In the midst of Kevin Feige’s rebirth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the superhero giant has just announced the entire Scarlet Witch series. The fan-favorite character will return this year for a new event, which Marvel says will “give its devoted fans all the chaos magic they can handle!”
Wanda Maximoff, aka Scarlet Witch, has been part of Marvel canon for decades. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Scarlet Witch made her Marvel Comics debut in “X-Men #4” (1964). Since then, she has been a staple of comic books and, in 2014, transitioned to live-action, played by Elizabeth Olsen.
Olsen debuted as Wanda Maximoff in the post-credits scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and went on to star in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019). Olsen, along with Paul Bettany (Vision), were also the first major Marvel stars to have their own series on Disney+.
Wandavision Followed Wanda and Vision’s journey as parents. Eventually, it was revealed that the town they were living in had been manipulated by Wanda’s powerful magic, causing her immense grievance for Vision, who was killed by Thanos. Endless War. Star then returned as the main antagonist Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (2022) with Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange). It was here that Wanda was apparently killed as she destroyed the Darkhold.
But all is not lost in the pages of the comics, as Marvel recently announced a new series featuring the Scarlet Witch. Arriving in mid-June, “Scarlet Witch” is written by Steve Orlando with art by Jacopo Camagni. Orlando previously worked on the anniversary limited series, “Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver”.
“While further developing the exciting premise presented in her previous run, Scarlet Witch continues her role as a hero to the helpless… but magic always has consequences,” writes Marvel.com. “See what makes Scarlet Witch the most feared sorceress in the Marvel Universe as she defends her new calling from mystical threats, new and old!” The story sees the Scarlet Witch living in New York before confronting a new primal force that threatens everything she has.
Orlando revealed how excited he was to be back working on the Scarlet Witch title and promises “blockbuster storytelling” with Wanda battling “one of Marvel’s most powerful and climactic entities” (per Marvel.com).
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Wanda’s personal journey with magic is one that parallels the comics and live-action projects. In the MCU, Wanda Maximoff realizes her true power when Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) is killed in the finale. Wandavision And then put that newfound magic to the test Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.
The future of Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch is uncertain. The character was mostly destroyed under the stone tower in Doctor Strange Sequel, but a flash of light indicates that she survived the fall. Being one of the MCU’s most popular entities makes it likely that fans will see her again, and in fact, she could reappear in several places, including her own film.
Later this year, Kathryn Hahn will return as Agatha Harkness Agatha with all on Disney+. This new series will continue the story Wandavision, offers a glimpse into Agatha’s life after the hack. Next, Marvel Studios will finally be back with The Avengers Avengers 5 (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).
It’s unclear whether Marvel has changed course for the franchise following the many blows it’s taken over the past few years. The low box office performance of certain titles, plus the controversy and ousting of Jonathan Majors as Kong the Conqueror, has left the franchise somewhat in limbo. But all is not lost. On Valentine’s Day, Marvel dropped the eagerly awaited cast The Fantastic Four (2025) Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, The Human Torch, and The Thing, aka Marvel’s First Family, with Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach.
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Marvel Comics’ “Scarlet Witch #1” will hit shelves on June 12, 2024.
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