End of Wanda? Dr Strange 2 star Elizabeth Olsen's MCU contract revelations keep hopes alive

Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda has not been a part of the MCU from the beginning, but her character's addition did add significance to the Avengers.

In no small part due to Elizabeth Olsen's outstanding portrayal, Wanda Maximoff has become one of the most popular characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her debut appearance as the Scarlet Witch was in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but she has since reprised the role in five more films, including the recent blockbuster Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

However, one aspect that is out of the ordinary in her latest feature: Wanda is not Strange's accomplice. She is the villain.

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Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlet Witch in Dr Strange 2?

Unsurprisingly, Elizabeth Olsen's role as Wanda Maximoff in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been linked to her role in the Disney+ series WandaVision ever since Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige revealed the actress' role in the series.

Wanda finally comes to terms with her true identity as the Scarlet Witch in the finale of WandaVision. But in order to rescue the residents of Westview from mind control, she must also relinquish power over the town itself. She abandons her children Billy (Julian Hilliard) and Tommy (Jett Klyne), who are unable to survive outside of Wanda's enchantment around Westview.

Dr. Strange 2 follows Wanda's loss of her children, along with her extensive study of and exposure to Darkhold, a book of corrupting black magic, pushing her into an all-consuming obsession with discovering a way back to her sons.

The Scarlet Witch wants America's strength so she may live in a reality where her sons still exist, but doing so will destroy America. To save America, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and the other sorcerers of Kamar-Taj must stop Wanda.

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Will the MCU see the return of Wanda Maximoff?

The Scarlet Witch's fate was left rather uncertain at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. There is a high possibility that Marvel Studios could simply extend Elizabeth Olsen's contract to bring her wildly popular character back to the MCU. However, since the actress herself revealed that she is yet to sign a multi-project agreement, another appearance as Wanda seems doubtful.

According to reports, Olsen has expressed her desire to reprise her role, and there are a slew of possibilities for where her character could appear in future instances. Wanda and Paul Bettany's White Vision haven't been seen together since the events of WandaVision, and the actress says she'd want to see them together again on film.

In an interview with Collider, Elizabeth Olsen spoke about her contract with MCU:

"I sign extensions every time they want me to do a movie. I just signed a very short one at the beginning, so everything's constantly just, it's always adjusting for me. No. I don't think of this either as the end."

In a similar interview with Variety, the actress hinted at the possibility of her returning to MCU:

"It’s weird that I’m expecting to return but no one’s told me I’m doing anything! But in my mind, I’m just making the assumption that they’ll have me again. I don’t know to what capacity, but I hope I’m back. I hope there’s also more fun to be had in something different. Where do we go? I feel like we’ve done so much with her. It’s been really a wild couple years with her."

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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness featuring Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Benedict Wong is now out in theaters.