Doctor Strange 2’s Early Script Featured Nightmare as Villain, Wanda as Hero

Key Points

• Early drafts of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness featured Nightmare as the main antagonist.
• Wanda Maximoff was originally written as a hero assisting Doctor Strange.
• Alternate villains, including Chthon, were considered before Marvel shifted direction.
• A scrapped opening scene showed Wanda killing Mordo (Earth-616) and presenting his head to Strange.
• Screenwriter Michael Waldron confirmed Wanda’s villain arc was finalized during principal photography.

Original Villain Plans

A new report has revealed that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness underwent significant changes during development. Early versions of the script positioned Nightmare as the central villain, with Wanda Maximoff joining forces with Doctor Strange to defeat him.

Screenwriter Michael Waldron later reworked the story, transforming Wanda into the film’s antagonist. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige approved the narrative overhaul, which shifted the film’s tone and direction.

Other Villains Considered

At one stage, Chthon, a powerful demonic entity from Marvel lore, was also considered as a major villain. However, Feige reportedly wanted to reserve Chthon for a potential Scarlet Witch solo project, leading to his exclusion from the film.

Scrapped Scenes and Character Deaths

Director Sam Raimi confirmed that the original opening scene featured Mordo (Earth-616) attempting to kill Wanda, only for her to decapitate him and later present his head to Strange. The sequence was ultimately removed to streamline pacing.

Waldron also revealed that Wanda nearly killed the Wasp in an early draft, describing a moment where she clapped her hands to crush the miniature hero. While that scene was cut, Wanda’s rampage in the final film included the deaths of Mr. Fantastic, Captain Carter, Captain Marvel (alternate variant), and Professor X.

Elizabeth Olsen’s Perspective

Elizabeth Olsen, who portrayed Wanda, explained in an interview with The Playlist that her villain arc was locked in during principal shooting. “It was an interesting turn, but one that I was excited to take and really relish in instead of tiptoe into it,” she said. Olsen noted she was not involved in reshoots due to filming Love and Death at the time.

Context: Marvel’s Narrative Shift

The decision to make Wanda the antagonist gave Multiverse of Madness a darker edge and tied directly into her grief-driven storyline from WandaVision. The changes highlight Marvel’s evolving approach to balancing fan expectations with bold creative risks.

What Happens Next?

With Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness now streaming on Disney+, fans continue to dissect its alternate storylines and speculate about Wanda’s future in the MCU. Rumors of a Scarlet Witch solo film remain strong, with Chthon potentially playing a central role.