Elizabeth Olsen has built a versatile film career that ranges from unsettling independent dramas to major Hollywood blockbusters. She made her adult feature-film debut with Martha Marcy May Marlene in 2011, earning widespread critical attention for her portrayal of a young woman recovering from life inside a cult. Her early work also included psychological thrillers, romantic dramas, and literary adaptations, establishing her as a performer comfortable with challenging material. Olsen reached a global audience after joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Wanda Maximoff, also known as Scarlet Witch. Alongside her superhero work, she continued appearing in films such as Wind River, Ingrid Goes West, His Three Daughters, and The Assessment. The following guide covers Elizabeth Olsen movies by year, including her feature-film roles and clearly identified cameo appearances in chronological order.
2011 — Martha Marcy May Marlene
Elizabeth Olsen made her adult feature-film debut in Sean Durkin’s psychological drama Martha Marcy May Marlene. She plays Martha, a young woman struggling with paranoia and traumatic memories after escaping from a cult and returning to live with her sister and brother-in-law. The film also stars John Hawkes and Sarah Paulson and moves between Martha’s present life and disturbing memories of her time with the group. Olsen’s intense performance became the major talking point of the film and established her as a serious dramatic actress.
2011 — Peace, Love & Misunderstanding
Directed by Bruce Beresford, Peace, Love & Misunderstanding is a comedy-drama starring Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Elizabeth Olsen. Olsen plays Zoe Hudson, one of the teenagers who travels with her mother and brother to stay with their unconventional grandmother in Woodstock, New York. The story combines family conflict, romance and generational differences as the characters adjust to their unexpected surroundings. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2011.
2012 — Silent House
Silent House is a psychological horror thriller directed by Chris Kentis and Laura Lau, with Olsen playing Sarah, a young woman trapped inside her family’s secluded lake house. The film unfolds in an apparently continuous real-time sequence as Sarah becomes increasingly frightened by unexplained events and finds herself unable to escape. Olsen carries much of the film’s tension, making it an important early showcase for her ability to lead a thriller. Although it premiered at Sundance in 2011, its theatrical release came in 2012, which is why it is listed here.
2012 — Red Lights
Rodrigo Cortés directed Red Lights, a mystery thriller featuring Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver, Robert De Niro and Elizabeth Olsen. Olsen plays Sally Owen, a student and research assistant working with investigators who examine alleged paranormal phenomena. The film questions whether supernatural events are genuine or the result of deception, creating a story built around skepticism and psychological uncertainty. It was one of Olsen’s early opportunities to work alongside several established international stars.
2012 — Liberal Arts
Josh Radnor wrote and directed Liberal Arts, a comedy-drama in which Olsen plays Zibby, a 19-year-old college student who develops a relationship with a much older visiting academic. Radnor stars opposite Olsen as Jesse, a 35-year-old man reflecting on his own dissatisfaction with adulthood. The film explores age differences, nostalgia, education and the difficulty of leaving youthful idealism behind. Olsen’s performance brought a lively and thoughtful quality to one of her first romantic comedy-drama roles.
2013 — Very Good Girls
Very Good Girls is a coming-of-age drama directed by Naomi Foner and starring Elizabeth Olsen and Dakota Fanning. Olsen plays Gerry, one of two close friends who make a pact to lose their virginity before starting college, only for both to become interested in the same young man. The film examines friendship, first love and the emotional complications of growing up. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2013 and marked an early collaboration between Olsen and Fanning.
2013 — Kill Your Darlings
John Krokidas directed Kill Your Darlings, a biographical drama about the young writers and artists who became associated with the Beat Generation. Olsen portrays Edie Parker, the first wife of writer Jack Kerouac, with Daniel Radcliffe playing Allen Ginsberg and Dane DeHaan portraying Lucien Carr. The film mixes literary history with a darker story involving friendship, obsession and a murder case. Olsen’s supporting performance helped place her within an ensemble of emerging and established performers.
2013 — Oldboy
Spike Lee’s Oldboy is an American adaptation of the South Korean thriller of the same name, with Josh Brolin playing a man imprisoned for years without explanation. Olsen plays Marie Sebastian, a social worker who becomes involved with Brolin’s character as he searches for answers and his missing daughter. The film combines mystery, revenge and violent action, giving Olsen a role that was considerably different from her earlier dramatic performances. It also featured Sharlto Copley, Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Imperioli.
