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Spoilers ahead for WandaVision. If you haven't seen the full series, turn away!
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a behemoth force in the entertainment world, and the studio is showing no signs of slowing down. On the contrary, the narrative will be expanded with shows on Disney+, and Phase Four officially kicked off with WandaVision. The genre-bending series was a massive success, and should directly effect the events of both Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Captain Marvel 2. But the question is, how did this all come together behind the scenes?
With WandaVision completed, the cast and crew of the Disney+ show are finally able to speak freely about its contents. This includes director Matt Shakman, as well as showrunner/writer Jac Schaeffer. CinemaBlend's own Eric Eisenberg spoke with the pair of filmmakers about their work on WandaVision, and its connection to future Marvel movies. Shakman explained how Marvel hands off the baton with its properties, saying:
There was communication, quite a bit actually, between both the directors. Certainly I talked to Sam [Raimi], and the production departments talked to each other. I didn't end up getting a chance to talk to Nia [DaCosta] about Captain Marvel, but our producer on WandaVision, Mary Livanos, is also producing Captain Marvel 2, so they'd had a lot of conversations. And the filmmakers, both Nia and Sam, were able to watch all of WandaVision early on to sort of see what we were cooking up. We did have conversations about ways that we could hand the baton off in a smooth way.
Well, there you have it. It looks like Sam Raimi and Nia DaCosta were lucky enough to see WandaVision early, while the rest of us were left holding our collective breath for each thrilling new episode. And in doing so, the directors could properly plan Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel's sequels given how characters like Wanda Maximoff and Monica Rambeau changed throughout their adventure on the small screen.
WandaVision and the Infinity Saga are currently available on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
Matt Shakman's comments show how much shared talent there is with WandaVision and future installments of the MCU. Having producers work on both the show and projects like Captain Marvel 2 will allow for a cohesive story-- especially for Teyonah Parris' Monica Rambeau.
Eric Eisenberg also spoke with Jac Schaeffer about the way Marvel works when it comes to interweaving storylines for both the small and silver screens. WandaVision's finale teased big things for a number of movie projects, while also wrapping up the story of the acclaimed series. Schaeffer peeled back the curtain, saying:
In my experience, when I have been hired on a project, there are priorities. So like with this one, it was, obviously, TV and the sitcom history, and she creates a false world. And then it was a greater understanding of Wanda as the Scarlet Witch. That was the directive. And then we knew from the very beginning that it would tie into [Doctor] Strange 2. So those are the parameters, and you just write to that. So I was never in a position where I was like, 'Does it have to be that?' That’s what I signed up for. And that’s what I was excited about. Things that came in. that evolved while we were working, were like, 'What is Captain Marvel 2, and how do we set up Monica for that?' That was something that felt like a very organic process inside of our show that led into that movie. I don’t see any of that as restrictions. It’s sort of like guard rails that I think make the work better.
WandaVision is one piece of a very large MCU puzzle, but it looks like each project in the franchise gets to tell its own story. Jac Schaeffer's work on the small screen was a story about Wanda's grief, and seeing the character finally become The Scarlet Witch. And with Elizabeth Olsen set for a significant role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it looks like she's going to be truly diving into the world of magic.
The show also caught up with an adult Monica Rambeau, who gained super powers throughout its runtime. Teyonah Parris will appear in Captain Marvel 2, and fans are eager to see her reunite with Brie Larson's title character. What exactly is Monica's relationship to Carol these days?
Doctor Strange 2 will hit theaters on March 25th, 2022, and Captain Marvel 2 will eventually follow November 12th of that same year. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.
