When Marvel Studios unveiled the title for the Disney plus series, WandaVision, many fanatics were convinced that the creative team behind the show were ingenious for choosing a fitting title to promote both prominent characters. But turns out, MCU’s head Kevin Feige, wasn’t big braining in coming up with the name. But rather took inspiration from Spike Lee’s BlacKKKLansman.
Speaking in an interview with Rolling Stone about the making of WandaVision, the Marvel Studios President got candid over his initial hurdles in choosing a title for the Marvel show. A name that wouldn’t sound boring nor seem similar to other Disney plus shows’ titles, and it seems Feige got the perfect idea after coming across Spike Lee’s black comedy crime.
“I didn’t want to call the show Wanda and Vision or The Scarlet Witch and Vision. I was at the AFI [American Film Institute] luncheon in 2018 and I remember looking at the board where it listed the top 10 films and seeing BlacKkKlansman. I remember thinking, ‘How cool is that? They just mushed those two words together and the audience just accepts that as a title.’ So I thank Spike Lee for making BlacKkKlansman. I know that’s the weirdest connection ever, but that’s how it came about.”
Unfortunately, fans are not happy after learning Feige’s reveal over the simple inspiration for WandaVision’s title.
WandaVision was praised for its multifaceted storyline exploring Maximoff’s arc as a sitcom-ish-comic-book narrative. Many were under the presumption that the show’s unique mysterious elements led to its catchy name as well. But post learning the studios’ choice of the title was based on BlacKKKLansman – fans are instead calling Feige’s reveal unnecessary and are suggesting the recent comment as just another one of the “problematic” statements the MCU president has said over the years. Readers can check out fan reactions below.
Kevin Feige says the ‘WANDAVISION’ title was inspired by ‘BLACKKKLANSMAN’ because they “just mushed those 2 words together and the audience just accepts that as a title”
“I know that’s the weirdest connection ever but that’s how it came about.”
(Source: https://t.co/nUTEJY7tFM) pic.twitter.com/vrQTcRP608
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 1, 2021
WandaVision stans: you see the true genius in the name is that it refers to the characters, the evolving television formats, and the mental state of the main character as she creates her own vision of her life.
Kevin Feige: BlacKKKlansman looks cool.— All-New All-Different Evan! (@EvanReadsComics) June 1, 2021
what is joe biden’s plan to stop kevin feige from doing interviews pic.twitter.com/tYNWbCmLIr
— alias (@itsjustanotherx) June 1, 2021
Kevin Feige after watching BlacKkKlansman pic.twitter.com/nn82xo0xqA
— Selina (@ECNALHANID) June 1, 2021
Twitter film intellectuals: Kevin Feige named the show wandavision because it is multifaceted take on the mental anguish and trauma of Wanda due to life changing events in the MCU.
Kevin Feige: saw BLACKKKLANSMAN and it sounded too cool.
Film twitter: pic.twitter.com/Pq6vDFyLSE
— ultrapurwater (@ultrapurwater) June 1, 2021
Everyone today reading Kevin Feige's WandaVision title explanation… pic.twitter.com/LYvprSN7UQ
— Film Junkee (@DaveePena) June 2, 2021
Where the hell did all this Kevin Feige hate come from. The dude is just making superhero movies, like chill. pic.twitter.com/qalXRmjOB5
— Colten Griffin (@ColtenGriff) June 1, 2021
I’m convinced Kevin Feige never watched a movie until last year when he was quarantined and that’s why he keeps talking about basic concepts like they’re some form of hidden knowledge
— 6’11 Mac (@Damac1214) June 1, 2021
MCU fans are fucking dumb and don’t read. I say this as a huge MCU fan but holy shit some of y’all down bad over that Kevin Feige quote. pic.twitter.com/8QT84K2GBt
— Jay Lee Jr (@Jayleejnr) June 1, 2021
kevin feige after coming up with the names wandavision, loki, the falcon and the winter soldier
— Ava | The Marvels (@OFFTHATTABLE) June 1, 2021
Just found out about kevin Feige and wandavision pic.twitter.com/ETqpwiSH3k
— Lane Cress (@lanecress36) June 1, 2021
Clearly, fans are not in support of Feige’s simple decision to based the show’s title on BlacKKKLansman. But this isn’t the first time the MCU head has caught himself in a controversy of sorts.
Recently, Feige was in the news after addressing the whitewashing controversy over Tilda Swinton’s casting as The Ancient One in Doctor Strange and agreed it was a mistake to cast the Scottish actress. In comics, the character was of Tibetian descent.
“We thought we were being so smart and so cutting-edge,” Feige said. “We’re not going to do the cliché of the wizened, old, wise Asian man. But it was a wake-up call to say, ‘Well, wait a minute, is there any other way to figure it out? Is there any other way to both not fall into the cliché and cast an Asian actor?’ And the answer to that, of course, is yes.”
What did you think of Feige’s choice of source material in basing the title on? Let us know in the comments below.