Credit: Marvel StudiosAfter it premiered on Disney+ in early 2021, it became clear Marvel’s WandaVision was going all-in on bringing a darker, more mature story to the MCU. And even though the show featured witchcraft, a mind control hostage crisis, and even the deplorable murder of Sparky the dog in a stark departure from previous Marvel installments, newly-released concept art reveals that it could’ve been even darker—especially when it comes to the show’s primary antagonist.
Related: ‘WandaVision’ Sequel to Receive Extended Episode Count
WandaVision undoubtedly opened doors for Marvel’s “mature era,” bringing about a bevy of new projects that weren’t afraid to explore more adult themes like Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (2022) and even Eternals (2021). The series, led by Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch and Paul Bettany’s Vision, can best be described as unsettling, even incorporating horror elements in its earlier episodes that made viewers question the very fabric of reality.
And there’s no denying that the show’s sinister villain, Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), helped to bring a seriously dark undertone to the story. The mischievous witch responsible for the mysterious going-ons in the Westview anomaly was enough of a force to constitute her solo series, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, which is currently slated to arrive on Disney+ in late 2023 or early 2024.
While we got a taste of Agatha’s backstory in WandaVision, her upcoming show will provide new insights into her troubled past—Patti LuPone-led musical numbers included. But long before her spinoff series was ever announced, Marvel had a very different look in mind for WandaVision‘s evilest witch. Well, maybe the second-evilest witch, depending on how you look at it.
As if Agatha wasn’t already menacing enough in WandaVision, newly-unveiled concept art by Mayes C. Rubeo shows an alternate character design for its primary antagonist, which was initially even more witchy than what we saw onscreen. In the images, Agatha can be seen wearing a wispy black and green frock reminiscent of Hocus Pocus’ Winifred Sanderson, with a laced-up corset and her eerie light-based powers—green, instead of purple—coming from her fingertips.
A new concept art of Mayes C. Rubeo’s design for Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness in the Disney+ #WandaVision series.
(via: @jonaybacallado) pic.twitter.com/G5pFWSFzYt
— Nerd Talks (@NerdTalksShow) August 9, 2023
We ended up seeing a very different take on Agatha’s look in the finale of WandaVision, which was, perhaps, for good reason. Considering the flashback to Agatha’s witch trial brought viewers back to 17th century Salem, Massachusetts, the high collar look and more classic, colonial dress seen in the final cut was much more period-appropriate. Still, it’s fascinating to see this original concept art, and perhaps, we’ll see similar looks included in Agatha: Coven of Chaos.
For now, story specifics remain unknown, but rumors claiming that the long-awaited introduction of Mephisto will finally happen in Coven of Chaos have made the rounds across social media. Even if it’s only in the form of a namedrop, Mephisto’s inevitable debut will have significant ramifications for the MCU’s Phases Five and Six. While this remains pure speculation, it’ll be interesting to see how the Agatha spinoff brings Mephisto into the fold and what exactly his intentions are hanging around a coven of Dark magic users.
What do you think of this early concept WandaVision concept art? Are you excited to see Agatha back in action for her upcoming Disney+ show? Let us know in the comments below.