WANDAVISION Was 100% Kevin Feige's Idea According To Scarlet Witch Actress Elizabeth Olsen

Avengers: Endgame star Elizabeth Olsen reveals how she and Paul Bettany learned that they would be returning for WandaVision, and that the show was conceived by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige...

By JoshWilding - Oct 02, 2019 02:10 AM EST

Filed Under: WandaVision

We're still a good eighteen months way from seeing WandaVision on Disney+, but there's a lot of excitement surrounding the series, especially as it ties into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Mandess in some way. The casting process should start heating up soon, but for now, we have some new comments from star Elizabeth Olsen following an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

After revealing that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige sat both her and Paul Bettany down separately to tell them that he wanted them to star in the show, the actress confirmed that he came up with the entire concept for the Disney+ series.

"It's kind of Feige's creation, this show," she told the host. "It's an idea that he conceived. It's pretty great."

Whether he came up with all of these new Marvel TV shows remains to be seen, but this just proves that the Marvel Cinematic Universe really is Feige's brainchild (with that in mind, here's hoping he doesn't really end up making the leap to Lucasfilm to take charge of Star Wars).

To hear what Olsen had to say about WandaVision, head to the 2:30 mark below.

Which characters are confirmed for the What If? animated
series on Disney+? Hit the "View List" button to find out!

Josh Brolin (Thanos)

Thanos died (twice) in Avengers: Endgame, but the Mad Titan has been around for a while in the MCU so there's nothing to say that his role will be tied to Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Long before he came to Earth, Thanos terrorised the cosmos, and based on some of the other characters set to appear in this series, there's a very good chance that we'll see him cross paths with some cosmic beings or even the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther), Michael B. Jordan (Killmonger)

These two obviously squared off in Black Panther, but what if they weren't enemies or Killmonger had survived that final battle?

This reunion opens the door to a lot of very exciting storytelling possibilities, and spending more time in Wakanda is no bad thing. If we're lucky, Ryan Coogler is going to be involved in some capacity despite the fact that he's obviously busy with Black Panther 2.

Sebastian Stan (Bucky)

Given Bucky's storied history in the MCU, Marvel Studios could explore any number of scenarios with the character. One we think could be particularly interesting is seeing what might have happened if he had remained part of HYDRA.

However, based on some of the other names included in this post, it seems as if we could end up revisiting the hero's time in World War II.

Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk)

As of right now, it doesn't seem as if there are any plans for the Jade Giant in Phase 4 so seeing him in What If? is going to be a real treat for fans.

There are lots of places his story could diverge from what we know, but it appears as if we can look forward to revisiting his time in Planet Hulk...after all, who wouldn't want to know what would have become of him and the MCU had he remained in The Grandmaster's arena?

Tom Hiddleston (Loki)

The God of Mischief will appear in his own Disney+ series, and that's pretty much a What If? tale in itself, especially as we recently learned that we'll follow the 2012 version from Avengers: Endgame.

As for this animated series, though, there are any number of places Loki could make his presence felt and it wouldn't be at all surprising for him to make multiple appearances throughout the show.

Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury)

Another mainstay of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Nick Fury could very easily play a role in any one of these stories and now we know more about his past, that too could easily be explored.

2019 has been a great year for Samuel L. Jackson so it's extremely satisfying to see that he's planning to stick around and continue playing this character, even if it's just in an animated setting.

Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Natalie Portman (Jane Foster)

After that huge Thor: Love and Thunder announcement, this will be very interesting indeed. As Kevin Feige noted in a recent interview, Jane Foster first became the God of Thunder in a What If? story, but exploring that before Taika Waititi's movie would be an odd decision.

Instead, we might just revisit the events of Thor or Thor: The Dark World to see how differently things could have played out.

Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter)

It's pretty obvious that Hayley Atwell will return as Peggy in the only story that's been confirmed for this series thus far.

While the character has popped up elsewhere in the MCU's timeline throughout "The Infinity Saga," it's difficult to imagine where she could factor into the proceedings outside of a World War II setting. Of course, Marvel could always have some surprises in store for us.

Karen Gillan (Nebula)

Nebula has gone from being a supporting player in the MCU to someone who was pivotal in the last two Avengers movies. However, given Thanos' involvement in this series, something tells us that this story could delve into their relationship.

After all, just how differently would things have played out had Nebula been his favourite daughter or not become a hero? That's what's going to be fun about this show: finding out how one small change can have massive ripple effects for the wider MCU.

Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye)

It was confirmed during Comic-Con that Jeremy Renner will star in a Hawkeye TV series on Disney+ in which he trains Kate Bishop. The question is, what could this series explore with the hero?

