Credit: Inside the MagicIs this Marvel’s new direction?
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Following Robert Downey Jr.’s poignant sacrifice as Iron Man/Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame and Chris Evans relinquishing the Captain America mantle, the Marvel Cinematic Universe confronts even more daunting challenges. The Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are now on the cusp of uncertainty with the end of the Thanos (Josh Brolin) centered Infinity Saga.
Considering Marvel Studios’ recent difficulties with critical and audience reception (and inevitably, box office woes), as well as the ousting of Jonathan Majors, who played the Multiverse Saga’s main villain, Kang the Conqueror, The Walt Disney Company and Marvel President Kevin Feige are now scrambling behind the scenes to fix the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and revive interest in the superhero IP.
Now, Deadpool & WolverineAKA Deadpool 3, will mark the MCU’s first proper foray into R-rated movies, following Disney+’s first Mature-rated Marvel series, Echo (2023)
Following the expansion into Disney+ (Disney Plus), the award-winning original series WandaVision (2021) is set to spawn two spinoff series within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), expanding its narrative. These series include Vision Quest, expected to debut around 2025, and Agatha: Darkhold Diaries (formerly titled Agatha: Coven of Chaos and Agatha: House of Harkness), focusing on the witch Agatha Harkness, played by Kathryn Hahn.
Recent reports indicate that Marvel might be trying something new with the upcoming Agatha series, which may take on a surprising bent and veer into more mature, horror territory.
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New Direction For Upcoming Disney+ Show?
According to insider source Scarlet Witch Updates, Agatha: Darkhold Diaries might introduce horror elements to the MCU, which would be a departure for Marvel television and the Marvel universe as a whole.
Even though Spider-Man and horror director Sam Raimi took on 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and brought a few minor horror tropes to the series, mostly with Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff, it seems as if the MCU is ready for something a bit more explicitly “horror”.
The following may contain horror imagery unsuitable for younger readers, including blood.
Scarlet Witch Updates shares the following image of the character of Sadako Yamamura (Samara Morgan in the 2002 Gore Verbinski remake) from The Ring, crawling on the ceiling covered in blood:
Agatha be like that in one episode. 🔮👀
Agatha be like that in one episode. 🔮👀 https://t.co/IuaURawVfi pic.twitter.com/cZYbMz1BJM
— Scarlet Witch Updates (@ScarletWitchUpd) February 20, 2024
Something as explicitly terrifying would mark a first for the superhero media giant,
In the upcoming Marvel TV series, Kathryn Hahn reprises her role as Agatha, now leading a coven of witches. Notably, Joe Locke will likely portray Billy Maximoff/Billy Kaplan, Wanda Maximoff’s son, and the superhero Wiccan from Marvel Comics. Sasheer Zamata is slated to depict Sorceress Jennifer Kale.
Debra Jo Rupp and Fred Melamed return to their roles as Mrs. Hart and Arthur Hart, respectively. Several actors, including Aubrey Plaza, Ali Ahn, and Maria Dizzia, have been cast in undisclosed roles, likely as other members of Agatha’s coven, with Plaza possibly portraying Rio Vidal.
The creative direction of the Disney+ show seems to embrace a “musical theater” style, drawing inspiration from the unexpected success of songs like “Agatha All Along.” Adding to the excitement, acclaimed lyricists and composers Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, known for their work on Broadway hits like Book of Mormon and Disney’s Frozen, crafted the memorable jingles in WandaVision.
Furthermore, Broadway icon Patti LuPone will embody the role of Lilia Calderu, an older witch within the central witches’ coven.
Considering that this entire Marvel series will be a bit of a departure for the MCU, it seems as if experimenting with the horror genre will generally add to the feelings of chaos the show appears to be going for.
What do you think of Disney adding horror elements to Agatha: Darkhold Diaries? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!