The overarching narrative of Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is slowly being unraveled by WandaVision . The inaugural MCU offering under the Disney+ banner is making a splash on social media due to its unusual approach to storytelling .
As a result, this led fans to create numerous theories online , with a good chunk of them piecing together every little detail that has been presented in the show's impressive marketing. “Episode 4” of WandaVision did answer most of the lingering questions from the viewers, but it also laid the groundwork for more mysteries to uncover.
Ever since the show's premiere, WandaVision was highly praised due to its sitcom format. The bold risk that Marvel Studios took clearly paid off after the positive reception from fans and critics , marking a solid triumph for the monumental franchise once again.
Now, it looks like the highly-talked-about Marvel series seemingly took a page from one of the MCU's groundbreaking projects.
WANDAVISION IS INSPIRED BY THOR: RAGNAROK
While speaking with IndieWire , WandaVision creator Jac Schaeffer revealed that the show's biggest inspiration was Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok . The showrunner admitted that the 2017 MCU blockbuster “broke [her] brain” because “it was just so daring and so exciting:”
“That was really the movie, for me, that broke my brain. I thought it was just so daring and so exciting. Smashing the mold, and taking all the colors and throwing them around.”
Schaeffer then pointed out that the crew behind WandaVision is “very flattered” due to the fan perception that the show is original and unique, citing the fact that Ragnarok did it first:
“We’ve been very flattered that people think it’s so original and so unique, and in my mind I’m like, ‘Well, there was Ragnarok and that was pretty crazy.”
THE ADVANTAGE OF MCU'S LONG-FORM STORYTELLING
It's no secret that Thor: Ragnarok was a game-changer for the Thor franchise. That said, it isn't surprising that WandaVision is partly inspired by the memorable MCU film.
Ragnarok 's bold move of changing the narrative trajectory of Chris Hemsworth's Thor was one of the highlights of the Infinity Saga, and it appears that this is the ultimate goal of WandaVision when it comes to reinventing Wanda Maximoff for Phase 4. In a way, the long-form storytelling approach of Disney+ should serve as an advantage for the Elizabeth Olsen-led project since the added screen time helps the character's development in a compelling fashion.
It's a given that Ragnarok and WandaVision are two entirely different projects, but the common theme that resonates between the two is their fresh takes for the characters that are involved. Ragnarok essentially transformed Thor into a more likable hero through the use of humor that isn't forced but more character-driven, and this welcome change carried over to Infinity War and Endgame , much to the delight of fans.
On the flip side, the trauma that Wanda experienced throughout the Infinity Saga no doubt shaped the character's motivation in Westview. So far, WandaVision is doing a good job in terms of presenting the character's struggle through a blissful life that is filled with flaws that have yet to be truly deciphered. Through the show's treasure trove of mysteries, it will be exciting to find out how the series will continue to provide tidbits about Wanda's unusual journey.
Clearly, Ragnarok and WandaVision are similar in terms of the character's bold evolution within the larger canon, but the latter is more poised to deliver drastic ramifications to the entire MCU down the line.
