In a recent interview, Elizabeth Olsen, known for her portrayal of the Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), disclosed that she won’t be reprising her role for the forthcoming Avengers films. During her conversation with The Hollywood Reporter on March 24, 2025, Olsen mentioned her upcoming project, The Assessment, while confirming her departure from roles in Doomsday and Secret Wars.
When questioned about whether filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo might extend her time in London for the upcoming shoots, Olsen responded:
No, I’m back. I just finished (shooting Panic Carefully). I’m moving on to filming a pilot for FX.
The announcement sparked a flurry of reactions online, with many users expressing disappointment. One user lamented:
So who am I supposed to watch the movie for?
As the discourse continued, a growing number of fans questioned the viability of the forthcoming Avengers films without Olsen’s presence.
bye there’s no point of watching then,
I guess I won’t be watching the two upcoming Avengers movies,
both are tanking without her presence,
Several fans criticized Marvel for what they perceive as a misstep in sidelining a popular character. Comments included:
Nahhh no Wanda, no watch Marvel fumbled the bag fr,
Multiverse of Madness is one of the small handful of MCU entries post phase 3 that has actually been successful, why sideline a character for characters that the audiences have clearly rejected?
The way she’s the only current female Marvel character that actually has a fanbase…who am I supposed to care about now huh? she-hulk?
Olsen’s Journey as Scarlet Witch
During her interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Olsen elaborated on her departure from the MCU, emphasizing her desire for creative growth. She stated:
I didn’t realize this until about six years ago, but because Marvel and its influence takes up so much physical time and space in the world, it’s really important for me to make choices outside of Marvel that reflect my own taste.
Olsen reflected on how her experiences outside of Marvel, like her role in The Assessment, allowed her to define her artistic path and collaborate with creators aligned with her vision.
As a notable actress in the MCU, Olsen portrayed Wanda Maximoff, or Scarlet Witch, in six films, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Avengers: Endgame. She also starred in the Disney+ series WandaVision.
Her last appearance as Scarlet Witch was in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where her character faced a tragic fate while trying to eradicate the Darkhold. Despite the mixed reviews of the film, her performance was widely regarded as a highlight.
In a September 2024 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Olsen jokingly remarked that she believed her character was “dead,”yet she is open to the possibility of a comeback, stating:
I would bet to leave a window open. I had so much fun doing these movies. I would like to figure out how to cleverly be undead. We need to find the smartest writers to figure out how to make this all make sense. I’m open to ideas.
Earlier this year, her co-star Benedict Cumberbatch initially commented on not appearing in Doomsday, but later retracted his statement, as reported by Business Insider. Notably, Robert Downey Jr. is expected to return as Victor von Doom in Doomsday.
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for release in May 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars following a year later. Both films are set to be filmed back-to-back.