Warning: This article contains spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now officially out in the world, meaning Marvel fans are finally getting to let their eyeballs loose on what could be one of the most-anticipated MCU movies to date. There was a lot of hype for the reality-breaking sequel ahead of time, especially as it marks the eponymous sorcerer’s first solo movie since 2016. But, as it happens, another character totally steals the show from Benedict Cumberbatch’s cloaked crusader.
Spoilers to follow!
While Stephen Strange is the hero of the piece, the film quickly makes it clear that Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff is its main villain, having been corrupted by the Darkhold after the events of WandaVision. As it follows on so closely from her Disney Plus show and sees Wanda undergo an enormous character shift, it’s easy to argue that Doctor Strange 2 is actually more of a Scarlet Witch movie than it is a Strange one.
At least, that’s what a lot of folks are agreeing on as the first discussions on the film spark up online. In an initial reactions thread on the MarvelStudios subreddit, many people felt that Wanda’s arc overtook the movie. Which, for some, is a positive…
But, for others, it’s a big negative…
Seeing as the marketing tricked us into thinking Wanda was going to be more of an ally or secondary protagonist, some think this was the wrong approach as it meant we were prepared for a totally different experience.
On the other hand, a subset of fans loved the Wanda twist and feel she was the right antagonist for the film.
Even if this wasn’t an official Scarlet Witch flick, maybe we can get one in the future that pits two Wandas against each other. Hey, Elizabeth Olsen would probably be up for it.
See Scarlet Witch in — er, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in theaters now.