Elizabeth Olsen Thinks We Haven't Seen The Last Of The Scarlet Witch
In "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), aka the Scarlet Witch, seemingly sacrifices herself after spawning some of the biggest plot holes the Marvel Cinematic Universe has ever seen. It's both a heroic and well-deserved death — she killed a lot of people — and one that will almost certainly be undone in the near future.
During the 2023 SXSW conference, and in a clip shared by Deadline's Twitter account, Olsen expressed a cautious belief that the Scarlet Witch would return for more Marvel content, specifically "Agatha: Coven of Chaos." She provided little context and kept her ponderings brief, choosing only to say, "I don't know ever how to answer these questions except, I don't ... I think I'll be back?"
Her tone carried the same hesitancy which can be heard in most interviews with MCU talent — a hesitancy brought upon by stringent contracts, excessive secrecy, and the totally-a-joke possibility of hitmen waiting just outside the room to handle those who overshare. Perhaps more than any other studio, it seems as though Kevin Feige operates Marvel to the tune of "loose lips sink ships."
All roads lead to the Scarlet Witch
It's neither unreasonable nor wholly unexpected for the Scarlet Witch to appear in "Agatha: Coven of Chaos." The Disney+ series, which is set to release in either late 2023 or early 2024, will follow Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), a witch who served as the antagonist of "WandaVision." It has yet to be revealed whether the story will luxuriate in prequel territory or if it will see Agatha break free of the curse Wanda placed upon her in the "WandaVision" finale.
Should "Coven of Chaos" follow Agatha in the present, then it's likely that revenge will be present at the forefront of her mind. If Wanda's fate in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" should prove to be more fixed, then maybe Agatha's coven will use magic to undo her demise ... long enough to permit Agatha to do the honors herself. Conversely, should "Coven of Chaos" show Agatha's younger years, it's likely that the later episodes will see the Salem witch discover Wanda's.
Granted, the second theory is less interesting because "WandaVision" already covered that exposition pretty well, but it's always a possibility. In either case, it seems clear that Agatha's entire existence in the MCU is inextricably tethered to the Scarlet Witch.
Popularity trumps narrative integrity
But let's not pretend that "Agatha: Coven of Chaos" will be the end of the Scarlet Witch's tenure in the MCU, either. She may have singlehandedly killed, manipulated, and permanently traumatized most of the MCU, but she's beloved by the fanbase. In fact, most of her crimes in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" are typically attributed to Marvel shoehorning her into the narrative in a capacity different from her original role. If you'll recall, she replaced Nightmare as the antagonist.
Seriously, though, popularity counts for a lot in an ongoing franchise such as the MCU. Since the beginning of Phase 4, Marvel has introduced enough new characters to refill the roster that mostly died in Phase 3. With so many new faces swirling around, the ones who get to stick around for more projects will likely be the ones that fans connect to more deeply. Within that context, it can be argued that the Scarlet Witch, as we know her in a post-"WandaVision" world, is a very different figure from who she was before.
She gets to go by her superhero name, for starters. There might be a few things that Marvel wants you to forget about the Scarlet Witch, but her copyright owner is no longer one of those things. And, really, would Marvel go through all the trouble to buy her back if the studio was going only to use the character once more?