When WandaVision was first announced to be drawing inspiration from some of the most beloved sitcoms to have aired over the last half a century, a lot of people figured it would be an aesthetic choice only. After all, the Marvel Cinematic Universe frequently touts their latest project as veering into the unknown in terms of genre, but the end result is often just the franchise’s standard formula in a slightly different setting.
However, it looks as though the MCU’s first Disney Plus exclusive really means it this time. Not only are each of the episodes set to take place against a different backdrop based on everything from The Dick Van Dyke Show, I Love Lucy and Bewitched to Leave It to Beaver and The Brady Bunch, but it’s since been confirmed that every one of the nine installments has a different theme tune and credits sequence tied to whatever classic small screen comedy serves as the basis for that week’s adventure.
That’s an impressive commitment to broadening the narrative and visual horizons of the shared mythology, but you can’t have a TV show inspired by other TV shows without commercials, and Kevin Feige has revealed that WandaVision‘s in-house ads are all related to the MCU, with one of them even featuring a reference to the recently departed Tony Stark.
“Well, I think it’s intriguing, in my opinion, and I hope everybody has varying opinions and theories, but it is a nice combination of both. It fits into the genre and the tone of the period of television that we’re playing with. In a way, it also has some textual meanings, some of which are clearer than others. A device with the Stark Industries logo and a beeping red button may mean more to people who know Wanda’s past from the MCU among other things. But yes, they all, I hope, are a joyful combo of both those things.”
The relationship between Wanda and Tony was always frosty, after she blamed him for killing her parents before he tried to keep her under lock and key in Captain America: Civil War. They may have put their issues to one side in order to defeat Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, but clearly his shadow will continue to loom over the MCU for a while yet, starting with WandaVision.