The popular Disney+ streaming series WandaVision was originally set to feature a cameo by Marvel superhero Doctor Strange, played by actor Benedict Cumberbatch. But Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said the “white guy” was cut so as to avoid him teaching Wanda, the strong female lead, “how power works.
Kevin Feige, made the admission this week revealing that the nine-episode series was going to feature a closing cameo by Doctor Strange. The sorcerer was apparently going to show and help Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) better understand the great powers she had developed during the series, among other ideas that were kicked around. Cumberbatch was even signed to reprise his role as Doctor Strange.
However, Cumberbatch was cut to avoid what Feige called the “white guy” coming in at the end to explain power to Wanda.
Feige said it would have been “cool” to see the Sorcerer Supreme in the series. “Some people might say, ‘Oh, it would’ve been so cool to see Doctor Strange,'” he told Rolling Stone.
But ultimately, it was decided against.
“But it would have taken away from Wanda, which is what we didn’t want to do. We didn’t want the end of the show to be commoditized to go to the next movie — here’s the white guy, ‘Let me show you how power works,'” Feige said.
Feige’s note about cutting Doctor Strange from WandaVision came on the heels of the announcement that Wanda Maximoff would appear in a key role in the coming second entry in the Doctor Strange movie series.
Wanda’s part in the upcoming movie was not explained but her appearance would make sense. In WandaVision it is finally officially revealed that she is the Avengers character named The Scarlet Witch, one of the more powerful superheroes in the Marvel universe.
The character’s powers are drawn from the realm of magic and were enhanced by scientific experimentation (and in the movies she was touched by one of the Infinity Stones during those experiments). The character was never referred to as the Scarlett Witch in the Avengers films but now that she has been given that title, her extremely powerful magic naturally leads her into Doctor Strange’s world.
Feige also revealed one more factoid. Once Doctor Strange was dumped from WandVision, they had to rewrite part of his upcoming movie to addess what was originally going to be explained in the Disney+ mini-series.
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