Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: release date, cast, plot and more

Date:
Wed, 23 Jun 2021 14:44:27 +0000

Description:
Heres everything you need to know about Doctor Strange 2, including its release date, cast announcements, plot and more.

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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is shaping up to be the most important Marvel Phase 4 movie. The sequel to 2016s Doctor Strange looks like itll be the epicentre for every other Marvel Studios project, and seemingly confirm the transition from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) into the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse (MCM).

Much of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness remains a secret.
However, we do know about some plot elements, characters, its release date, and how other projects tie into it.

The latest information comes from Elizabeth Olsen, who will portray Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch in the movie, about the movie's overall vibe. We've also received word of three supporting characters, but details on this individual are scarce outside of what's apparently been revealed.

A word of warning before we begin: well be dealing with spoilers from Doctor Strange, WandaVision and Avengers: Endgame from now on. If you havent caught up on every MCU movie and TV show so far, turn back now. Here's how WandaVision's finale ties into Doctor Strange 2 Here's when every episode of Loki on Disney Plus is released How to watch the Marvel movies in order
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness release date: March 2022

Doctor Strange 2 is slated to launch on March 25, 2022. It was supposed to arrive on May 7, 2021, but its development has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

With the cast and crew unable to start filming until November 2020, its release date was pushed back until November 2021. That launch was delayed for a second time to March 2022, however, so principal photography could be completed and post-production carried out in ample time.

The final week of filming took place in mid-April, according to Marvel
Studios President Kevin Feige (per ComicBook.com ), so production has now wrapped. There could be reshoots in the future if theyre required but, for now, the movie is in its post-production phase. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer: is there one?

Not yet. Once a teaser trailer lands online, though, well update this page. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cast: who is playing who? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Spoilers for Doctor Strange and WandaVision follow.

At the moment, we have six confirmed cast members : Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Stephen Strange Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo Benedict Wong as Wong Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez

Cumberbatch, Ejiofor, Wong and McAdams are all reprising their roles from the first movie. Cumberbatch and Wong were last seen in Avengers: Endgame, while McAdams is returning as Stranges ex-girlfriend and former surgery colleague.

Ejiofor reprises his role as the villainous Mordo, who was last seen in
Doctor Stranges post-credits scene. Stranges former mentor was hunting other sorcerers and magic-imbued individuals to remove their powers if he deemed them unworthy, but theres no word on how his story arc will continue in this sequel.

Olsen, who starred in WandaVision, is set to co-star alongside Cumberbatch as Wandas new alter-ego Scarlet Witch, and shell have a big role to play in the movies plot (more on this later).

The only announced newcomer thus far is Gomez (The Baby-Sitter Club), who has been cast as America Chavez. The character also goes by the superhero pseudonym Miss America, and her comic origins story also alludes to the fact that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will explore new dimensions and alternate realities.

In the comics, Chavez hails from the Utopian Parallel, a dimension that
exists out of space and time to the Marvel Multiverse. When the Utopian Parallel is threatened by black holes, which would pull it in different directions across the Multiverse, Chavez's mothers Amalia and Elena sacrifice themselves to stop this from happening. The sole survivor of her race, Chavez uses her abilities to open an interdimensional portal to find a new home -
one which leads to her arrival on Earth.

We don't know if Chavez's comic origins will carry over into Doctor Strange
2, or if creative liberties will be taken to introduce her in a different
way. Whatever happens, it'll be very cool to see one of Marvel's newest popular heroes finally arrive in the MCU.

Taking to Instagram for National Superhero Day, Gomez also revealed she
"can't wait" for fans to meet Miss America when Dr Strange 2 arrives:

A post shared by Xochitl Gomez (@_xochitl.gomez)

A photo posted by on

Funnily enough, Gomez has since revealed how she was able to decipher the
fact that she was auditioning for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of
Madness.

