Since its release, Marvel's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" has sparked intense fan debate over Wanda's dark turn. Many viewers criticized the character's abrupt transformation, with some even accusing screenwriter Michael Waldron of "writing the script without watching 'WandaVision'."
However, Waldron recently broke his silence during an AMA (Ask Me Anything) event on Reddit, clarifying the rumors and emphasizing, "I followed the series all the way through."
The 2021 series "WandaVision" depicted Wanda's profound grief over losing her loved ones, ultimately transforming her into the Scarlet Witch. At the show's conclusion, she acquired the forbidden "Darkhold," setting the stage for her subsequent descent. In "Doctor Strange 2," Wanda was consumed by dark power, resorting to murder in her quest to find her true children in another universe. Some viewers found this transformation too extreme and pointed fingers at Waldron.
The controversy stemmed from Elizabeth Olsen's previous interview with Vanity Fair, where she revealed that the film's screenwriter "hadn't finished watching the series at the time," which made her feel the character's arc was "repetitive and lacked novelty."
In response, Waldron clarified during the AMA: "Contrary to what's been circulating online, I read and watched 'WandaVision' throughout the entire creative process. I was very interested in the different struggles Doctor Strange and Wanda had with 'control,' which is their shared theme."
He further stated that his favorite line in the film was Doctor Strange's final remark to Wong: "Saving the world doesn't necessarily make you happy." He explained that this line perfectly encapsulated the character's solitude and human depth. Waldron also admitted that the "Doctor Strange 2" script underwent multiple revisions during production, suggesting that the communication issues Olsen mentioned might have occurred before the script was finalized.
Reflecting on the production, Waldron praised Benedict Cumberbatch's performance and revealed that the famous "musical magic battle" sequence was primarily conceived by director Sam Raimi and acclaimed composer Danny Elfman. He also shared that co-conceiving the "Zombie Doctor Strange" sequence with producer Richie Palmer was "one of the brightest moments of inspiration in his career."