, specifically the blue crown, while the broader theory connects the different crown colors to Wanda's family lineage, including Magneto and Polaris. Ian McKellen will, in fact, be back as Magneto in Doomsday, giving the theory some credibility.
Still, much of that interpretation remains speculative at this stage, especially since Wanda is still dead in modern MCU canon, and the way she returns is still a mystery.
How Will Scarlet Witch Return to the MCU?
Wanda's return in Avengers: Doomsday would firstly involve her surviving the collapse of Mount Wundagore in Multiverse of Madness, followed by her eventually falling under the influence of RDJ's Victor von Doom.
Given Wanda's emotional instability and lingering guilt over her actions, Doom could easily position himself as a figure attempting to save the Multiverse, convincing her that helping stop Incursions is a path toward redemption.
In that scenario, Wanda may unknowingly become one of Doom's most powerful weapons, though a lot of fans might want to see her back as a hero after her full embrace of the Darkhold in Doctor Strange 2.
To avoid repeating her arc from WandaVision or even Multiverse of Madness, Marvel Studios may need to shift the focus away from self-sacrifice alone and instead center her redemption around genuine accountability.
Rather than ending with Wanda simply realizing she was wrong again, the studio could force her to actively confront the consequences of her actions across multiple universes. There's also no reason to think that fans should expect Wanda in Doomsday to be from Earth-616; there's always a chance Variants will be at play.
