The ‘Agatha All Along’ Trailer Reaffirms My Love for One Controversial MCU Movie
I’ll be honest—I didn’t really know what to think when Marvel Studios announced a show focused on WandaVision’s version of Agatha Harkness.
Kathryn Hahn nailed it, of course—her “theme song,” in particular, proved how fun and compelling this iteration of the character could be—but what was really left to say? How far would Marvel really be willing to go? All I could hope was that they wouldn’t be giving us a prequel series, as the flashbacks in WandaVision had been enough. If the MCU was going to commit to this, they needed to provide us with something new.
Now, however, I’m more than happy to admit that the first official teaser for Agatha All Along—which includes a killer song choice, by the way—has alleviated my doubts. This is a genuine continuation of WandaVision’s story arc, and what’s not to love about the cast? The world needs more Aubrey Plaza, and so does the MCU, especially after her captivating performance in FX’s Legion.
That’s not what I enjoyed the most about this trailer, though. What I truly loved about it is that it showed us that Marvel was once again letting itself be unapologetically weird. Captain America: The Winter Soldier might be my favorite single MCU movie, but when it comes to my favorite corner of the Marvel universe, it’s definitely the fantastical one.
Wanda Maximoff, Loki, Doctor Strange, and now Agatha Harkness—they all bring something different to the MCU. There’s so much creative freedom when Marvel dives into its magical mythology, and Agatha All Along looks set to deliver that kind of magic in spades. Even better, it also seems to be leaning into the horror genre, which has previously been most effectively used in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
I’ve always understood the criticisms lobbed at Multiverse of Madness. Wanda’s development feels oddly removed from what she went through in WandaVision, Doctor Strange and America Chavez’s journey through the multiverse wasn’t all that mad, one or two cameos may have felt slightly forced, and the first post-credits scene seemed unnecessary. But in terms of sheer creativity, horror, magic, and rewatch value, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is one of my favorite Phase 4 movies. It might even be one of my favorite Marvel movies in general.
Wong beating a giant, one-eyed octopus to a pulp? Wanda tearing through Earth-838’s Illuminati? The way she obliterated Professor Xavier’s mind from within? What about the two versions of Doctor Strange fighting against each other using magical musical notes? All those scenes were inspired, though my personal favorite sequence is when Doctor Strange possesses his doppelganger’s corpse and uses a cloak of damned wraiths to fly around and fight Wanda. I’m sorry, but that might be one of my favorite, most memorable moments in the entirety of the MCU. It really doesn’t get any better than that. Zombie Strange, you will always be famous.
What I loved most about Multiverse of Madness, I think, is that it wasn’t afraid to be different from what had come before. I’ve always enjoyed the first Doctor Strange movie—it was genuinely exciting, Benedict Cumberbatch proved that he was the perfect casting choice, and the power of the Time Stone was actually impactful. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness took a real risk by introducing more horror, gore, and out-of-this-world storytelling, though, and that’s what made it sing. Sam Raimi’s knack for visual storytelling knows no bounds, and to some extent, it proved that Marvel was still willing to take creative risks.
It seems to me that Agatha All Along has a chance to do the same thing. WandaVision was a bold move for the MCU—the sitcom format disguised a psychological horror story, a story with grief and trauma at its center. The finale may have been bogged down by the MCU’s standard superhero battle, but it still did something fresh and exciting, the same way the first Doctor Strange movie did. Agatha All Along could do what Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness did and take WandaVision’s concept one step further. It can use the basics of what was set up in Marvel’s first MCU show, like the witches’ history, the darkhold, unfiltered magic, and more, and breathe new life into it.
The inclusion of the Witches’ Road is especially encouraging. First introduced in Marvel Comics in 2016, the Witches’ Road is a separate plane of existence that can only be accessed by those who practice magic. Walking the Witches’ Road isn’t an easy journey, though. Once there, Agatha and those who travel with her will undoubtedly face numerous terrifying magical threats, glimpses of which we’ve probably seen in the trailer. If those threats are as electrifying, creative, and spellbinding as what we’ve seen in Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange, it’ll be worth it. I’m so here for more fantasy horror elements in the MCU.
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