WandaVision showrunner explains why they brought back that Marvel actor

Elizabeth Olsen in WandaVision
(Image credit: Disney)

Warning: the following contains major spoilers for WandaVision episode 5, so turn back now if you haven’t seen the episode!

WandaVision episode 5 ended on a note that set the internet buzzing. Quicksilver arrived at Wanda's doorstep, but instead of the speedster we recognize from the MCU, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, this was an alternate version of the character: Evan Peters, last seen in Fox's X-Men movies, appeared as the superhero. 

Showrunner Jac Schaeffer has talked to Marvel.com about the reasoning behind bringing Peters' Quicksilver back to our screens, explaining that her and executive producer Mary Livanos made the decision, but it took a lot to make it work.

"This show is such a mind scramble, and because it's working on so many levels, and there's so many notions of what's real and what's not, and performance, and casting, and audience, and fandom, and all of that, we just thought it would be the biggest thrill to bring Evan over to the Marvel Cinematic Universe," Schaeffer explained.

She added: "We thought like, how do we give him this entrance, and then enjoy that, and then make it crazy? And we had long had the idea of the trope of the brother, or the relative, or whoever comes to town and like, stirs things up with the family – that sitcom trope."

Naturally, it wasn't all that easy. "We were rooting for it for so long, and didn't know if it would be possible," Schaeffer said. "It was complicated to make happen. Evan was always up for it – like, always, always, always. He is a comic book fan, and a Marvel fan. He is always up for the absolute weirdest option. And he's a pleasure – truly a pleasure to work with."

Schaeffer then said that she thinks president of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, wanted to ensure that Peters' appearance "made sense," and wasn't there for no reason.

The moment raises a lot of questions: does this mean the Fox X-Men universe is canon again? Is he Peter Maximoff, as he is in the Fox-verse, or Pietro Maximoff, Wanda's brother in the MCU? Did Wanda bring him into Westview, or did he arrive himself somehow? We're sure that, since the cameo apparently isn't there just to be exciting, we'll find out how Pietro fits into Wanda's new reality sometime soon.

WandaVision drops a new episode every Friday, and you can check out our WandaVision release schedule to find out exactly when.

Molly Edwards
Entertainment Writer

I'm an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.