With Stephen Strange's debut, the Marvel Cinematic Universe took a turn for the weird and surreal. Now it's going one step further in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a turn into horror that will put a legendary superhero director back in the hot seat.
With that said, here is everything we know about the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Doctor Strange's MCU Story So Far
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will continue the adventures of the titular Sorcerer Supreme. The movie aims to lean into the psychedelic and surreal, as Strange will be exploring alternate universes and characters old and new. The official synopsis read as follows:
In Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," the MCU unlocks the Multiverse and pushes its boundaries further than ever before. Journey into the unknown with Doctor Strange, who, with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness also ties into several Disney+ series. As confirmed by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, WandaVision serves as a prequel for the movie, with Scarlet Witch playing a major role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The film also connects to the events of Loki, which featured the titular trickster god traveling through alternate timelines. The Strange outing will also follow plot-lines established in Spider-Man: No Way Home and even Marvel's What If...? Patrick Stewart's involvement as Professor X also suggests Multiverse of Madness will have big implications for future MCU projects, particularly those involving the X-Men.
Though the film was initially announced as the first scary Marvel film, Feige clarified it would be "a big MCU film with scary sequences in it." That said, Feige also maintains that fans of Sam Raimi's Evil Dead II will love Doctor Strange's second solo outing.
Doctor Strange 2's Trailers
There have been two official trailers for Multiverse of Madness, with the first (directly above) dropping on December 21, 2022. This trailer hinted that Strange Supreme from What If...? will appear in the movie.
The second trailer (directly above) premiered two months later, on February 13, 2022, during Super Bowl 2022. The big reveal included confirmation that Patrick Stewart would be reprising his role as Professor Charles Xavier, finally marking the X-Men's long-awaited MCU introduction.
Doctor Strange 2's Cast and Crew
Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson and screenwriter C. Robert Cargill were initially brought on to work on the sequel, alongside newly hired writer Jade Bartlett. However, the three departed the film in January 2020 due to "creative differences." In their places, Marvel hired legendary director Sam Raimi, known for his work on the Evil Dead series and the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy. Michael Waldron, the showrunner and head writer of Loki, was hired to write the script.
Benedict Cumberbatch will once more hold the Eye of Agamotto as Stephen Strange. Elizabeth Olsen will star alongside him as Scarlet Witch. Also returning from 2016's Doctor Strange film are Benedict Wong as Wong, Strange's closest ally; Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer, Strange's sort-of-love interest; and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo, a former member of the Masters of the Mystic Arts who was last seen trying to cleanse the world of rogue sorcerers. MCU newcomer Xochitl Gomez will also appear as America Chavez in the character's live-action debut.
The movie will also feature a cameo from Bruce Campbell of Evil Dead fame. However, his exact role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness still remains unclear. After Loki's finale, many fans suspect Jonathan Major (only confirmed for Ant-Man: Quantumania as of now) might make an appearance along with Tom Hiddleston's Loki himself.
Doctor Strange 2's Release Date
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was initially expected to release on May 7, 2021, before the coronavirus pandemic pushed back filming and its release date to November 5. Of course, the above release date was delayed once again, with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness officially premiering on May 6, 2022.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.