Check out what she had to say via the tweet below (courtesy of Twitter use @dailyDSITMOM): Xochitl Gomez shares her audition experience with Marvel.#AmericaChavez pic.twitter.com/neRp1kxSPQ June 6, 2021 See more

Two individuals who havent been confirmed to appear yet are Wandas twin boys Billy (Jett Klyne) and Tommy (Julian Hilliard). The duo were last seen, or rather heard, calling out for their mother in WandaVisions season finale post-credits scene. Again, well look at how they may factor into the films plot below, but it seems that Billy and Tommy will have some part to play.

According to Somerset Live , a UK based newspaper, Klyne and Hilliard were spotted on set during the final week of filming. Per the report, several days of shooting occurred on a large farm known as Burrow Hill Cider Farm, with
one scene reportedly costing 2 million (approximately US$2.8 million). According to local residents, Klyne and Hilliard were seen on location, but theres been no leaked photographs of the duo that can verify these claims.

Additionally, we may also be visiting Earth-616, which is the main Marvel universe in the comics. According to the Spotlight actor page for Jon Prophet , who has appeared in The Witches and Wonder Woman 1984, we'll see Prophet play a character known only as "New Yorker 616".

Of course, this could simply relate to the number of an extra - someone who
is a background character in certain scenes - but the '616' reference is more than just that, in our opinion. Earth-616 has been mentioned in the MCU,
which is known as Earth-199999, on multiple occasions, such as Thor: The Dark World and Spider-Man: Far From Home. It isn't a stretch to assume, then, that we may see Strange, Wanda or other individuals travel to the 616 universe. BREAKING: Heres the first photos from the DOCTOR STRANGE 2 set The scene Marvel Studios is filming allegedly worth 2M in Somerset. (via @SomersetLive) pic.twitter.com/Aw7fua75fk April 17, 2021 See more

Its also possible that therell be other as-yet-unseen characters in Doctor Strange 2. In a December 2019 Collider interview, Feige said the movie would feature some new MCU characters, which will be making their debut in that movie you won't expect or won't guess who it is. Of course, those characters may have already been revealed now in Miss America, Billy and Tommy, but theres always the potential for more to feature.

One such rumor from The Direct concerns Adam Hugill (1917, The Watch), who is said to have been cast as an alien minotaur called Rintrah. In the comics, Rintrah hails from an alternate dimension planet called RVaal, and he has a history with Doctor Strange in Marvel comics. Coupled with his moderately powerful magical abilities, Rintrah could be an ally of Doctor Stranges in
the movie.

Bruce Campbell is believed to be making a cameo appearance (per Collider ). Campbell worked with the films director, Sam Raimi, on the latters iconic
Evil Dead series and had cameos in Raimis Spider-Man trilogy, too. Its not known who he will be playing, though, at this stage.

Finally, a trio of new characters has seemingly been revealed ahead of time.

According to the Mandy profile of actress Mara Natuzzi, a character simply known as "Maria" will be appearing in Doctor Strange 2. Fellow Mandy users Mace Smales and Sandra Chaffey have also been cast as a " novice archer " and " warrior " respectively.

Doctor Strange 2's working title was rumored to be 'Stellar Vortex', so it seems that these two actors will be present in the movie. However, we don't know how important any of these characters will be to its overarching narrative. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness plot: whats it about? (Image credit: Disney/Marvel Studios)

We only have a brief synopsis to go on in an official capacity, but there are other rumors and Marvel projects that hint at where the story could go.

Per a casting call on Backstage.com from November 2020, Doctor Strange 2 will follow the events of Avengers: Endgame. Dr Stephen Strange continues his research on the Time Stone, but an old friend-turned-enemy puts an end to his plans and causes Strange to unleash unspeakable evil.

What can we interpret from that brief description? There are only two options for this friend-turned-enemy - Mordo and Wanda. We already know that Mordo
has turned to the dark side following the events of Doctor Strange, so the smart money should be on him causing some form of havoc.

However, we suspect its more likely to be Wanda. As the post-credits scene
for WandaVisions season finale showed, Wanda is expanding her knowledge of
her newfound powers using the Darkhold. Also known as the Book of Sins, the Darkhold is an ancient tome full of spells and unspeakable power, which just so happens to tie into the synopsis unspeakable evil line.

