Elizabeth Olsen was fired from the MCU, is it true?
Scarlet Witch is currently dead in the MCU, but actor Elizabeth Olsen may very well still return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Wanda Maximoff appears to die after being crushed by Mount Wundagore in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. That, combined with a few other recent Disney/Marvel decisions, has led some to believe that the brand is cutting ties with the acclaimed actor. However, these rumors are almost certainly false.
It does indeed appear that Elizabeth Olsen and the Scarlet Witch are taking a break from the MCU, which makes sense both narratively and in terms of Olsen wanting time to enjoy other roles. However, the lack of WandaVision season 2 or any pre-announced Scarlet Witch appearances shouldn’t be a cause for concern. Wanda will almost definitely return to the MCU, most likely for a redemption arc to help her fellow heroes in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars.
So, it seems clear that WandaVision season 1 was envisioned as a self-contained and complete series from the start, though its narrative threads are certainly continuing elsewhere. One of several MCU series with a sort of secret season 2, WandaVision will soon be followed up on with Agatha: Darkhold Diaries. The show, which revisits Kathryn Hahn’s witch after she’s left in Westview under Wanda’s spell, could feature Scarlet Witch flashback footage and set up Olsen’s next MCU appearance.
Furthermore, the lack of a WandaVision season 2 shouldn’t be a cause for concern in regard to Olsen’s future involvement in the MCU, given that very few Marvel Disney+ series are set for a second season. Loki season 2 airs later this year, What If… season 2 is on the way despite no official release date, and I Am Groot recently debuted its second season of digital shorts, but that’s it. WandaVision is in good company with other MCU shows like Hawkeye and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which also have no future seasons announced at this point.
Scarlet Witch Removal From Marvel Timeline Book Cover May Not Have Meaning
Rumors started to circulate about Wanda’s future in the MCU perhaps being changed for the worse when Marvel updated the cover art for its yet-to-release official timeline book, Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline. The cover features six images of characters from the MCU and originally included a shot of Scarlet Witch shooting out a red blast of magic. While the rest of the cover remained the same, images of the book’s cover on online storefronts were recently updated to show that Wanda has been replaced by Loki and Sylvie.
While disappointing for fans of Wanda Maximoff, there’s likely a less foreboding reason for the change. While the cover does have two characters no longer alive in the MCU – Iron Man and Thanos – the rest of the image is currently-active characters. The swap from Scarlet Witch to Loki and Sylvie is probably out of a desire to promote characters that will be more immediately relevant to the franchise. It’s also a smart marketing decision, as Loki season 2 premieres on October 6, a few weeks before the timeline book comes out on October 24.
Although the playful misdirection often employed by Marvel actors to hide their involvement in upcoming projects can sometimes make it hard to parse the truth from fiction, Elizabeth Olsen has repeatedly spoken rather directly about her break from the MCU and when or if she’ll be returning. Back in April, Olsen appeared on Today and, in response to a question about whether Scarlet Witch will be back, said, “So my no twist zone is ‘Yes I hope so.’ I have no idea.” She went on to clarify that she has “Absolutely not” filmed or seen a script for any upcoming appearances and has no current contract.
Shortly after, Olsen expressed her thoughts on not having any current plans as Scarlet Witch. She told Variety, “No, I don’t miss it. I just did two years straight of it, so I think the break has been good for me. I need to build other characters.” While it may not seem like a good sign that she’s happy to be away from the character, it’s notable that Olsen referred to the leave as a break and not a permanent end. It is, of course, perfectly reasonable for an actor to not be wholly tied to one franchise and role, and Olsen seems to be enjoying spreading out to other projects.
The word “fired” also popped up in a Variety interview, though the thought that she was actually on any kind of bad terms with Marvel is simply untrue. Expressing her enjoyment of taking a break from the character, she explained, “If someone were to tell me that I’m fired from Marvel movies, I will feel proud of what we made.” Simply put, Olsen is happy with what she’s accomplished with Wanda Maximoff. She certainly isn’t saying that she’s done with the character, but instead that if her tenure ended now for some reason, she would still be proud of what she’s already brought to the franchise.
Her drive to step outside of Wanda doesn’t seem to stem from any issues with the character or the MCU as a franchise. Speaking to The Times, Elizabeth Olsen expressed a need for diversity, saying, “Idon’t want… it’s not that I don’t want to be associated as just [Wanda Maximoff]. But I really feel like I need to be building other parts back up for balance.” It’s unsurprising and understandable that an actor of Olsen’s caliber wants to explore different genres of film, and a span after Wanda’s apparent death does, indeed, seem like the perfect time to do it.
Scarlet Witch’s Future In The MCU Is Currently Unknown
The truth is that there isn’t a definitive answer about Wanda Maximoff’s MCU future – at least not that’s been shared with the public. From a narrative perspective, it certainly seems like Marvel would want to redeem a beloved Avenger and give her another heroic appearance in an upcoming MCU movie instead of letting her die a villain. Her lack of contract also shouldn’t be much of a red flag as Marvel has moved to movie-by-movie, smaller deals for most of its talent in recent years. Of course, if Olsen does decide she’s done with the role, Scarlet Witch has had one of the more unique character arcs in the franchise.
