‘WandaVision’ Director Expects ‘A Lot of People’ to Be ‘Disappointed’ by Finale Over Fan Theories
Zack Sharf
The “WandaVision” finale is fast approaching, and with it comes the sky high pressure to deliver on the overabundance of fan theories that have been generated over the last eight episodes. It’s nearly impossible for a fan theory-driven television series to satisfy all viewers (just ask the teams behind “Lost” and “Game of Thrones,” for starters), which is why “WandaVision” director Matt Shakman is already bracing for fan disappointment. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly previewing the finale, Shakman says he expects many fans will be disappointed by how some fan theories pan out (or don’t get addressed) but hopes the ending feels consistent with the series as a whole.
“I hope that they feel like the journey was satisfying for them,” Shakman said when asked what he hopes viewers take away from the “WandaVision finale. “I know there are so many theories out there; there will be a lot of people who will no doubt be disappointed by one theory or another. But we’re always telling this story about Wanda dealing with grief and learning how to accept that loss, and hopefully people will find that the finale is surprising but also satisfying, and that it feels inevitable because it’s the same story they’ve been watching the whole time.”
While the series’ eighth episode all but confirmed an action-driven climax will take place among Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen), Agatha (Kathryn Hahn) and White Vision (Paul Bettany), Shakman assures fans the show will end by prioritizing the heart over the fists.
“What does hold it all together is that it has a big heart,” the director said. “It’s a love story, it’s a story of loss, and I think that resonates even more in this crazy pandemic that we’re all trying to survive right now. I think we can all understand where Wanda’s coming from, so it helps it to resonate a little bit more.”
As the show evolved out of its sitcom homages and into the look and feel of a traditional Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, Shakman said it was of upmost important to prioritize Wanda’s struggle with grief in the show’s storytelling.
“[Elizabeth Olsen] very much understood that Wanda has experienced more loss than anybody else in the Marvel universe,” Shakman said. “She’s lost her parents, she’s lost her brother, she’s lost the love of her life by now, and she’s right on the edge. In some ways, [Wanda is] as close as Marvel gets to exploring mental illness, really — like, how do you hold together your reality when you’re constantly experiencing so much trauma? She taps into that so beautifully.”
The first eight episodes of “WandaVision” are now available to stream on Disney+. The ninth and final episode of the season hits streaming Friday, March 5.
