You never know what surprises the Marvel Cinematic Universe will throw your way. The most famous franchise in movie history has been thrilling audiences for the past two decades with unexpected thrills, twists, and turns, and it has upped the ante throughout its Multiverse Saga. From bringing beloved heroes back in new ways to featuring some unexpected villains, this chapter of the MCU has been full of surprises.
Look no further than the most recent Disney Plus series Ironheart, which officially introduced us to the character we have been waiting to see for almost five years now. And let's not forget Agatha All Along, which featured one of the best surprise twists in MCU history. Or what about the introduction of the classic Marvel Netflix characters like Daredevil, Kingpin, and The Punisher into the MCU - something we never thought would actually happen.
Now, it turns out that we're in for another surprise as the main villain of an upcoming MCU project has reportedly been revealed... and it's none other than a former Avenger.
Scarlet Witch reportedly set as the main villain Marvel Zombies
According to a new report from Nexus Point News, the Scarlet Witch herself, Wanda Maximoff, is set to play the main villainous role in upcoming Disney Plus series Marvel Zombies. She will also be "front and center", commanding an army of undead zombies as she is known as the "Dead Queen". Okoye will reportedly be the secondary antagonist, controlling Wanda's army and carrying out her heinous wishes.
This might come as a surprise considering we haven't seen Wanda in the MCU in over three years now, but the more you think about it, the more believable that it is. The show is a spinoff of previous Marvel Animation show What If...?, particularly the episode "What If... Zombies?!", in which the few remaining Avengers attempted to battle the undead, which had ravaged the planet. Wanda ended up playing a major role in that one as one of the primary antagonists, so it looks like we're in for a similar, albeit longer, adaptation of the story here.
Elizabeth Olsen will be reprising her role as the MCU's Scarlet Witch to voice this alternate version of the character and you can bet fans are ready to enjoy every single moment of her return to the franchise. It's been a long time since we saw the MCU's official version of Wanda Maximoff. Her most recent appearance came in 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and she too endured something of a villainous turn. The Avenger was hoping to be reunited with her sons Tommy and Billy Maximoff, whom she created in WandaVision using magic, but once she realized that was impossible, she went on a murderous rampage through the multiverse to find alternate versions of them.
Wanda seemingly sacrificed herself in one last act of redemption, destroying the Darkhold - all copes of it throughout the Multiverse - as she did so. The movie implied that the Scarlet Witch died in the selfless act, but there have been long-standing rumors that she will return in either Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars. Although Olsen has denied that she will be involved in either movie, the ambiguity surrounding Wanda's apparent demise (which got even more ambiguous after Agatha All Along) has fans convinced that she will, in fact, return before the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga.
Whether Wanda returns to the MCU's Sacred Timeline in the near-future or not, fans will certainly appreciate the chance to see a more zombified version of her wreak havoc in Marvel Zombies this spooky season.
Marvel Zombies premieres on Disney Plus on October 3, 2025.
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