WandaVision has been on the tips of many people’s tongues since it debuted on Disney+. Many have noticed how the Marvel series recreated classic sitcoms – down to the smallest detail. The show recreated everything from theme songs to fashion to the actual sets. WandaVision director Matt Shakman recently revealed the insane lengths the production went through to physically recreate classic sitcom sets.
CinemaBlend recently had the chance to talk with Matt Shakman about drawing from classic American sitcoms. WandaVision is notable for being the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first attempt at a sitcom. Series star Elizabeth Olsen already hinted about what to expect once the series enters the 1980s, 1990s, and modern times. One of the most notable things about the series is the recreation of classic sitcom sets. Shakman broke down what it was like to recreate those classic sitcom interiors for WandaVision.
This is WandaVision, it's not Brady Bunch, but it’s inspired by all of these different shows.... And we started and said this is the ground plan for their house. This is their house and then now, let's iterate this house through the eras and through the shooting styles. So, if it’s Dick Van Dyke, it’s three-walled, open up to an audience. You know, that kind of shooting style. If you get to the eighties and it’s another live show that would have been done in front of a live audience, it’s going to flatten it open up in the same way.
Matt Shakman wanted to pay homage to classic sitcoms while staying true to the actual house. He made sure that no matter the decade, the house still felt like Wanda and Vision’s house. With WandaVision as the MCU’s first sitcom, Matt Shakman wanted to instill the universe’s mystique while allowing WandaVision to stay true to the classic shows it references. The series gives its two leads a chance to live a “normal” life despite the evolving world around them.
WandaVision and Matt Shakman have already gotten the seal of approval from legendary actor Dick Van Dyke. There are quite a few surprises and reveals the series has already brought to the forefront. Shakman recently cleared up rumors of Elizabeth Olsen’s famous sisters Ashley and Mary-Kate appearing in the Marvel series. If you want to see which classic sitcoms the series will recreate next, you can check out WandaVision streaming now on Disney+.
Although WandaVision is the first live-action Disney+ TV show produced by Marvel Studios, it certainly won't be the only one. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will premiere in March, with Loki to follow in May. Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye will follow by the end of 2021, with She-Hulk, Moon Knight, and more to premiere in the years to come.