2014 — In Secret
In Secret, directed by Charlie Stratton, is a period crime drama adapted from Émile Zola’s novel Thérèse Raquin. Olsen stars as Thérèse Raquin, a young woman trapped in an unhappy marriage who begins a dangerous affair with her husband’s friend, played by Oscar Isaac. The relationship develops into a tragic story involving guilt, betrayal and murder, with Jessica Lange and Tom Felton also appearing. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2013 but received its U.S. theatrical release in 2014.
2014 — Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Olsen made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Wanda Maximoff in an uncredited post-credits appearance in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The brief scene introduced Wanda alongside her twin brother Pietro Maximoff, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, setting up their larger roles in the next Marvel film. Although her appearance is only a cameo rather than a conventional feature-film performance, it is an important entry in Elizabeth Olsen’s movies by year because it introduced the character who would become one of her defining roles.
2014 — Godzilla
Directed by Gareth Edwards, Godzilla is a large-scale monster movie starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe and Elizabeth Olsen. Olsen plays Elle Brody, the wife of Taylor-Johnson’s character, who becomes caught up in the destruction caused by enormous prehistoric creatures. The film combines military action, disaster spectacle and science-fiction elements while rebooting the classic Japanese monster franchise for a modern audience. Its commercial success helped move Olsen into major studio filmmaking.
2015 — Avengers: Age of Ultron
Joss Whedon’s Avengers: Age of Ultron marked Olsen’s first major MCU appearance as Wanda Maximoff, also known as Scarlet Witch. Her character possesses powerful abilities involving telekinesis, mental manipulation and energy, and initially stands against the Avengers before becoming an important ally. The ensemble includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner. The film established Wanda as a significant recurring character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
2015 — I Saw the Light
Marc Abraham directed I Saw the Light, a biographical drama about country music legend Hank Williams. Olsen portrays Audrey Williams, Hank’s wife, manager and musical partner, opposite Tom Hiddleston in the title role. The film focuses on the couple’s complicated personal and professional relationship while depicting Williams’ rapid rise and struggles with addiction and fame. Olsen also contributed vocals to songs associated with the film, adding another dimension to the performance.
2016 — Captain America: Civil War
In Captain America: Civil War, Olsen returned as Wanda Maximoff as the Avengers become divided over government oversight of superheroes. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the film features Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chadwick Boseman, Jeremy Renner and Paul Bettany alongside Olsen. Wanda’s increasing power and emotional connection to the events of the story make her one of the film’s more important supporting characters. The movie further developed her relationship with Vision and her place among the Avengers.
2017 — Wind River
Taylor Sheridan made his feature directorial debut with Wind River, a crime thriller set on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. Olsen plays FBI agent Jane Banner, who arrives to investigate the death of a young Indigenous woman and works with Jeremy Renner’s character, tracker Cory Lambert. The film combines murder investigation elements with a bleak examination of violence, isolation and life in a harsh environment. Olsen’s performance demonstrated her ability to anchor a grounded crime drama away from the Marvel franchise.
2017 — Ingrid Goes West
Directed by Matt Spicer, Ingrid Goes West is a dark comedy about social-media obsession and the unhealthy pursuit of online popularity. Olsen plays Taylor Sloane, an Instagram influencer whose carefully constructed lifestyle attracts the attention of Aubrey Plaza’s troubled character Ingrid. The film satirizes influencer culture, digital identity and the desire for validation through social platforms. Olsen’s polished but increasingly complicated performance helped make the film one of her most distinctive non-Marvel roles.
2018 — Kodachrome
Kodachrome is a road drama directed by Mark Raso and starring Ed Harris, Jason Sudeikis and Elizabeth Olsen. Olsen plays Zooey Kern, a music-industry executive who accompanies her estranged father on a journey to process his final rolls of Kodachrome film before the last laboratory capable of developing them closes. The emotional story focuses on family tension, regret and reconciliation during the road trip. The film became a Netflix release and gave Olsen another opportunity to work in a quieter character-driven drama.
