Marvel Studios is currently reaping the rewards of its first exclusive effort on Disney+, which concluded in the ninth and final episode of WandaVision premiering nearly two weeks ago. The series was a step in a completely new direction for the MCU, combining the classic superhero action with tributes to American TV sitcom history , and it delivered in every way imaginable.
Before WandaVision ultimately came as the MCU's first new property in Phase 4, fans had no idea what to expect from Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany's solo series, especially as it connected so deeply to the Infinity Saga . This led to dozens of fan theories which began percolating over a year before its debut, continuing to develop into new ideas with each new episode.
As it turns out, one of these fan theories, in particular, weighed heavily on one of the project's leading personalities behind the scenes.
JAC SCHAEFFER TALKS TRUE FAN THEORIES
In a new interview with ScreenRant , WandaVision head writer/creator Jac Schaeffer dove into the way fan theories were ever-present during the show's eight-week run on Disney+.
Schaeffer took a trip down memory lane to when the very first Super Bowl spot for Marvel Studios' Disney+ shows premiered in February 2020, featuring The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki alongside WandaVision . She remembers hearing fan theories about "Wanda creating a false reality of sitcoms in order to process her grief" and feeling somewhat bummed that they were spot on:
"When the very first spot dropped, for the Super Bowl, it was that spot that included Falcon and Winter Soldier and Loki. And people just jumped online, and they were like, 'Look at Wanda creating a false reality of sitcoms in order to process her grief.' And I was like, 'Aw, man!'"
When the interviewer reassured Schaeffer that people were still intrigued by this, the head writer complimented co-executive producer Mary Livanos on making the show work and having people love it:
"Thank you. And Mary Livanos, who was such a comfort to me during that era, was like, 'Yeah, but they don't know how we're going to do it. And it doesn't matter if they guess it; they're still gonna watch it and probably love it.' So, it's okay.
Additionally, Schaeffer touched on the Agatha Harkness reveal, saying that she felt like "everybody was ready for it" even as fans predicted Agnes becoming the classic Marvel witch early on:
And also, I've been asked a lot about if we tipped our hand too much by calling Agatha Harkness "Agnes" and casting Kathryn Hahn? I'm like, "No, everybody was ready for it. Ready for it! Bring me Agatha." So, that was a lesson that I learned on this. Yes, there are things that you want to bury. And then there are things that you want out on Front Street, so that the viewing is satisfying and feels right."
OH, FANS AND THEIR THEORIES
Considering the way new fan theories seemed to reveal themselves nearly every day during WandaVision's run on Disney+, it's somewhat mind-blowing realizing just how far back this trend goes.
The first Marvel Disney+ trailer only showed 30 seconds of footage, largely split between WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier , although only a few short moments were shown from the first Phase 4 property. Taking a trip back through time and realizing how early fans figured out that Wanda was processing grief by living through various sitcoms is surely eye-opening, especially since the show didn't release until nearly a year later.
As for Agnes transitioning into Agatha Harkness, this transformation was a plot point that had fans talking almost since the moment she arrived in her first scene of "Episode 1." Looking at theories like these and still being able to find satisfaction from how the show turned out seems like a major accomplishment for Schaeffer, who has already built up an impressive resume with Marvel Studios over the last few years.
WandaVision is now available to stream in its entirety on Disney+. Schaeffer is also a writer for Marvel Studios' Black Widow , which will premiere in theaters on May 7, 2021.