WandaVisions villain Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) hinted that the Scarlet Witch would destroy the world, which may be a warning that Wanda is consumed by the Darkholds influence.

If she is, Wanda may end up being the vessel for unleashing this unspeakable evil. Loki's TV show has already shown how the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse could occur, but we suspect it'll be up to Doctor Strange (and potentially Wanda) to rectify this issue.

Whoever causes the multiverses breakdown, it sounds like Doctor Strange 2
will be the most surreal Marvel movie ever. In an April 2021 Glamour magazine interview, Olsen said Its a bonkers movie, theyre definitely going for that horror show vibe, which will no doubt be aided by Raimis filmmaking roots. Doctor Strange was a visually arresting spectacle in its own right, but it appears that Marvel is stepping up all things weird for the sequel.

Regarding Doctor Strange's cut cameo in WandaVision, Feige recently told Rolling Stone that the Sorcerer Supreme was removed so he didn't impose on
the Wanda-centric story that the Disney Plus TV series wanted to tell.

Doctor Strange 2's script, then, needed a rewrite, which alters how the two sorcerers end up meeting in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. We don't know how this will transpire now, but it's likely that the first story act will have been changed significantly to reflect Strange's cut WandaVision appearance.

As for what inspired Doctor Strange 2, head writer Michael Waldron told
Vanity Fair that Indiana Jones, Logan, Gladiator and (surprisingly) US chef Anthony Bourdain were chief influences for the movie's story and aesthetic.

Building on Waldron's Indiana Jones comment, Olsen also told Vanity Fair's Little Gold Men podcast that Doctor Strange 2 is "scarier than Indiana
Jones." Given how spooky Raiders of the Lost Ark was, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness sounds like it'll be more frightening than that. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: who is the villain? (Image credit: Disney/Marvel Studios)

There are a number of candidates. Mordo will be one, but its unclear if hell be the chief antagonist or more of a supporting villain. As we said earlier, it could also be Wanda. Theres every chance that shell help Strange rather than hinder him, though, so she might be an ally instead of the movies big bad.

The demon lord Mephisto was thought to be WandaVisions primary villain, so he could be Doctor Strange 2s antagonist. After all, Wandas playing with the Darkhold, so it wouldnt be a stretch to see her unleash Mephisto on the
world. Mephisto has an appetite for stealing peoples souls, and the collapse of the multiverse - with the potential for incalculable deaths - would be music to Mephistos ears.

If the demon lord isnt Doctor Strange 2s villain, who else could it be? Comments made by Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson, back in October 2016, teased the possibility of Nightmare being the bad guy to IGN . With Derrickson departing the project over creative differences in January 2020, though, its unlikely that Nightmare will feature.

One final possibility to consider is, strangely, Marvel heroine Clea - and
her inclusion appears to be more than just a theory. In late March, supposed concept art for Doctor Strange 2 leaked online and appeared to show Clea sitting on a throne built out of dark matter: Doutor Estranho, Feiticeira Escarlate, Wong, Clea, Mordo e America Chvez aparecem em artes conceituais vazadas de #DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness pic.twitter.com/yAn2YzTHje March 25, 2021 See more

While its unclear if this really is concept art depicting Clea, she has ties to Doctor Strange in the comics and the MCU. For one, shes the daughter of Umar, who is the sister of Dark Dimension ruler Dormammu. We saw Dormammu in Doctor Stranges first MCU solo outing, so it isnt out of the realms of possibility that Clea could show up.

As for the source material, Clea was trained in the mystic arts by Strange
and the pair soon become lovers. Clea often helps Strange to defend Earth
from interdimensional threats, but returns to the Dark Dimension to lead a rebellion against Dormammu. She eventually becomes the Dark Dimensions Sorceress Supreme ruler, and continues to ward off Dormammus attempts to reclaim the throne.