2018 — Avengers: Infinity War
Olsen reprised Wanda Maximoff in Avengers: Infinity War, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. Wanda is forced to confront the threat posed by Thanos while also attempting to protect Vision, whose Mind Stone is central to the villain’s plan. The film brought together an enormous ensemble of Marvel characters and became a major turning point for Wanda’s story. Olsen’s performance added emotional weight to the film’s darker final act.
2019 — Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Endgame continued Wanda’s MCU story, although Olsen’s role is smaller than in some of her other Marvel appearances. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the film follows the surviving Avengers as they attempt to reverse the devastating consequences of Thanos’ actions. Olsen’s Wanda appears during the climactic confrontation and demonstrates the extraordinary power she has developed. The film became a landmark global blockbuster and was for a period the highest-grossing film in history.
2021 — Spider-Man: No Way Home
Olsen makes a brief, uncredited appearance as Wanda Maximoff in a post-credits scene of Spider-Man: No Way Home. The scene connects directly to the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, showing Doctor Strange seeking information about the multiverse and Wanda’s experiences. Because Olsen’s appearance is limited to a post-credits cameo rather than a standard role in the main story, it is best classified as a non-standard feature-film appearance. The cameo nevertheless links her character to the expanding multiverse storyline of the MCU.
2022 — Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Sam Raimi directed Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with Olsen playing Wanda Maximoff/The Scarlet Witch opposite Benedict Cumberbatch. The superhero fantasy follows Doctor Strange as he encounters America Chavez, a teenager capable of traveling between universes, while Wanda pursues her own dangerous objective. The film incorporates horror influences into the MCU’s superhero formula and places Wanda at the center of its conflict. Marvel released the film in U.S. theaters on May 6, 2022.
2024 — His Three Daughters
Azazel Jacobs wrote and directed His Three Daughters, an intimate family drama starring Elizabeth Olsen, Natasha Lyonne and Carrie Coon. Olsen plays Christina, one of three estranged sisters who return to their father’s New York apartment as his health deteriorates. The film focuses on grief, family history and unresolved tensions between siblings rather than traditional action or spectacle. Although it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023, its theatrical and Netflix release came in 2024, making 2024 the appropriate release year for this list. Olsen also served as an executive producer.
2024 — The Assessment
The Assessment is a science-fiction thriller directed by Fleur Fortuné in her feature directorial debut. Olsen stars as Mia alongside Alicia Vikander and Himesh Patel in a future society where couples must undergo a strict assessment before being permitted to have children. The film explores parenthood, social control and the psychological consequences of having intimate aspects of life judged by an external authority. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024, making it an officially released film that belongs in Olsen’s chronology even though its U.S. theatrical release followed in 2025.
2025 — Eternity
David Freyne directed Eternity, a romantic fantasy comedy-drama starring Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller and Callum Turner. Olsen plays Joan, a woman who enters an afterlife where souls have a limited period to decide where they want to spend eternity. She faces an extraordinary choice between Larry, the man she spent her life with, and Luke, her first love who died young and has been waiting for her. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025 and received a U.S. theatrical release on November 26, 2025, making it the latest released feature in Elizabeth Olsen’s film career covered here.
Elizabeth Olsen’s Early Non-Standard Film Appearance
1994 — How the West Was Fun
Before her adult acting career began, Elizabeth Olsen had a very early appearance in How the West Was Fun, a 1994 television film starring her sisters Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. She is credited as a girl in a car, making this a childhood television-film appearance rather than part of her later feature-film career. Because it was made as a television movie and does not represent her professional adult film debut, it is kept separate from the main chronological list. Her recognized adult film career began much later with Martha Marcy May Marlene in 2011.
Conclusion
Elizabeth Olsen’s movie career has developed through several distinct phases, beginning with acclaimed independent dramas and expanding into major studio productions. Her work in Martha Marcy May Marlene, Silent House, Wind River and Ingrid Goes West demonstrated her range beyond franchise filmmaking. Her portrayal of Wanda Maximoff transformed her into an international star and became the defining role of her mainstream career, spanning several major Marvel films. At the same time, Olsen continued choosing character-focused projects such as His Three Daughters and The Assessment. With Eternity adding a romantic fantasy role to her filmography, Elizabeth Olsen movies by year show a career built on both blockbuster recognition and a continued interest in challenging dramatic material.
