Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has promised fans a mind-bending trip into the many variants that populate the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But before the multiverse was A Thing, Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff was already familiar with bending minds.
WandaVision saw Scarlet Witch struggling with her grief, and in doing so trapping the people of Westview in her illusion. The trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness addresses the hypocrisy around how Steven Strange is treated compared with her over their sacrifice of others for the greater good.
Ahead of the movie's debut, Digital Spy caught up with Olsen to ask her how she viewed this double standard, and the journey her character has taken since her early days in the MCU.
What's been the biggest change for you since you started?
I think the biggest change really felt like the amount of time on screen. I've been taking up my lane in these ensemble films and trying to serve the story and these other characters and just add, you know, the colour that they needed from my character.
Usually it was from the more sincere, vulnerable emotional space. Then to be able to access a playfulness and humour in WandaVision was really fun for me. That was kind of a breath of fresh air. This humour.
What to Read Next
For a lot of women, there was a sense that Wanda was underserved and painted with a 'Wanda be crazy!' stereotypical approach. How was that for you to see that conversation play out?
Any time I play a character, I think I'm their attorney. And so I would never call someone — I would never pass judgement on them, so I don't see her as crazy. I see her as... maybe she in the past has struggled with certain processing of changes. And now she's in a space of clarity.
I think she feels very confident in what she believes and why. I think she's coming in from a space of competence and clarity, when it comes to Doctor Strange, even if it's different from what people believe, if she makes mistakes or does something that people think is morally incorrect.
I think we all at least understand why she makes those decisions. To me, that's the point. For my job, if you can have empathy for someone who you think is doing something wrong, then I feel good about that.
It's the parallel between the idea of Doctor Strange sacrificing loads of people and being lauded for it, and Wanda sacrificing people and being demonised for it.
Yes, there is that. There's that theme of hypocrisy. And I do think superheroes are often hypocritical. And I think, who better to point that out than Wanda, who has gone through so much?
What was it like working with Kathryn Hahn?
The amount of joy that we had making that show, and also just the friendship to have with her — and to work with another female on set, it's just such fun. Anytime I get to work with other women I really do enjoy it. And I think that's becoming... often there's just a bunch of men and a couple of women.
When you get to have these friendships, especially [with Kathryn] because she's had a long career and she's had more experience than I have, So there's lots of that [dynamic] as well. There's a camaraderie in that.
What was the most challenging thing about filming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness?
The most challenging thing I always find is how to advance the character. How to not be repetitive, but be consistent. How to further her journey and not be repetitive.
And so I do think that's always my goal. I want there to be an evolution.
How much of it is collaboration?
I'm serving a script. And so I try and figure out well, how can we continue this thread from WandaVision while still serving the script? Are there certain architectural things of story that you cannot change?
But I can suggest tactics, just, you know, different ways of moving forward through the story that they already have set out. So there's there is a bit of collaboration, but it's not like from the origin.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is due to be released on May 5, 2022.
![Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness [DVD]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1654869402-51BnASiek9L._SL500_.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness [DVD]")
![Marvel Studios: The Infinity Saga - Collector's Edition [Blu-ray, region-free]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1592930813-51rTY4QSSxL.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Marvel Studios: The Infinity Saga - Collector's Edition [Blu-ray, region-free]")
Gabriella Geisinger is a freelance film critic and journalist, with a focus on J-drama & film, and the Japanese production industry. She was previously Locations Editor at Screen International and Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy. Her writing can also befound in Curzon, 1883, and more. A born and raised New Yorker, she loves coffee and the colour black, obviously.
