Scarlet Witch Rumored to Be One of the Main Leads in AVENGERS: SECRET WARS
With Avengers: Secret Wars getting closer to production, a new rumor claims Wanda Maximoff could actually be one of the movie’s main characters, putting one of Marvel’s most powerful and complicated heroes right in the middle of the Multiverse Saga’s massive finale.
Insider @MyTimeToShineH reports that Wanda will be “one [of] the main leads in Avengers: Secret Wars.” This isn’t the first time we’ve heard that Scarlet Witch could play a major role in these new Avengers films, so the idea has been floating around for a while.
The interesting part of this latest claim is the suggestion that she’ll be a lead, rather than another familiar MCU face brought in for the big multiversal showdown.
Marvel Studios is reportedly borrowing elements from Avengers: The Children’s Crusade, a comic book storyline involving Wiccan and Speed searching for their mother, Wanda. In the story, Wanda has lost her memories and is engaged to Doctor Doom.
It’s easy to see how pieces of that story could be reworked for the MCU. Wanda provides a natural connection to Wiccan and the younger generation of heroes, while the comic also brings Doctor Doom and the X-Men into the equation. Those ingredients could be reshaped into something much bigger for Secret Wars.
There’s also been rumors that Wanda could appear during a post-credits scene in Avengers: Doomsday, potentially gathering heroes to take on Doom. Nothing about that has been confirmed, but it would provide a direct path into Secret Wars and establish Wanda as an important player in the story.
The last time audiences saw Scarlet Witch was in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where she seemingly died after bringing Mount Wundagore down on herself. This is Marvel, though, and Wanda Maximoff is a reality-warping witch in a saga built around alternate universes. Finding a believable way to bring her back isn’t exactly the MCU’s toughest problem.
Her return could also create an interesting dynamic with Doom. Wanda carries plenty of grief and guilt from everything that happened with Vision, Westview, her children, and the Darkhold. If Doom manages to exploit any of that, Marvel could pull from The Children’s Crusade without simply adapting the comic page for page.
Elizabeth Olsen has said that she’s open to playing Wanda again, provided Marvel has something worthwhile for her to do.
“It’s a character I love going back to when there’s a way to use her well, and I think I’ve been lucky when I started, I was used well…and they kind of didn’t know what to do with me for a second there! If there’s a good way to use her, I’m always happy to come back”
Marvel Studios still hasn’t officially announced Olsen’s return, so Wanda’s involvement in either upcoming Avengers movie remains rumor territory for now.
Still, Scarlet Witch being a major player in Secret Wars seems believable. Wanda has the power to affect reality on a massive scale, personal connections spread across several corners of the MCU, and enough unresolved baggage to give the movie something more substantial than heroes punching their way through collapsing universes.
Joe Russo and Anthony Russo are directing both upcoming crossover films. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to hit theaters on December 18, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on December 17, 2027.