[The following story discusses Agatha All Along’s marketing campaign and avoids major spoilers.]
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| Agatha All Along and Jac Schaeffer Courtesy of Marvel Television; Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images |
Jac Schaeffer’s WandaVision was not originally intended to be Marvel Studios’ debut series on Disney+. However, the pivot in early 2021 due to the pandemic proved so successful that Schaeffer expanded the series into the Kathryn Hahn-led Agatha All Along.
Alongside Loki, the Emmy-nominated WandaVision is widely regarded as the pinnacle of Marvel Television (according to Kevin Feige). Yet, as a precursor to the MCU on Disney+, there was one unexpected issue that Schaeffer faced: an overwhelming number of fan theories.
While the buzz from fan theories is generally a positive sign, given the challenge of capturing attention in today's media landscape, the level of speculation around WandaVision was extraordinarily high, comparable to the intense theorizing surrounding Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015. Fans speculated that the demonic Marvel villain Mephisto was the true antagonist and that Al Pacino was cast in the role.
Additionally, a reference to an unnamed “aerospace engineer” led some to believe it was a setup for introducing The Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards into the MCU. These theories, among many others, did not materialize.
Consequently, Schaeffer initially viewed fan theories as a double-edged sword, as she didn't want to let anyone down over promises that were never made.
“At the time, with WandaVision, I took the fan theories a little personally, and I feel like I’ve changed since then,” Schaeffer tells Reporter. “Everyone at Marvel during WandaVision was so relaxed about the fan theories, and I now understand that there are always going to be theories. You just have to do your work and do it as best you can and hope that the audience enjoys the journey of it.”
Agatha All Along offers plenty of material for fans to speculate about, such as the identity of Joe Locke’s character. Nevertheless, Schaeffer has taken steps to prevent minor details from becoming inflated expectations.
“The short answer is there are a handful of things that of course I can’t explain. I have been very careful with the language that I use in order to protect things,” Schaeffer says.
In a recent conversation with THR, Schaeffer also reveals her sole regret from the upcoming series premiere, prompting her to say, “Now I wish I could reshoot the pilot.”
I last spoke to you about the WandaVision finale, noting how Wanda tucking in her kids as the hex collapsed was reminiscent of a similar scene in Titanic. Although you insisted you were unaware of this influence at the time, you acknowledged a subconscious connection. As Agatha All Along’s marketing has shown, I wasn’t surprised to see you drawing inspiration from Kate Winslet’s Mare of Easttown in your latest project.
(Laughs.)
Was the intent behind Agatha All Along to achieve for prestige drama what WandaVision did for classic sitcoms?
Firstly, I remember the Titanic reference. I hadn't thought about it in a while, but you definitely brought it back to my attention. I was like, “Oh, that nugget from deep in my subconscious just surfaced.”
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| Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza) in Jac Scaeffer’s Agatha All Along Courtesy of Marvel Television |
Yes, that was exactly the goal. I wanted to dive into a prestige true crime drama, and I’m thrilled that you used the term “prestige.” When pitching the idea to Kevin Feige, I kept emphasizing, “But it’s prestige. It will have that polished, gritty True Detective quality that we’re all excited about these days.”
And then there’s the Evan Peters element. Aubrey Plaza, as the marketing indicates, essentially represents his Mare of Easttown character. Was there any discussion about having Evan’s WandaVision character, Ralph Bohner, play the role of Aubrey’s visiting detective, adding a layer of meta-ness?
(Laughs.) That idea never crossed my mind, but it’s brilliant. I adore Evan Peters; he’s such a phenomenal performer. I could see him playing that role indefinitely, and if he did, I’d be ecstatic. I’m embarrassed to admit it didn’t occur to me, and now I wish I could reshoot the pilot.
You previously mentioned that the fan theories surrounding WandaVision were quite overwhelming. While you don’t want to discourage fan engagement—and Agatha All Along will certainly spark theories—did you take steps to prevent insignificant elements from being blown out of proportion?
Indeed. At the time, I took fan theories a bit personally with WandaVision, but after that experience, I’ve learned to accept that theories are inevitable. You just have to focus on your work, do it as best as you can, and hope the audience enjoys the journey.
I’m less preoccupied with them now. However, there are a few things I can't explain, so I’ve been careful with my wording to keep certain aspects protected.
I appreciate the Lilia (Patti LuPone) character for challenging misconceptions and stereotypes about witches. The closing credits reveal where many of these ideas originated. Was the aim to both honor and subvert the depiction of witches on-screen?
That was precisely the intention. I’m thrilled you grasped what we were aiming for, as that’s exactly what we tried to achieve. Much like with sitcoms in WandaVision, where we celebrated and parodied them simultaneously, we wanted to do the same with witches here.
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| (L-R): Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata), Teen (Joe Locke), Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone), Mrs. Hart/Sharon Davis (Debra Jo Rupp), and Ali Ahn (Alice Wu-Gulliver) in Agatha All Along Chuck Zlotnick/MARVEL |
We embraced both the traditional tropes and the opportunity to present something fresh and unexpected. This ethos reflects our appreciation for content that both honors and critiques its genre, much like how Galaxy Quest elegantly balances its Star Trek homage with humor.
So, with this show, while we weren’t focusing on sitcoms, we were exploring witches. There are other references as well, but we aimed to encompass the full spectrum of witch portrayals, from trope to innovation. This is the spirit of the show.
Agatha All Along’s two-episode premiere streams Sept. 18 on Disney+.