It's hard to say, but perhaps we'll learn what would have happened if he hadn't joined S.H.I.E.L.D. or remained under Loki's control (a plot point it's hard to imagine Renner wanting to explore again, in all honesty). Marvel may even choose to revisit his time as Ronin or see how his life would have differed if his family had survived Thanos' attack.

Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Michael Douglas (Hank Pym)

There's no mention of Evangeline Lilly's Wasp (here's hoping Marvel Studios gives her the spotlight somewhere in Phase 4), but the two men who have held the Ant-Man mantle in the MCU will be back for this series.

It would be great fun to explore how differently this relationship could have played out, and bear in mind that an earlier draft of Ant-Man was going to feature Hank becoming the evil Black Ant.

Neal McDonough (Dum Dum Dugan)

Dum Dum Dugan was a member of The Howling Commandos and with the spotlight set to be put on Peggy Carter as Captain...Britain?, we can probably expect him to team up with her in some capacity along with a few other members of the team.

Either way, this character hasn't received anywhere near as much attention as he should have done in the MCU, so the fact that he's getting the spotlight again is something we should be happy about.

Dominic Cooper (Howard Stark)

Another character who will likely factor into Peggy's transformation into a Super Soldier, Dominic Cooper's Howard Stark has been overlooked in preference of Terrence Slattery's older version in recent years, so his return to the MCU is long overdue.

The question is, what sort of shield is he going to create for Peggy Carter when she suits up?

Sean Gunn (Kraglin)

Sean Gunn plays Rocket on the set of the Marvel movies, but it's obviously Bradley Cooper who provides his voice, so we can expect him to take on the role of Kraglin in this series instead.

It's unlikely that he'll be key to any of these stories, but with the signs pointing to the Ravagers making an appearance (more on that later), we can expect him to play a fun supporting role.

David Dastmalchian (Kurt)

With Paul Rudd set to return as Scott Lang, Kurt showing up definitely makes sense, especially as this story is bound to put a unique twist on that heist. Who knows, perhaps Kurt will be chosen to steal the suit instead?

Either way, what most fans will be keen to find out is whether Luis is also set to appear here!

Stanley Tucci (Dr. Abraham Erskine)

You can't make a Super Soldier without the scientist who came up with the formula, so Dr. Abraham Erskine's return isn't exactly a surprise. However, What If? could very easily put a new spin on him, especially as we know he once worked for the Red Skull! Would it not be fun to find out what an Erskine loyal to HYDRA might have looked like?

What's really surprising here, though, is that this cast list makes no mention of Chris Evans.

Taika Waititi (Korg)

How much fun will this be? Taika Waititi's Korg quickly became a beloved fan-favourite in the MCU when he was introduced in Thor: Ragnarok, and chances are we're heading back to Sakaar here.

We don't expect an entire story to revolve around Korg, of course, but don't be surprised if Marvel finds a clever way to reveal just how differently things could have gone for him in an alternate timeline.

Toby Jones (Arnim Zola)

Arnim Zola played a key role in both Captain America: The First Avenger and Bucky's eventual transformation into The Winter Soldier, while he would later return in the present day as a computer programme.

That leaves Marvel with a lot of different options when it comes to where things go next for him in an alternate timeline of some sort.

Djimon Hounsou (Korath)

Korath's history was fleshed out in Captain Marvel when we learned that he was once a member of Kree's Starforce. Now, it's hard to say where he could factor into this particular series.

With so many members of the Guardians of the Galaxy cast returning, though, chances are we'll be getting a new spin on the events of that movie and how it could have otherwise played out.

Jeff Goldblum (The Grandmaster)

If this doesn't confirm that we're returning to The Grandmaster's arena, what does? Now, it just seems like common sense that we'll revisit The Hulk's time there, but with Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston set to reprise their respective roles, it's every bit as likely that we'll just get a whole new spin on Thor: Ragnarok.

Regardless of how things play out, though, nabbing Jeff Goldblum is a huge win for Marvel Studios!

Michael Rooker (Yondu)

The signs are definitely pointing to us getting to spend some time with The Ravagers, and after his heartbreaking death in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, seeing more of Yondu is no bad thing.

We could follow a version of this team that didn't pick Star-Lord up from Earth, or perhaps they'll play a supporting role in another story? Either way, more Yondu on our screens is a great use of Disney+!

Chris Sullivan (Taserface)

Who would have guessed that we'd see this guy again?

Taserface may have been the butt of more than a few jokes in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but he made for an effective secondary antagonist and it will be fun to see how he's used here and whether this alternate reality tale further explores his character and motivations.

