WandaVision Lead Into Doctor Strange 2:
WandaVision is the series that will start off the MCU Phase 4 and Doctor Strange 2 is the movie that will bring Phase 4 to an end. Back at Comic-Con 2019, Kevin Feige revealed that WandaVision will directly play into the narrative of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Wanda will play a key role in that film. We thought that this might change slightly as Doctor Strange 2 isn’t the film that is coming directly after WandaVision.
Initially, WandaVision was supposed to arrive in Spring 2021, but that changed as Disney pulled it to a December 2020 release on their streaming service. Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened and Doctor Strange 2 got pushed all the way back to March 2022. But, it’s good to know that all these schedule changes haven’t really changed the way WandaVision was supposed to play out with regards to the Doctor Strange sequel.
The latest issue of Entertainment Weekly reveals how WandaVision will set up Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. It states:
“Ideally, Marvel hopes WandaVision will be just the pilot episode of a long-running TV dynasty; the studio is already hard at work developing seven additional shows, with each one connecting to past and future films. WandaVision, Feige notes, will directly set up the 2022 film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with Olsen’s Witch playing a key role alongside Benedict Cumberbatch’s sorcerer. With the pandemic shuffling release dates, Marvel is also taking extra care to ensure the new schedule won’t spoil story continuity.”
So clearly, the change in the release schedule won’t spoil any other projects. Just like we had been thinking that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s arrival before Black Widow might spoil the Thunderbolts set up of Black Widow, well it probably won’t as Marvel has already taken measures for that. In fact, I think that making Doctor Strange 2 the final movie of Phase 4 has actually made the narrative of Phase 4 much better now.
Instead of just WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier & Loki, even Spider-Man 3 and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will now lead into Doctor Strange 2. And did you notice how the EW specifically mentioned “Olsen’s Witch”? This means that Wanda will become the true Scarlet Witch by the end of WandaVision.
The EW coverage also revealed a few other details about the upcoming series. For instance, WandaVision was filmed in front of a live audience and everyone had to sign strict Non-Disclosure Agreements to not spoil anything from the show. Here’s what Lizzie Olsen and Paul Bettany said about that experience:
“Olsen – It was insanity. There was something very meta for my own life because I would visit those tapings as a kid, where my sisters were working [on Full House].
Bettany – We were all so high by the end of it, we wanted to keep on running the show. Maybe take it out on tour or something. WandaVision on ice.”
The EW issue goes on to state how WandaVision will tie in with several Phase 1-3 movies and obviously, the upcoming projects as well. Here’s what Kevin Feige told the outlet:
“If you haven’t seen any [Marvel Cinematic Universe movies] and just want to step into this weird thing because you love The Dick Van Dyke Show, it’s going to work. But if you’ve been tracking the 23 movies we’ve made and following along the stories into Phase 4, there’ll be a wealth of rewards waiting for you as it all unfolds.”
We’re really excited to see what WandaVision has to offer us. It will possibly arrive in late December. Now that the EW issue of the series is out, we should expect a second trailer to arrive real soon. Marvel usually puts out a trailer in the last week of November. So, it is possible that the second trailer of WandaVision will hit the internet in that period.