Of course, this being the MCU, Cleas role in Doctor Strange 2 could differ from her comic book counterpart. In Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme reached a deal with Dormammu to prevent the Dark Dimension from engulfing Earth.

However and this is us speculating Stranges unleashing of the unspeakable evil in his sequel film could relate to the Dark Dimension. Dormammu could take a chance to destroy Earth if he considers his deal with Strange to now
be null and void. Dormammu may ask Clea to deal with Strange this time
around, given that the first films events will be fresh in his mind, which
may install Clea as Doctor Strange 2s chief antagonist. pic.twitter.com/XestuuZAE1 May 19, 2021 See more

Mordo, Wanda or Clea may not end up being the main villain in Doctor Strange 2, however. According to multiple leakers, such as Daniel Richtman and The Illuminerdi , Shuma Gorath - a massive, ancient octopus-inspired entity -
will be the antagonist of the piece.

It should be noted that these two leakers have a patchy track record
regarding reveals, so take these rumors with a big pinch of salt. Both claim to have sources who have told them about Shuma Gorath's involvement, though, and that his arrival will have something to do with America Chavez.

For those unfamiliar with Shuma Gorath, he's one of the Great Old Ones who
has successfully conquered Earth in the past. In the comics, he's also the ruler of multiple dimensions and has often clashed with Doctor Strange. He's been beaten by the Sorcerer Supreme during those battles, but he's seemingly undefeatable so always returns to try and conquer Earth again.

Shuma Gorath would play into the 'unspeakable evil' line of the movie's synopsis, and his arrival would require a team up between the likes of Strange, Wanda, America Chavez and potentially Clea (providing she's not a villain) to stop him from invading. We'll have to wait and see if his appearance is real or not though.

For what it's worth, Boss Logic - an artist who has produced Marvel movie artwork in the past - created a piece of fanart, which you can see above,
that depicts Strange fighting Shuma Gorath, so that gives us a flavor of what to expect if this rumor is true after all. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse
of Madness MCU tie-ins: how are other Marvel productions be affected? (Image credit: Marvel Studios / Disney)

First up is Spider-Man: No Way Home , which arrives in December 2021. Cumberbatch is expected to play a supporting role in Tom Hollands third
outing as the webslinger, and hell likely be around to help Peter Parker to try and work out why reality is breaking down in No Way Home.

How do we know reality is going to break down in the third MCU Spidey film, and Marvel movies beyond that? Well, Far From Home will feature numerous Spider-Man villains from its three movie adaptations, including Alfred
Molinas Doc Ock and Jamie Foxxs Electro . Rumors continue to tease
appearances from Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfields Spider-Man incarnations, although Marvel is yet to confirm or deny those reports (Holland has denied
it , for what it's worth).

Next, we have Lokis Disney Plus series . In a 2019 Bloomberg interview ,
Feige revealed that Lokis TV show will be linked to Doctor Strange 2. Those ties were cemented further by Loki head writer Michael Waldron being drafted in to rewrite The Multiverse of Madness script (per THR ). Lokis series will follow the God of Mischief moments after he steals the tesseract during Avengers: Endgame. Tasked with repairing the timelines hes broken by the Time Variance Authority, there should be some major continuity between Lokis TV show and Doctor Strange 2.

However, in a recent EW interview promoting Loki's series, Feige declined to comment on the Disney Plus show having ties to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. That doesn't mean that it won't, but it is odd considering Feige's previous comments to the contrary.

Now that Loki's first three episodes have been released, we have a better
idea of how the MCM will work , as well as the individual behind this fracturing of reality.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania could also have loose ties to Doctor
Strange 2. According to director Peyton Reed, the threequel could explore the Quantum Realm, a place where reality is warped and doesnt abide by the laws
of physics, in more detail. The Multiverse of Madness events, then, may
impact this dimension as well, though its unclear how. It may have something to do with the arrival of Marvel big bad Kang the Conqueror, who will feature in Ant-Mans third movie, but theres no plot details for Quantumania yet.
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