Elizabeth Olsen on where Wanda could go next after ‘Doctor Strange’ role (exclusive)

Watch: Elizabeth Olsen discusses MCU future

Elizabeth Olsen says she ‘wouldn’t say no’ if she was approached to lead a solo MCU movie built around her character Scarlet Witch.

The 33-year-old star made her debut Marvel appearance way back in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron and once again reprises her role this week in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

She previously served as co-lead in Disney+ series WandaVision and told Yahoo that she’d be keen to take the spotlight again if a project arrived with a great idea at its core.

Read more: Elizabeth Olsen teases Sam Raimi’s approach to Doctor Strange

“My whole thing is there needs to be a good story in order to justify it. You don’t just want to do something for no reason,” said Olsen.

Elizabeth Olsen returns as Wanda, aka Scarlet Witch, in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. (Marvel)

She added: “So in my mind, if that were to be a thing, I would be excited to hear what the thoughts and ideas were.”

Wanda joins the action of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness when she is approached by Benedict Cumberbatch’s title character in the wake of the arrival of multiverse-hopping newbie America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez).

Read more: Will Loki show up in Doctor Strange sequel?

The star said she and the bigwigs at Marvel also have their ear to the ground in the fan community as they consider potential directions for the most popular characters in the franchise.

“I think that’s what’s so fun about the fan interaction as well,” said Olsen.

“I do think our fans have really brilliant ideas and I think it’s useful to hear their voices for thoughts moving forward.”

Benedict Cumberbatch and Benedict Wong are joined by MCU newcomer Xochitl Gomez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. (Marvel)

Wanda has been on a rollercoaster character arc since her first appearance, starting as an adversary for the Avengers and then joining their ranks — with Wanda never needing the multiverse to be a whole new woman each time she appears.

“As an audience member for any kind of series or franchises, I just think you need to continue to evolve a character,” said Olsen.

Story continues

Read more: Elizabeth Olsen recounts “awful” Game of Thrones audition

She added: “There are obviously things that people love to return to because of the comfort of it being the same, but with these films I feel like, to justify these characters continuing to move on for so many years, we as actors should try and figure out ways to keep it fun and interesting and surprising, hopefully, for the fans.

“And also, this has been eight years from starting as someone who was angsty and younger. Now I’m getting older, she’s getting older and so there needs to be some kind of, in my mind, evolution from the angsty Age of Ultron version of her. I hope that we’ve been building up to where we are today.”

Elizabeth Olsen made her debut as Wanda back in 2015 with Avengers: Age of Ultron. (Marvel)

One of the side effects of being such a key player in the world’s biggest movie franchise is the immortalisation of your character in merchandise.

Olsen said she loves seeing herself in toys such as the popular Funko POP! range — when she can find them.

Read more: Which actors have been in the most Marvel movies?

“For some reason, any time I’m in a Walmart or a Target, I’m always mad that I can’t see any Scarlet Witches or Black Widows and it’s all a bunch of boys,” she said.

With Wanda seemingly set to be positioned right at the centre of the multiverse of madness, Olsen won’t have any trouble finding herself in stores for the next few months.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will arrive in UK cinemas on 5 May.

Watch: Trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness