Marvel Shot Down This Scarlet Witch Design Years Ago - But It Happened Anyway

Scarlet Witch's (Elizabeth Olsen) iconic headpiece seen in both "WandaVision" and "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" could have appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe much sooner. According to Marvel Studios Director of Visual Development Andy Park, the idea of Scarlet Witch's tiara showing up in live-action dates all the way back to 2012 and "Avengers: Age of Ultron." However, directors Anthony and Joe Russo nixed Park's pitch.

When Scarlet Witch made her first comic book appearance in "X-Men" #4 (by Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Paul Reinman, and Artie Simek), the original member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants debuted with a striking look, wearing a red and pink costume with a bold, red headpiece surrounding her face. She soon left the evil organization and joined the Avengers, later getting her most iconic outfit in "Avengers" #75 (by Roy Thomas, John Buscema, Tom Palmer, and Sam Rosen), featuring a different headpiece and a much more form-fitting one-piece suit to match. This design, or some variation of it, has largely stuck as Scarlet Witch's costume.

So why did it take so long for the most recognizable aspect of Wanda's costume to make it to live-action?

When she first appeared in the Joss Whedon-directed "Avengers: Age of Ultron," Wanda Maximoff wasn't the Scarlet Witch. And since she was still coming to terms with her incredible magical powers and joining the Earth's Mightiest Heroes, it made sense that Maximoff was given a pretty basic costume rather than her comic book look, so she wore a jacket, its red color a nod back to her traditional comics outfit. While Marvel Studios Director of Visual Development Andy Park said (via TheDirect) he was eager to get Wanda's headpiece into the film, in retrospect, he admits the timing wasn't right.

When "Captain America: Civil War" began production, Park tried to get a variation of the headpiece in that movie as well. Even after being told Scarlet Witch still couldn't wear a tiara, he says he created a version of the design where she wore a headband instead, alluding to her classic costume feature. However, directors Joe and Anthony Russo weren't fans of the idea, with Park saying they "were like, 'I see what you're trying to do. Nope. Can't have that either.'"

Thankfully, Park's excitement came to fruition in the season finale of "WandaVision." "That is where I was able to have a lot of fun," Park said. "With all the potential crowns. What does her costume look like. Putting little Easter eggs in. But then seeing it realized with costume designer Mayes Rubeo and seeing what the VFX people did with that final episode. It brought out the fanboy in me but also the professional working at Marvel Studios. It was very rewarding."

Andy Park got his wish and saw Wanda Maxmioff get a tiara to fully embody the Scarlet Witch, and it was a look from one comic in particular that ultimately inspired what audiences saw on the big screen.

The crown Scarlet Witch wears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe feels comic-accurate because it's based on some of her most notable costumes, drawing inspiration from both her classic ensemble and "Scarlet Witch" artist Kevin Wada's gorgeous redesign of the hero. While Park's MCU's headpiece isn't as bejeweled as Wada's tiara, its elegant design and transparent elements borrow from the comic book appearance while simultaneously creating a unique look, avoiding being a direct translation.

Fans of Scarlet Witch have to be happy with the costume design in the character's latest live-action appearance. Park and the crew behind Wanda's costume as Scarlet Witch nailed the design, and now Elizabeth Olsen looks the part of the classic character, even if the costume and headpiece did come about as a result of her dark MCU transformation.