TheScarlet Witchmight be on her way back to theMCUafter the Russo brothers included a Marvel easter egg in their recent Netflix movie,The Electric State. In the decade since Elizabeth Olsen’s debut in the MCU, Wanda Maximoff has become a fan-favorite character, even after becoming a villain as the Scarlet Witch inWandaVisionandDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The latter ended with Wanda Maximoff sacrificing herself, but the past three years have seen the emergence of many theories regarding theScarlet Witch’s return to the MCU.
Since there has been no confirmation from Marvel Studios or Elizabeth Olsen about theScarlet Witch’s return to live-action, it’s unclear when or how this could actually take place.Wanda Maximoff’s legacy played a key role in 2024’sAgatha All Along, and is expected to also be prominent in 2026’s upcomingVision Questseries, but Olsen’s return is still up in the air. A new theory suggests that the Russo brothers' recent movie,The Electric State, might have teased exactly how the Scarlet Witch can return, but it’s not how many expect.
The Russo Brothers Included A Marvel Comics Easter Egg In The Electric State
The Electric State Is The Russo Brothers' Most Recent Netflix Movie
Released on March 14,The Electric Statebrings together Millie Bobby Brown’s Michelle and Chris Pratt’s Keats, who navigate a world ravaged by a war between humans and sentient robots. As Michelle and Keats enter the mall in which the robot community now calls its home,one of the robots can be seen reading an issue of Marvel Comics, namely 1990’sAvengers West Coast #56. It surely isn’t a coincidence that the Russo brothers included this comic inThe Electric Statewhile also developingPhase 6’sAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars.
Avengers West Coast #56features an image of the Scarlet Witch on the cover with the caption,“The Witch is Back!“This issue, particularly the story titled “Darker Than Scarlet,” sees theScarlet Witch become something of a villain, calling herself"anti-human,“and using her power to imprison the West Coast Avengers.This issue marked the first time that the Scarlet Witch was revealed to be able to warp reality, rather than simply affecting probability, which could hint at Wanda Maximoff’s return as officially one of the MCU’s most powerful and important characters.
The Electric State’s Marvel Issue Spurs A Theory That The Scarlet Witch Could Return In The Russo Brothers' Upcoming MCU Movies
Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars Can Bring The Scarlet Witch Back To The MCU
Following the release ofThe Electric State, the Russo brothers will be dedicating their time to the development and production of Marvel Studios’Avengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars.The directing duo previously helmedCaptain America: The Winter Soldier, Civil War, Avengers: Infinity WarandEndgame, four of the MCU’s most successful projects, so their return to Marvel is incredibly exciting. Their recent Marvel Comics easter egg inThe Electric Stateseems to imply that the Scarlet Witch has some significant meaning for the Russo brothers, which could hint at her return in Phase 6.
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Avengers: DoomsdayandSecret Warsare expected to include many returning MCU characters, heroes and villains alike, andWanda Maximoff’s Scarlet Witchfits into both these categories. She had previously been an Avenger, butshe held an entire town hostage inWandaVisionand caused calamity across the multiverse inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, becoming a bona fide villain. This is reflected in the pages ofAvengers West Coast #56, which could inspire the Russo brothers to bring Wanda Maximoff back as a morally-questionable character.
Why Scarlet Witch Returning In The MCU Soon Would Make Sense
Wanda Maximoff’s MCU Return Is Highly-Anticipated
The Scarlet Witch has already played a key role in the development of the Multiverse Saga, so it would make sense for her to be there at its conclusion.Her actions inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessmay have caused incursions, or caught the attention of the Time Variance Authority, as was previously theorized to have been detailed in an MCU tie-in comic. This particular story has since been debunked, but it still seems very likely that the Scarlet Witch will be brought back inAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars, despite her demise.
Marvel Quietly Reveals The Status of MCU’s Scarlet Witch, Confirming Her Connection To The TVA
While fan theories have abounded for some time, Marvel has officially confirmed that the Scarlet Witch survived the second Doctor Strange film.
Elizabeth Olsen has been vocal about her love for Wanda Maximoff and her desire to return to the MCU after her hiatus. She appeared almost solidly as the Scarlet Witch from her debut in 2014 until Maximoff’s death in 2022, so she deserved a break, but it’s high time she returned to the MCU now. Since the Russo brothers teased the significance ofAvengers West Coast #56, it’s possible theScarlet Witchcould return while theWest Coast Avengers team is formed, which raises excitement forAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Warseven more.
