Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff turns into a ruthless multiversal villain in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Many fans hated this story arc for Olsen’s character and felt that it undid the redemption she achieved at the end of the critically acclaimed show, WandaVision. Michael Waldron, the writer of Doctor Strange 2, shed light on how Wanda became the film’s villain ahead of an Avengers film trying to do the same.
According to Waldron, Wanda’s villainous arc as Scarlet Witch was something the MCU had always planned. Waldron took the chance and wrote the villainous arc into his film, a decision that didn’t turn out well for the Loki creator.
Not Doctor Strange 2, Elizabeth Olsen Was Intended As A Villain In An Avengers Movie
A villain side for the Avenger who helped defeat Thanos was first explored in WandaVision. The series depicted a grief-stricken Wanda, reeling from the loss of Vision, who holds an entire town hostage to live the sitcom-inspired life that she always wanted. However, Wanda understands the intensity of her mistakes after her face-off against Agatha Harkness.
When Marvel Studios confirmed a role for Elizabeth Olsen in Doctor Strange 2, writer Michael Waldron saw the opportunity to revisit Scarlet Witch’s villainous turn. According to MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, Waldron was aware of the MCU’s plans to portray Wanda as a villain in an upcoming Avengers movie. The Rick and Morty writer did not want to let such a powerful character go to waste and crafted the Doctor Strange vs Scarlet Witch storyline. Waldron shared (via the book):
“I had a strong perspective on making her a villain from the get-go. It was always like, ‘Well, that’ll happen in an Avengers movie or something. Why are we letting some other movie get the best villain ever?’”
Waldron was friends with WandaVision creator Jac Schaeffer and approached her with his idea to portray Olsen’s character as a supervillain. Waldron discussed with Schaeffer about how they could transition the character from the series to the movie. Waldron took inspiration from the end credits scene of the series which referenced the Darkhold and its prophecy.
What Went Wrong With Elizabeth Olsen’s Character In Doctor Strange 2?
The main criticism directed at Elizabeth Olsen’s villainous arc was its perceived neglect of the character development established over hours of WandaVision. While Waldron aimed for a smooth transition from the series, it was anything but smooth. After a deeply empathetic portrayal in the series, Wanda transforms into a darker character out of the blue, who doesn’t think twice before killing people.
Waldron tried to clarify that while the series explored the character’s grief, the film focused on her anger. However, this explanation failed to appease fans. Director Sam Raimi received even more flak from fans after he revealed that he hadn’t watched the entire WandaVision series. Raimi was not aware of Wanda’s timeline in the series and Elizabeth Olsen had to clear the director’s doubts about her character.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, WandaVision, and other MCU projects are now available for streaming on Disney+. MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios is now available for purchase on Amazon.
