Elizabeth Olsen Offers Discouraging Update On Scarlet Witch Future

Scarlet Witch before killing the Illuminati in Doctor Strange 2
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always growing an expanding, and we’re currently in Phase Five thanks to the release of Ant-Man 3. The last slate of projects kicked off with WandaVision, which was a wildy successful show for everyone with a Disney+ subscription. Scarlet Witch has become a fan favorite character in the process, despite her murderous actions in Doctor Strange 2. But Elizabeth Olsen recently offered a discouraging update about Wanda’s future in the MCU.

While Phase Five is jam-packed with plenty of highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies, fans are curious about the future of certain characters, especially the Scarlet Witch. Her fate was left unclear at the end of Doctor Strange 2, with the fans not buying that she actually perished while bringing down Wundagore and destroying the Darkhold. While appearing on TODAY, Wanda herself was asked about what was coming next. While she didn’t want her words to get twisted, she eventually responded honestly with:

So my no twist zone is ‘Yes I hope so.’ I have no idea. When I say that, it's not because I have a loaded answer. It's because I say, ‘Yes I hope so,’ and I mean it at face value.

Marvel is known for its tight security, even with its starring cast. Elizabeth Olsen has been honest about being in the dark about her character before, and it looks like she’s once again clueless about what might come next for Wanda. What’s more, it doesn’t seem like there’s currently any guarantee that she will be back. But luckily she’s interested, which is definitely a hopeful indication of  the future.

Olsen’s comments came during an exchange with none other than Al Roker, while promoting her new HBO Max series Love & Death, which co-stars Jesse Plemons. Eventually the conversation turned to her time in the MCU, which is no doubt a common experience for the actress. But it seems like she actually doesn’t have much to offer in the way of updates.

In that same interview, Al Roker pushed with follow-ups asking if Elizabeth Olsen filmed or even seen a script for Wanda’s return to the MCU. While laughing off the questions, she gave as finite a response as possible, saying:

There's no contract. There you go.

There you have it. Olsen has no contract and no clue what might be coming next for her signature character. But given just how popular Wanda is, fans assume she’ll be back eventually. You can see her appearance on TODAY below:

Phase Four and Five have introduced countless new characters, many of whom are expected to factor majorly into what’s coming next. Right now the next major crossover is expected to be in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty in 2025, with that blockbuster currently in development. Fans would no doubt be thrilled for the Scarlet Witch to join the battle against that titular villain, but we’ll have to wait for any official announcements from Marvel Studios. 

Aside from the comic book action, it does make sense narratively for Wanda to return, and get some closure/redemption for her actions throughout both WandaVision and especially Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. While she seemed remorseful for her actions in Westview, her mind was seemingly corrupted by the Darkhold. She racked up quite a bodycount while on the multiversal hunt for her sons (including those grisly Illuminati cameos), and some fans thought her actions didn’t make sense.

The next installment in the MCU is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which will hit theaters on May 5th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.