SCARLET WITCH Rumored Update Reveals When We Could See Elizabeth Olsen-Led Movie In Theaters

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71 Comments

1 2

Chewtoy - 10/2/2019, 3:14 AM

I just get more intrigued by this show every time I hear about it.

Realistically, from the actor’s points of view I suppose the idea had to come from Feige unless they pitched it themselves... and I doubt they would have known that Marvel was going to get into the streaming television game at all without a meeting from him saying so. Still, this feels like a key part in Marvel’s plans going forward, at least at this point.

And that social anxiety story she shared at the start of the interview was pretty damn charming.

mastakilla39 - 10/2/2019, 4:03 AM

I doubt Feige "really" came up with that concept. Just like Stan Lee didn't really create all those characters...especially spiderman. Most of us know its all about the team you work with. IMO the MCU's success is indevted to the phase 1 directors especially Faverau and Whedon. Yet everyone is making it sound like it was all thanks to him similar to a manager taking all the credit for his teams success.

Jeight8 - 10/2/2019, 4:09 AM

@mastakilla39 - The MCU success is mostly thank to him picking the right teams like a coach.

Writers and irectors come and go and the MCU's quality hasn't wained. It's the same with dini and timm in the DCAU.

Chewtoy - 10/2/2019, 4:17 AM

@mastakilla39 - I suppose it all depends on what we mean when we give the credit for “coming up” with the series. There have been 3 separate comic series putting both Vizh and Wanda or just Vizh in suburban household settings trying to live normal lives, and the latest revolving around the Vision is one of Marvel’s most critically acclaimed works, so it’s kind of a no brainer that they’d consider adapting some of that.

And when you’re adapting material from existing stories, I guess credit for the idea to do so goes to whomever has the power to make that decision.

mastakilla39 - 10/2/2019, 4:49 AM

@Jeight8 - It did though phase 2 was mostly terrible and phase 3 was filled with filler movies where directors had no choice but to stay within IW & ENDGAME. Fun and successful films were made but films became more formulaic than fresh.

Feige just followed the Disney model. Hire new and cheap directors then take creative control of there films. He was just more lucky than the others IMO.

Jeight8 - 10/2/2019, 8:41 AM

@mastakilla39 - except phase 2 was nowhere near terrible and the only filler movies in phase 3 were cap marvel and ant-man and the wasp out of 11 films.

You also forgot to mention deliberately so that phase 3 is regarded the best one and has more great top tier mcu movies than the other phases. And I fail to see how movies like RAGNAROK, black panther, homecoming or guardians VOL 2 were confined by iw and endgame in any way.

Jeight8 - 10/2/2019, 3:15 AM

Most of the ideas come from Feige and he then calls directors and writers to expand on it and put their own spins.

Russos has said this numerous times. The concept is Feige's but he is open to be suprised and things to change.

Vigor - 10/2/2019, 4:30 AM

@Jeight8 - yup. And it's no coincidence scarjo displayed some of her best acting chops in endgame, a movie that precedes her solo outing

TheUnworthyThor - 10/2/2019, 3:19 AM

My excitement for this show knows no bounds.

Nebula - 10/2/2019, 3:22 AM

Most anticipated thing after Multiverse of Madness and Love and Thunder. Gotta love Lizzie.

Nebula - 10/2/2019, 3:23 AM

The thumbnail gets me thinking that it would be awesome if Wanda becomes Vision-iefied at least for a segment of the show.

Spock0Clock - 10/2/2019, 3:29 AM

@Nebula - Olsen is the big draw, no doubt, but also the return of Bettany. I just watched his stint as the Unabomber, and I really do love him.

Chewtoy - 10/2/2019, 4:41 AM

@Nebula -

regularmovieguy - 10/2/2019, 3:32 AM

Hate that title 🤭

tmp3 - 10/2/2019, 3:42 AM

@regularmovieguy - Most anticipated D+ show along with what if tbh

Nebula - 10/2/2019, 3:45 AM

@regularmovieguy - It's grown on me. Since that artwork shows that it's like sitcom-esque. It's a play on television and being from her perspective. Something, I don't know. I just don't hate it like I did before.

regularmovieguy - 10/2/2019, 4:06 AM

@Nebula

I hope this show is batshit weird like that

@tmp3

Not sure what my most anticipated show is...🤔

Kumkani - 10/2/2019, 3:54 AM

Feigevision

Chewtoy - 10/2/2019, 4:03 AM

I’m really not sure which family members might come about from this show, if any (their original twins who become Speed and Wiccan, or Virginia, Vin and Viv, who were made from Wanda and Vision’s brain patterns), but either way, surely there is room for Sparky.