As Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness rounds out its first week in theaters, fans are finally able to share and compare their thoughts on Marvel Studios’ 28th feature film. In the buildup to the movie, Multiverse of Madness gained a reputation for being quite secretive. Many had theories that a wide variety of Marvel characters would cameo via the infinite possibilities of the multiverse—for the most part, they did not.
One rumor in particular follows Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff wherever she goes: mutants. Now that Disney owns the film rights to X-Men characters, fans are eager for mutants and their stories to debut in the MCU. Though not currently, throughout much of her comics history Wanda was a mutant and the daughter of famed villain and antihero Magneto. Coupled with the fact that Patrick Stewart’s Professor X made his appearance in the Doctor Strange sequel’s trailer, many thought or hoped this film would be where mutants are introduced in the MCU. Some fan theories even pointed to the House of M storyline as inspiration for Multiverse of Madness.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the sequel’s writer Michael Waldron explained how the film’s creators discussed House of M and other mutant-centric stories but ultimately did not feel that Multiverse of Madness was the place to introduce them. He stated:
Yeah, we talked about House of M, and there’s plenty of examples of Wanda doing bad things throughout the comics in an effort to get her kids back. But ultimately this story didn’t need mutants to be powerful, I guess was our feeling. And, you know, wherever that lies on the timeline for the MCU, it didn’t feel like this was the right place to introduce it — because then it suddenly would have just been about mutants. And this is really a story about Wanda and her grief and her descent into darkness in this movie.
Michael Waldron
While audiences have to wait longer to meet the MCU’s version of X-Men or related characters, an introduction to mutants in Multiverse of Madness surely would have either been rushed or taken over Doctor Strange’s second solo film. In any event, fans can keep speculating on the countless possible ways that these characters could be introduced by Marvel Studios in live-action.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now playing in theaters worldwide.
Source: Entertainment Tonight
