Expectations for Disney Plus And Marvel’s WandaVision
If you’re still on the fence about it, hop-off and sign up for Disney Plus because WandaVision is likely to change the whole game. Marvel Studios has taken us on a 10+ year journey unlike anything ever seen in film. They’re now expanding their original content to the small screen on a scope that has yet to be seen. We’ve collected expert opinions from all over the CheckpointXP stratosphere from our hosts to some of our closest friends and colleagues. What exactly can we expect from WandaVision’s debut?
Except the Unexpected
Trying to gauge expectations for WandaVision is nigh impossible. Even if we’re not taking into account the fact that Wanda and her powers can do literally anything, there are a few other key issues at play. Disney Plus is the future of Marvel movies. It’s a whole new medium for storytelling and just like the MCU changed the way we tell long-form stories on film. WandaVision and the other series are likely to change the way we tell long-form stories on both TV and film.
For me, it’s all about the big picture. I want a concise story told within the confines of the show, but I’m also infinitely fascinated by how it affects the greater MCU. We know WandaVision is the start of phase 4. That the results of this story will die into the upcoming Spider-Man 3 and Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. Any universe in which Wanda lives only one thing is certain; expect the unexpected. –Robbie Landis from CheckpointXP’s National Radio Show and The Other Identity Podcast.
The Vision of WandaVision
I’m just hype for more Vision to be fair. Paul Bettany is amazing and seeing more of him is always a good thing. I’ve never been a fan of Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda. Actually, I’ve never really even liked Wanda as a character beyond House of M. Which if the Marvel Cinematic Universe goes for another 20 years I could totally see it as a massive arc as well. But in terms of WandaVision, I just want it to be bizarre and enthralling. Wanda’s reality-bending powers could help create an unsettling meta-universe, not unlike HBO’s The Watchmen‘s pseudo-racial reckoning. From this show, I hope there are threads that help us understand the greater vision (hehe) for the MCU for the next few years.
Lastly, I’m looking for a standout supporting character. The biggest hurdle for the MCU in the next few years is getting viewers to connect with a new generation of heroes and “guys in the chair”. I’m looking forward to seeing who becomes the “guy in the chair” for WandaVision. –Norris Howard from Checkpoint Daily and Checkpoint On-Campus.
In Kevin Feige We Trust
What’s got me most excited about WandaVision is seeing the MCU characters in a long-form series. The characters we’ve seen in Marvel series before have been used specifically for that series. Daredevil, Luke Cage, Punisher, etc. Now we’re seeing characters that have been major players in the Infinity Saga get fleshed out in ways that only a TV series can do. Add in the fact that Paul Bettany is one of my favorite actors, Scarlet Witch is one of my favorite comic characters, and an awesome 1950’s/60’s aesthetic and I think we’re primed for an amazing series. In Kevin Feige we trust. –Kali Scales from Checkpoint Daily.
The Marvel Drought
I’m most excited about WandaVision because it’s a return to MCU properties after suffering through Marvel burnout. By the end of the battle with Thanos, and even through lingering films like Spider-Man: Far From Home, I’ve been really struggling with attempting to get back into MCU stuff. The entirety of last year was essentially MCU free, and I almost had a weird feeling of missing it. But flashback to the right time after Avengers: Endgame released, and I was DONE with MCU stuff. Not from a stance of not liking it anymore, but there was just too much. It felt like it was everywhere. It had been discussed for YEARS straight in my circle of friends. It was just an ever lingering cloud of “hey, let’s talk about Marvel stuff” for what felt like eons.
But here we are. Fresh off an entire year being locked inside, with no new Marvel properties, and I am actually excited. I’m excited to see non-Thor/Captain America/Iron Man characters in the spotlight again. I’m excited to see what they can do with the series in tying it into the larger narratives. But really, I’m just most ready to be excited about a Marvel property again. – Ric Hogerheide from CheckpointXP’s National Radio Show and The Breakdown.
Getting Room to Grow
For me, the biggest and most exciting thing about WandaVision is getting to see the lead actors get some spotlight in a story devoted solely to them. In particular, Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff has been fantastic in the Avengers movies, but we’ve really only gotten to see small bits. I’m very much looking forward to being able to see her display a bit of range from comedic to foreboding and unlock layers of who Wanda is. Paul Bettany has had a little more room to grow in the films, but, again, I think he has a versatility we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of.
I also like when Marvel tries to explore different genres and this should be no exception. Some of the best MCU movies are the ones that lean into specific influences, like Captain America: The Winter Soldier as a spy story or Ant-Man as a heist flick. With WandaVision, we’re going to be getting a Marvel take on everything from the classic sitcom to the Twin Peaks-esque creepiness we saw in the trailer–it should be great. – Ben Morse, Lecturer at UNLV and former Editorial Director of Digital Media at Marvel Comics and host of The Other Identity Podcast.
More From the Comics
After more than a year away from the Marvel Cinematic Universe my expectations for WandaVision are impossibly high. Do we get to see the comic universe sons of the couple, Billy and Tommy, who grow up to be Young Avengers Wiccan and Speed? With Kate Bishop showing up in the Hawkeye series later this year it feels like a distinct possibility.
Will the reality-warping powers of Scarlet Witch lead to some X-men hints? I doubt it but I would be extremely excited to see it. Bare minimum, I hope it captures the tone of tragedy from Tom King’s Visions and Brian Michael Bendis’ Avengers Disassembled while setting up whatever the next phase of the MCU has in store. –Chuck Bean, Host of Nerd Radio 101 Podcast.
Want More Comic Book Talk? Check Out The Other Identity Podcast
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