Wanda Maximoff’s story until now has been foretold in part by the prophecy within the Darkhold. Her journey has taken her from Sokovia as a young girl who was experimented on by HYDRA to a powerful hero and Avenger. Her experiences in the MCU eventually made this prophecy come true, transforming Wanda into The Scarlet Witch.
Since the events of WandaVision, Wanda had lived in isolation, learning more about herself and the power she could harness through the Darkhold. However, the Darkhold exerted a heavy toll, corrupting our Wanda using her grief and love for her family to turn her into an antagonist by the time Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness rolled around. Thankfully, Wanda did what she could to redeem herself by the film’s end, sacrificing herself to destroy Wundagore Mountain and burn every Darkhold from across the multiverse.
Since then, fans have been curious about what is next for the Scarlet Witch in the MCU. In today’s article, we’re going to tackle some of the most frequently asked questions from fans, discuss some of the various rumors that have been making the rounds out there, and share what we’ve heard about what is next for The Scarlet Witch.
Wanda Maximoff-616
Let’s start by addressing the biggest elephant in the room; Did Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) survive the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? The simple answer is yes. Our Wanda is still alive in the main 616 Universe. The next question that usually follows is where she is. Some speculate that Wanda is still hidden in the rubble of Wundagore Mountain, while others have pointed to her spirit hiding out in the Multiverse.
Here’s what we’ve been told. Sources have informed us that Wanda Maximoff is currently in a dormant state at the end of The Witches’ Road. The Witches’ Road is an alternate dimension within the borders of the known universe, similar to that of the Mirror Dimension or the Dark Dimension.
According to sources, fans can expect this particular plane of existence to be first introduced in the upcoming Agatha: Coven of Chaos series, followed by a potential special based on the location, which would premiere following the conclusion of Coven of Chaos. This “Witches’ Road” special, we’ve been told, would be similar to the Werewolf By Night special presentation in terms of tone and loose connectivity to the main MCU storyline.
However, just because the Witches’ Road will be introduced in these upcoming projects now doesn’t mean Wanda will appear in either one. Sources have stated that the Scarlet Witch will not physically appear in the previously stated projects.
The “Witches’ Road” special will mainly be an origin story of the mythical location, featuring a new cast of witches, and according to sources, will predate most of the events of the MCU. The most fans can expect from these projects regarding Wanda would be in Agatha: Coven of Chaos, with the confirmation that she is still alive via her trace of chaos magic, which is very faint and fading following the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
What happens next following that discovery is something that will be explored in the upcoming Agatha: Coven of Chaos series, set to premiere sometime in the second half of 2024.
WandaVision spin-offs
Speaking of Agatha: Coven of Chaos and the Witches’ Road special, there is also the matter of the spin-off projects and continuations from the story of WandaVision. One such spinoff is the upcoming VisionQuest project, featuring the return of Paul Bettany as the Vision on a quest for self-discovery.
Sources have informed us that the VisionQuest story would feature a loose adaptation of Tom King’s The Vision comic run, with appearances from Vision’s synthezoid family: Virginia, Viv, and Vin. (This has been rumored for some time as well.)
Now, in the comics, Virginia, Vision’s new synthezoid wife, was modeled using the brainwaves of Wanda Maximoff. However, it remains to be seen whether or not this part of Virginia’s character will be adapted in the upcoming show.
There’s also the matter of Monica Rambeau returning in the upcoming The Marvels film, slated to premiere later in November this year. While we won’t see Wanda return in this particular project, expect there to be a few mentions here and there. There is also a rumored Billy Maximoff project in development, but that has yet to be verified by our sources.
And, of course, there is the Scarlet Witch solo project that’s been rumored following the premiere of WandaVision, with many fans eager for any sort of news on that front. Our sources can confirm that ideas for the project do exist. Some sources have gone beyond and corroborated the premise of the film, stating it is a loose adaptation of the 2016 Scarlet Witch comic run, with certain elements of the Children’s Crusade being thrown into the mix to create their own MCU story. This project, should it come to fruition, would serve as a conclusion to the storyline that was started in WandaVision.
Scarlet Witch/Wanda variants
Now, while our main Wanda’s story is still yet to unfold in 616, that doesn’t mean that the Scarlet Witch’s presence in other universes will be diminished. Our sources have told us that Marvel knows the value the Scarlet Witch character has to the Marvel Studios’ IP and plans to explore multiple takes on the character through the lens of the Multiverse Saga.
Fans can expect Wanda Maximoff variants to pop up in future projects down the line. Such confirmed projects include What If…? S2 and Marvel Zombies. Some sources have also mentioned the idea of a potential appearance from Wanda Maximoff in the upcoming X-Men ’97 show. However, this appearance could not be corroborated at this time.
Wanda Maximoff-838
Then, of course, there is the longstanding rumor of the return of Wanda Maximoff in the upcoming Deadpool and Wolverine film. There have been several rumors and “leaks” about the Scarlet Witch’s involvement in this film, ranging from her having an integral role in the story to not appearing in the movie at all.
With so much stuff out there, and so many who claim to have inside information on various social media platforms now, keeping track and figuring out what’s real and what’s not is very difficult. So, allow me to elaborate on what we’ve heard and how it could potentially play out.
According to sources, there is a particular interest from Marvel to explore further the 838 universe established in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. These same sources have informed us about a return to Earth-838 in the upcoming Deadpool and Wolverine film, with a potential setup to the universe’s status coming in a project later this year.
The idea of Earth-838 appearing in the upcoming Deadpool and Wolverine film would be to display how the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness affected that world following the death of the Illuminati. That, in turn, left a massive power vacuum that threw the entire world into disarray. In this idea, Earth-838 would now be a dystopian future led by a handful of individuals who were related to the deceased members of the former Illuminati. They would deem what Doctor Strange and Wanda Maximoff did as an act of war against 838 and seek to retaliate.
Now, how would Wanda-838 fit into all of this? According to sources, one of the individuals who took up power following the fall of the Illuminati would be Sir Ian McKellen‘s Magneto from Earth-838. It will be established that Magneto-838 has a father-daughter relationship with Wanda-838; however, it is yet to be confirmed if he’ll be the biological father or if he will take her in as his own following what happened to 838.
Nevertheless, he will assume the role of her guardian and protector, and by the time Deadpool and Wolverine rolls out, Magneto will be a member of this world’s new Illuminati, with Wanda at his side. Sources have drawn a parallel to the relationship between Ian McKellen‘s Magneto and Famke Janssen’s Jean Grey/Phoenix during X-Men: The Last Stand as an example of what to expect from the Magneto/Wanda pairing, should it come to pass in this upcoming film.
It’s important to note that while this information regarding Deadpool and Wolverine is all fascinating and thrilling to read, this is all information provided to us before the strikes took place. These ideas could change once the strikes are over and writers begin to flesh out new concepts and ideas for these upcoming films. It is important to acknowledge that without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the films and shows we’re covering here wouldn’t exist.
Let us know your thoughts on the future of the Scarlet Witch, Vision, and these other Marvel projects on Facebook, Twitter @mycosmiccircus, or Bluesky at @cosmiccircus.bsky.social, or in The Cosmic Circus Discord.
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