Elizabeth Olsen Says Marvel Misused Scarlet Witch

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Marvel Studios' DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Jay Maidment / Courtesy of Marvel Studios

Elizabeth Olsen is open to reprising Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but only if there’s a way to use the character well. The actor hasn’t been seen in the MCU since 2022’s “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” which turned Wanda into a full blown villain and ended with the character crushed under a collapsed building. Her fate is unknown, and neither Olsen nor Marvel have yet to announce when Scarlet Witch will reappear.

“It’s a character that I love going back to when there’s a way to use her well, and I think I have been lucky that when I started I was used well,” Olsen said in a recent interview with FM104 (via Collider ). “I think people didn’t know what to do with me for a second there. … If there’s a good way to use her I’m always happy to come back.”

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In interviews after the release of the “Doctor Strange” sequel, Olsen didn't hide her surprise at Marvel's decision to take Scarlet Witch in such a villainous direction. The Emmy nominee said she found it difficult to transition from “WandaVision,” the Disney+ series where Scarlet Witch became a more vulnerable and complex character, to “Multiverse of Madness,” where she became a full-fledged villain.

“At first I think I was anxious and unsure, because I hadn’t finished ‘WandaVision’ yet, but we were nearly finished,” Olsen told Variety after the sequel’s release about becoming a villain. “And I was like, ‘Oh my god, how do I make this all work together?’ We got there; I got there. And it became a fantastic opportunity to have people be won over by this woman in ‘WandaVision’ and feel for her, and then, you know, manipulate them into this film, where they get to be on her side and then feel conflicted themselves.”

During a conversation last year with “The White Lotus” star Meghann Fahy as part of Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series , Olsen opened up about not missing her Scarlet Witch days when Fahy asked if she missed playing the Marvel character.

“No, I don’t,” Olsen responded. “It’s been almost 10 years of playing her. And I’ve loved it. And I think the reason why I am not constantly suggesting new ideas to Kevin Feige is because I’m truly proud of what we achieved. I believe ‘WandaVision’ was a truly unexpected opportunity.”

Olsen added, “If someone were to tell me that I’m no longer part of Marvel movies, I will feel proud of what we created. And I truly am just trying to figure out how to take on other films and characters so it becomes less about the Marvel universe.”

While it remains to be seen whether or not Scarlet Witch will return to the MCU, Feige himself has shown interest in having the character back on screen.

“There is so much more to discover,” Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige once said to Variety . “We haven’t even touched upon many of her central storylines from the comics. I’d work with Lizzie for another 100 years if we could. Anything is possible in the multiverse! We’ll have to see.”

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