Credit: MarvelThe Marvel Cinematic Universe has built a reputation for bringing characters back from apparent death through increasingly creative means, whether through science, magic, Infinity Stones, or the multiverse.
Fans watched Phil Coulson, Vision, Gamora, and everyone who disappeared during the Blip eventually return to action, proving that very few MCU deaths are truly permanent. As the Multiverse Saga approaches its conclusion with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, speculation about which characters might make unexpected comebacks has reached a fever pitch.
Among all the characters fans hope to see again, Wanda Maximoff stands out as perhaps the most requested return. The Scarlet Witch seemingly perished at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness when she brought Mount Wundagore crashing down around her in an act of redemption after her Darkhold-fueled rampage across the multiverse.
However, the character’s death occurred off-screen, her body was never shown, and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has repeatedly suggested that Wanda’s story isn’t over.
Now, according to insider Daniel Richtman, Marvel is actively developing a solo Scarlet Witch project that will be released after the Multiverse Saga concludes and the mutant-focused era of the MCU begins. The report aligns with previous statements from Feige and builds on months of speculation about how and when Elizabeth Olsen might reprise her role as one of the MCU’s most powerful and tragic heroes.
For fans who have followed Wanda’s journey from Avengers: Age of Ultron through WandaVision and her villainous turn in Multiverse of Madness, a solo project could provide the redemption arc the character deserves.
The timing of this development is particularly interesting given the recent announcement that Marvel Comics is launching a new “Sorcerer Supreme” series in December 2026 that places Wanda Maximoff in the role traditionally held by Doctor Strange.
While the MCU takes inspiration rather than direct adaptation from comic book storylines, the parallel timing suggests Marvel may be positioning the Scarlet Witch for a more prominent role in the franchise’s magical hierarchy going forward.
Feige Confirms Scarlet Witch Will Return
The report that Marvel is developing a Scarlet Witch solo project shouldn’t come as a major surprise to anyone who has been paying attention to Kevin Feige’s public statements. Prior to the release of Agatha All Along on Disney+, the Marvel Studios President directly addressed questions about Wanda’s future in the franchise during promotional interviews.
“We just had Agatha All Along on Disney+, and that series was great for us,” Feige said. “I can only say that we are excited to find out when and how Scarlet Witch can return.” The phrasing of that statement is notable because Feige didn’t say “if” Scarlet Witch could return, but rather “when and how,” suggesting that her comeback is already planned and the studio is simply working out the logistics of her reappearance.
This wouldn’t be the first time Marvel used vague language about a character’s death only to bring them back later. The studio maintained similar ambiguity about Loki’s fate after Avengers: Infinity War before eventually bringing Tom Hiddleston back for his own Disney+ series.
Vision appeared to be permanently dead after Thanos ripped the Mind Stone from his head, yet he returned in altered form through WandaVision. Even Phil Coulson, whose death in The Avengers was treated as a major emotional turning point for the team, eventually came back through Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
How Could Wanda Have Survived?
The circumstances of Wanda’s apparent death in Multiverse of Madness left enough ambiguity for multiple survival theories. She brought Mount Wundagore collapsing down on herself after realizing the horror of what she had done while corrupted by the Darkhold. The temple crumbled, rocks fell, and the scene cut away without showing a body or confirming her death definitively. In superhero storytelling, that kind of off-screen death rarely sticks.
Fan theories about Wanda’s survival have proliferated since the film’s release. One popular theory suggests the Time Variance Authority pulled her from the Sacred Timeline moments before the temple collapsed, similar to how they’ve extracted other characters from their timelines.
The TVA’s involvement would explain how Wanda could return without undermining the emotional weight of her sacrifice while also connecting her story to the broader multiverse mechanics that will drive the next Avengers films.
Another theory points to America Chavez, the young hero who can travel between universes. Some fans believe Chavez could have secretly opened a portal allowing Wanda to escape to another reality at the last moment.
This theory gained traction because it would parallel the Avengers: The Children’s Crusade comic storyline where Wanda ends up in Latveria living near Doctor Doom. Given that Robert Downey Jr. is playing Victor Von Doom in the upcoming Avengers films, that comic book parallel becomes even more intriguing.
The simplest explanation might be that Wanda used her reality-warping powers to protect herself as the temple collapsed. She’s demonstrated the ability to manipulate matter and energy on a massive scale, and her chaos magic operates by rules that remain somewhat undefined in the MCU.
If she could create an entire functioning town populated by mind-controlled residents in WandaVision, shielding herself from falling rocks doesn’t seem beyond her capabilities.
Missing From Doomsday, Central to Secret Wars
While the exact mechanism of Wanda’s return remains unclear, reports suggest the timeline for her comeback is becoming more defined. According to insider sources, both Wanda Maximoff and Tom Holland’s Peter Parker will sit out the events of Avengers: Doomsday, which releases in May 2026.
However, Marvel reportedly plans to compensate for their absence by giving both characters major roles in Avengers: Secret Wars, which follows in December 2027.
This structure makes narrative sense for both characters. Spider-Man is getting his own film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, in July 2026 between the two Avengers movies. That solo adventure will likely set up Peter’s involvement in Secret Wars while keeping him separate from the Doomsday storyline.
