Marvel actor Paul Bettany has said Kevin Feige didn’t want Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff to be in VisionQuest because he was worried she might “distract” from the show’s core.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe star recalled the conversation he had with the Marvel Studios bigwig when speaking with The Playlist. MCU followers spent the months leading up to the new Disney+ offshoot speculating about how it may serve as a vehicle for an unlikely resurrection.
Those who have kept up with the nearly 20-year-old cinematic universe will remember that Wanda met her end in the closing moments of 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. She’s yet to be seen since, and although discussions about seeing her share a screen with Vision were had, Bettany said it was an idea Feige was never too fond of.
“There were questions about it, whether that should happen, whether it opened up too much for the MCU, whether they wanted to do it later,” he remembered. “I don’t know. But I remember having this conversation with [Kevin], and he said, ‘You and Terry have done such a great job at making me care about Vision. I really don’t think you should distract from that by giving the audience that at the end of the [show].
“It will just fundamentally all become about WandaVision again, and this should and can stand on its own.’ And I think he was right.”
The main events of VisionQuest came and went without any signs that Olsen had recorded new footage to fit directly within VisionQuest, leaving the MCU without a proper family reunion. It was a disappointing moment for those who had spent months speculating she would reappear ahead of Avengers: Doomsday as theories were finally put to rest.
Warning! Spoilers for VisionQuest’s finale credits scenes follow.
If you’ve finished VisionQuest, you’ll know that disappointment didn’t last long. Just as the final credits for the finale episode came to an end, viewers were taken back to Wanda’s resting place on the snowy cliffs of Mount Wundagore. There, a cloaked figure that looks and sounds a lot like Robert Downey Jr.’s Victor von Doom reaches out to her, saying, “Scarlet Witch, awaken. Your power will be mine.” Then, her eyes open.
Yes, Olsen and Wanda Maximoff are coming back, with the return set up alongside VisionQuest’s finale, despite Feige’s wishes. To be fair, the reveal mostly seemed to consist of reused footage from her appearance in the Doctor Strange sequel. The scene is also just about as far removed from VisionQuest itself as it can be. So, while Feige may have wanted to avoid Wanda distracting from the partial family reunion we got in VisionQuest, her inclusion at least managed to arrive long after the main story wrapped up.
We’ll hopefully know more about Wanda’s future – and hopefully whether or not she’ll reunite with Vision, Billy, and Tommy – when Avengers: Doomsday premieres next month, December 18. Until then, you can check out what IGN thought of VisionQuest’s finale in our 7/10 review.
“The last-minute addition of a new villain derails the finale of VisionQuest somewhat,” we said, “but the series still succeeds where Vision and Ultron are concerned.”
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
