The Scarlet Witch might be on her way back to the MCU after the Russo brothers included a Marvel easter egg in their recent Netflix movie, The Electric State. In the decade since Elizabeth Olsen’s debut in the MCU, Wanda Maximoff has become a fan-favorite character, even after becoming a villain as the Scarlet Witch in WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The latter ended with Wanda Maximoff sacrificing herself, but the past three years have seen the emergence of many theories regarding the Scarlet Witch’s return to the MCU.

Since there has been no confirmation from Marvel Studios or Elizabeth Olsen about the Scarlet Witch’s return to live-action, it’s unclear when or how this could actually take place. Wanda Maximoff’s legacy played a key role in 2024’s Agatha All Along, and is expected to also be prominent in 2026’s upcoming Vision Quest series, but Olsen’s return is still up in the air. A new theory suggests that the Russo brothers’ recent movie, The Electric State, might have teased exactly how the Scarlet Witch can return, but it’s not how many expect.

The Russo Brothers Included A Marvel Comics Easter Egg In The Electric State

The Electric State Is The Russo Brothers’ Most Recent Netflix Movie

Released on March 14, The Electric State brings together Millie Bobby Brown’s Michelle and Chris Pratt’s Keats, who navigate a world ravaged by a war between humans and sentient robots. As Michelle and Keats enter the mall in which the robot community now calls its home, one of the robots can be seen reading an issue of Marvel Comics, namely 1990’s Avengers West Coast #56. It surely isn’t a coincidence that the Russo brothers included this comic in The Electric State while also developing Phase 6’s Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.

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Avengers West Coast #56 features an image of the Scarlet Witch on the cover with the caption, “The Witch is Back!” This issue, particularly the story тιтled “Darker Than Scarlet,” sees the Scarlet Witch become something of a villain, calling herself “anti-human,” and using her power to imprison the West Coast Avengers. This issue marked the first time that the Scarlet Witch was revealed to be able to warp reality, rather than simply affecting probability, which could hint at Wanda Maximoff’s return as officially one of the MCU’s most powerful and important characters.

The Electric State’s Marvel Issue Spurs A Theory That The Scarlet Witch Could Return In The Russo Brothers’ Upcoming MCU Movies

Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars Can Bring The Scarlet Witch Back To The MCU

Following the release of The Electric State, the Russo brothers will be dedicating their time to the development and production of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. The directing duo previously helmed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, four of the MCU’s most successful projects, so their return to Marvel is incredibly exciting. Their recent Marvel Comics easter egg in The Electric State seems to imply that the Scarlet Witch has some significant meaning for the Russo brothers, which could hint at her return in Phase 6.

Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars are expected to include many returning MCU characters, heroes and villains alike, and Wanda Maximoff’s Scarlet Witch fits into both these categories. She had previously been an Avenger, but she held an entire town hostage in WandaVision and caused calamity across the multiverse in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, becoming a bona fide villain. This is reflected in the pages of Avengers West Coast #56, which could inspire the Russo brothers to bring Wanda Maximoff back as a morally-questionable character.

Why Scarlet Witch Returning In The MCU Soon Would Make Sense

Wanda Maximoff’s MCU Return Is Highly-Anticipated

The Scarlet Witch has already played a key role in the development of the Multiverse Saga, so it would make sense for her to be there at its conclusion. Her actions in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may have caused incursions, or caught the attention of the Time Variance Authority, as was previously theorized to have been detailed in an MCU tie-in comic. This particular story has since been debunked, but it still seems very likely that the Scarlet Witch will be brought back in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, despite her demise.

Elizabeth Olsen has been vocal about her love for Wanda Maximoff and her desire to return to the MCU after her hiatus. She appeared almost solidly as the Scarlet Witch from her debut in 2014 until Maximoff’s death in 2022, so she deserved a break, but it’s high time she returned to the MCU now. Since the Russo brothers teased the significance of Avengers West Coast #56, it’s possible the Scarlet Witch could return while the West Coast Avengers team is formed, which raises excitement for Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars even more.

Scarlet Witch

Created By

Stan Lee, Jack Kirby

Cast

Elizabeth Olsen

First Appearance

The X-Men (1963)

Died

Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness

Alias

Wanda Frank

RELATIONSHIPS

Vision (Lover), Quicksilver (Brother)

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