Marvel Announces Entire Scarlet Witch Series After MCU ‘Death’
Amid Kevin Feige’s Marvel Cinematic Universe retooling, the superhero giant has just announced an entire Scarlet Witch series. The fan-favorite character will return this year for an all-new event that Marvel says will “give her loyal fans all the chaos magic they can handle!”
Wanda Maximoff, also known as Scarlet Witch, has been a 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 become a fixture in the comics, and in 2014, she moved on to become a live-action character played by Elizabeth Olsen.
Olsen made her debut as Wanda Maximoff in the film’s post-credits scene. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and continued 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. It was eventually revealed that the city they lived in was being manipulated by Wanda’s powerful magic, brought on by her immense grief for Vision, whom Thanos killed in endless war. The star then returned as the main antagonist in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (2022) opposite Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange). This is where Wanda was apparently killed when she destroyed the Darkhold.
But all is not lost in the pages of comics: Marvel recently announced a new series starring Scarlet Witch. The Scarlet Witch, due out mid-June, is written by Steve Orlando and designed by Jacopo Camagni. Orlando previously worked on the anniversary limited series Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.
“Further building on the exciting status quo introduced in her previous issue, Scarlet Witch’s role as a hero to the powerless continues… but magic always has consequences,” writes Marvel.com. “See everything that makes Scarlet Witch the most feared sorceress in the Marvel Universe as she defends her new calling against mystical threats new and old!” The story follows Scarlet Witch as she navigates New York City before encountering a new, primal force that threatens everything close to her.
Orlando talked about how excited he is to return to work on Scarlet Witch and promises a “blockbuster narrative” that will pit Wanda against “one of Marvel’s most powerful and decisive characters” (according to Marvel.com).
Related: Marvel Star Quit Series, Speaks Out on Future of MCU
Wanda’s personal journey to power and magic is something that the comics and games have in common. In the MCU, Wanda Maximoff realized her true powers when she fought Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) in the series finale. WandaVision and then put this newfound sorcery to the test in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.
The future of Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch is uncertain. The character apparently died under a stone tower in Doctor Strange sequel, but one flash of light suggests she survived the crash. Since she’s one of the MCU’s most popular characters, it’s likely that fans will see her again, and in fact, there are many places she could appear again, including her own movie.
Later this year, Kathryn Hahn will return as Agatha Harkness in Agatha all together on Disney+. The new series will continue the story WandaVision, offering a glimpse into Agatha’s life after the spell. Going forward, Marvel Studios will eventually return to the Avengers with Avengers 5 (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).
It’s unclear whether Marvel has changed the franchise’s trajectory after the many blows it has taken over the past few years. The poor box office performance of some films, as well as the controversy and ousting of Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, left the franchise somewhat untied. But all is not lost. On Valentine’s Day, Marvel revealed the highly anticipated cast for the series. Fantastic Four (2025) starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as they battle Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch and the Thing, also known as Marvel’s First Family.
Related: Marvel Confirms the Next Full Avengers Team in the MCU
Marvel Comics’ Scarlet Witch #1 hits shelves June 12, 2024.
Will you be participating in the Scarlet Witch series? Tell Inside the Magic in the comments below!