Elizabeth Olsen, the star of the film, was concerned that WandaVision, which the MCU planned to release in 2021, would flop.
WandaVision, which launched Phase 4 of the MCU, was far from a surefire success for Marvel Studios, especially considering that it marked the franchise’s return to audiences after an 18-month delay caused by the pandemic.
Olsen and Paul Bettany’s involvement in the series’ enormous popularity on Disney+ helped the MCU achieve its highest level of critical acclaim to date, and WandaVision was honored with the MCU’s first Emmy Award.
While WandaVision’s decision to revive the MCU was historic, there was no guarantee it would reach that level.
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Elizabeth Olsen worries WandaVision
WandaVision star Elizabeth Olsen appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to discuss her issues with WandaVision ahead of its release.
Colbert reflected on his last conversation before WandaVision debuted on Disney+, praising the show for “[breaking] form in an interesting way” and handling such difficult and sensitive material for Wanda Maximoff and Vision:
We didn’t watch WandaVision the last time I was here. What a great performance it was. I’ve worked on a lot of Marvel projects and there have been a lot of these Marvel TV episodes, but this one really broke the mold. Your character’s emotional journey has been wonderful, satisfying, and heartbreaking, and Vision’s, of course, has been.
When asked if he predicted the show’s popularity, Olsen reflected on co-star Paul Bettany’s description as “the forgotten cousin of the Marvel universe,” comparing it to the action-packed international adventures of The Falcon and Winter Soldier:
“We just felt like… Paul frequently referred to us as the underrated cousin of the Marvel universe. He just thought of us as the annoying cousin who throws people off the back. Also, I think Anthony Mackie and Sebastian (Stan) they were going around the world while I was blowing things up. Paul and I were just doing a skit in the corner. And of course our amazing cast and crew.
Olsen also acknowledged that while everyone on the team had a blast working on the show, when it first aired they were concerned that it would “potentially screw everyone up”:
“But we were doing it because we had fun. We had a lot of fun doing it. However, we had a strong impression that it would destroy us all or that it was already there. (laughs) When you feel like it you can fail at any time, I think the material is the most fun to create.
Head writer Jacques Schafer delved into her main interests while creating the show in an interview with the Deseret News shortly after WandaVision debuted on Disney+.
She wanted to make something that she and her team would be proud of, and more than anything, she hoped that Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige would like the final product:
Will I like Kevin? It was actually where the pressure was most intense. Will Kevin enjoy what I describe as a typical day? So will I enjoy it? Will I be happy with that? Will he be satisfied with that? Are we producing something that benefits the world in some way? These are the most important questions I ask myself every day. However, even though I’m starting to panic that the actual premiere is right around the corner, things seem to be going well. going well so far.
In May 2022, during the promotional tour for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: The Return of Doctor Strange, Olsen discussed the possibility of Avengers: Endgame being a financial flop with Jimmy Fallon.
Fallon: “Avengers: Endgame” is one of the most successful films in world cinema. So I said, “Here we go.” It was our first failure.
“I don’t know,” Olsen said. I am not familiar with this. We will eventually see “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”.
The WandaVision star has overcome his volatile fears
Even after factoring in the unfavorable reviews many of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga projects have received, WandaVision has exceeded most people’s expectations, Elizabeth Olsen included.
This series gave the MCU something new and interesting while also providing a narrative that resonated with viewers as it follows a very different framework from anything that came before or since, especially with its sitcom-style storytelling.
Olsen and Paul Bettany’s joint work would only last one season, but the series cemented its place in MCU history as one of Marvel Studios’ biggest successes to date.
While fans wait to find out when Olsen will return as herself in this or another series, the success of the original series has already given the green light to Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha: Coven of Chaos.
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