Marvel: Elizabeth Olsen shares disheartening update on Scarlet Witch return

Elizabeth Olsen plays the beloved Wanda Maximoff in the MCU, but a recent update from the star might be tough for Scarlet Witch fans to hear.

Wanda Maximoff is undoubtedly one of the most popular characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Played by Elizabeth Olsen since her debut in Avengers: Age of Ultron, she has spent much of her time in the MCU as something of an underdog, with fans longing for her to fulfil her full potential and become the Scarlet Witch that she is in the comics.

That came to pass in the critically-acclaimed Disney Plus series WandaVision (which earned Olsen an Emmy nomination), before the character showcased her true power as the tragic antagonist in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. That movie was the last time we saw Wanda (for now), and fans have been speculating about when – or if – she will return to the MCU.

However, a recent interview with Olsen has some disheartening updates for fans hoping to see the return of the Scarlet Witch in the near future.

Elizabeth Olsen doesn’t miss playing Wanda Maximoff

Elizabeth Olsen recently sat down with Meghann Fahy as part of Variety’s Actors on Actors conversations, and during that interview she discussed her role as Wanda in the MCU.

When asked by Fahy if she missed playing Wanda, Olsen replied “No”, adding that she’s been playing the character for close to a decade and that she is really proud of what she and Marvel Studios accomplished with the character. She stated:

"“No, I don’t. I think it’s been almost 10 years of playing her. And I’ve loved it. And I think the reason why l am not calling Kevin Feige everyday with ideas is because I’m really proud of what we were able to do.”"

She added that she was particularly proud of WandaVision because of what a surprising opportunity it turned out to be. She also reflected on the Scarlet Witch’s arc, as well as how she’s moving forward in her own career, commenting:

"“If someone were to tell me that I’m fired from Marvel movies, I will feel proud of what we made. And I really am just trying to figure out how to load up other films and characters, so it becomes less about the Marvel of it all.”"

From that last sentence, it definitely sounds like Olsen is eager to move on from Wanda and play different characters outside of the Marvel bubble. She also spoke about the character in such a reflective way that it has led fans to speculate about whether she might be done playing Wanda.

However, it could also be interpreted as Olsen just being done with this chapter of Wanda’s story, because there is more story for the character to tell.

Have we seen the last of the Scarlet Witch in the MCU?

While Elizabeth Olsen is understandably eager to try out new characters and roles in her career, it’s unlikely that we’ve seen the last of her in the MCU. She has recently discussed the notion of redemption for Wanda in a future MCU project, voicing her eagerness to see that.

Speaking of Wanda, the way in which she went out in Doctor Strange 2 might have seemed rather final at the time, but in hindsight, it seems like more of a temporary way of writing the character out for now.

With the Multiverse Saga in full swing now and Kang the Conqueror set to make his presence felt across the MCU, some of those earlier Phase Four arcs have taken a backseat. It makes sense for Wanda’s to be one of them – especially as the almighty Scarlet Witch could bring the fight to Kang pretty easily.

Fans are speculating that Wanda could ultimately redeem herself after her heinous actions in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness by helping the Avengers stop Kang in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. And, you know, that sounds like a pretty solid theory.

It might not be tomorrow, next month, or even next year, but fans are hopeful that they will see the Scarlet Witch return to the MCU in the future.