Similarly, if Marvel is developing a Scarlet Witch solo project for release after the Multiverse Saga concludes, having her make a triumphant return in Secret Wars would provide the perfect launching point for that future project.
The decision to hold both characters out of Doomsday while emphasizing their importance to Secret Wars suggests Marvel is being strategic about character deployment across these massive ensemble films.
With Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom and dozens of other heroes confirmed for Doomsday, the film already has an enormous cast to manage. Saving some major players for Secret Wars ensures that film will have its own marquee moments rather than feeling like a simple continuation of the previous movie.
The Mutant Connection
One of the most intriguing aspects of the Scarlet Witch solo project report is that it will allegedly be released after the Multiverse Saga ends and “mutantkind finally takes the spotlight.” This timing is significant because it suggests Marvel plans to use Wanda’s return to help establish the mutant presence in the MCU going forward.
In the comics, Wanda has complex ties to the mutant community through her father Magneto and her famous “No More Mutants” declaration that depowered the vast majority of Earth’s mutant population in the House of M storyline.
The MCU has largely avoided those connections so far, introducing Wanda and her brother Pietro as products of Hydra experimentation with the Mind Stone rather than as mutants. However, with the X-Men finally joining the MCU proper, Marvel has the opportunity to retroactively connect Wanda to mutantkind.
Fan speculation has centered on the possibility that Marvel could invert the “No More Mutants” moment from the comics. Instead of Wanda eliminating mutants, she could be the catalyst that brings them into the MCU in large numbers.
Imagine Wanda standing amid the aftermath of Secret Wars and speaking four simple words: “Let there be mutants.” That single act could explain the sudden emergence of mutants throughout the MCU while giving Wanda a redemptive role in creating rather than destroying a population.
This approach would serve multiple purposes. It provides an in-universe explanation for why mutants suddenly exist in the MCU when they haven’t been present before. It gives Wanda a heroic legacy that balances her villainous turn in Multiverse of Madness. And it positions her as a bridge character between the Multiverse Saga and whatever comes next, whether that’s officially called the Mutant Saga or something else entirely.
Reimagining Wanda’s Character
One of the biggest questions surrounding a potential Scarlet Witch solo project is how Marvel will reimagine the character after keeping her disconnected from the X-Men mythos for so long. Will the MCU finally reveal Magneto as her true father? Could she encounter a variant of her brother Pietro, potentially played by Evan Peters reprising his WandaVision role or connecting to the X-Men universe version of Quicksilver? Might she discover that her powers have always been mutant abilities rather than products of the Mind Stone?
These questions become even more compelling when you consider that Marvel Comics is launching a new “Sorcerer Supreme” series in December 2026 that places Wanda in the role traditionally held by Doctor Strange.
Written by Steve Orlando with art by Bernard Chang, the series sees Wanda assuming the title of Sorcerer Supreme after Victor Von Doom’s defeat leaves the position vacant. When the mystical Vishanti refuse to recognize her authority and instead appoint Agatha Harkness, Wanda must prove herself worthy of the mantle.
While the MCU rarely adapts comic storylines directly, the timing of this new series alongside reports of a Scarlet Witch solo project and her planned Secret Wars appearance suggests Marvel may be coordinating Wanda’s prominence across multiple platforms.
Benedict Cumberbatch was notably absent from the Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement, raising questions about Doctor Strange’s role in the next phase of the MCU. Could the films follow the comics in transitioning magical leadership from Strange to Wanda?
It’s worth noting that Mark Ruffalo also wasn’t included in the Doomsday announcement despite playing Bruce Banner since 2012, though recent reports confirm those rumors of his firing were completely unfounded despite viral social media claims following his political comments at the Golden Globes. The Hulk’s absence from Doomsday appears to be a creative decision similar to whatever is happening with Doctor Strange rather than any behind-the-scenes drama.
What a Solo Project Could Explore
A Scarlet Witch solo project would have enormous storytelling potential, especially if it comes after her major role in Secret Wars. The film or series could explore Wanda processing everything she’s done while corrupted by the Darkhold and seeking genuine redemption beyond simple sacrifice.
It could dive deeper into the nature of chaos magic and Wanda’s unique abilities. It could establish her connection to the mutant community and explore what it means to be one of the most powerful beings in a universe suddenly populated by others with extraordinary abilities.
The project could also provide closure for storylines that WandaVision set up but never fully resolved. What happened to the version of Vision that Wanda created in Westview? Where are Billy and Tommy, and could they exist somewhere in the multiverse? How does Wanda move forward knowing the pain she caused while pursuing her lost family? These questions deserve exploration in a format that gives Wanda the focus she deserves rather than making her a supporting character in someone else’s story.
Given that the project would reportedly arrive after the Multiverse Saga concludes, it would also have the freedom to take Wanda in completely new directions without being constrained by multiverse mechanics or the need to set up the next crossover event. Marvel could use the project to definitively establish Wanda as a hero again, position her as a leader within the magical and mutant communities, and set up her role in whatever the next major saga will be.
Are you excited about the possibility of a Scarlet Witch solo project, or are you still processing that Multiverse of Madness ending? Drop a comment about what you’d want to see in a Wanda-focused film or series because honestly, this character deserves a proper redemption arc after everything Marvel put her through.