Was Mephisto Ever In WandaVision? Marvel Director Matt Shakman Ends Debate

As the first Marvel Cinematic Universe original series on Disney+, and the first MCU production to arrive in quite some time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were a ton of eyes on "WandaVision." MCU fans were eager to see where Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision's (Paul Bettany) story was heading next. As it went on, they became equally interested in seeing if their theories about the show held any water. One of the most notable cited the demonic Mephisto as the main antagonist of the series, though he never makes an appearance on the program.

Despite not appearing on "WandaVision," some MCU fans are still curious if he was ever intended to show up, or even covertly does in some form or fashion. Unfortunately, according to series director Matt Shakman, Mephisto wasn't in any drafts or lurking in the shadows of the final product as so many had hoped. "There were some deep readings of the text that led to certain conclusions that were wrong. Mephisto was never a part of our plan," he shared during a chat with Inverse, making it clear that Mephisto was not the one pulling the strings in Westview from afar. Rather, it was Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) all along.

Thankfully, if the rumor mill is to be believed, fans won't have to wait much longer for Mephisto's MCU introduction.

Of the many MCU Disney+ shows on the way, one of the most intriguing is "Ironheart." The miniseries puts a spotlight on genius inventor Riri Williams (Dominique Thorn), whom MCU fans meet in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." Her journey on the show will feature franchise newcomer Anthony Ramos as the magic-wielding Hood, as well as a bevy of side characters from her so far unexplored corner of the MCU. Also on the cast list is none other than Sacha Baron Cohen, who is said to have landed the role of Mephisto.

News of Cohen's casting arrived in October 2022, when Deadline reported that he had signed on to "Ironheart" in an undisclosed role. Shortly after that report came to light, more details surrounding the "Borat" actor's involvement reached the Internet. In Deadline's follow-up report, the publication noted that it's highly likely that he is indeed playing Mephisto and that the part will include a combination of in-person and CGI scenes. Additionally, it's expected that Cohen's character will only factor into the final few "Ironheart" installments.

Even though it was unfortunate that all of the theorizing and speculating didn't culminate in a Mephisto "WandaVision" appearance, at least the odds of him soon appearing in "Ironheart" are pretty favorable.