The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always expanding, and we’re currently in the midst of Phase Five. Phase Four introduced us two a ton of characters on the small and silver screens, while we also caught up with beloved returning faces. That includes Stephen Strange, who appeared in multiple movies throughout that time. Benedict Cumberbatch recently teased his return to Doctor Strange, but what movie will it be? Let’s break down the possibilities.
After Avengers: Endgame, a number of OG Marvel heroes are officially retired including Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Widow. As such, other Avengers are expected to become bigger character. Case in point: Benedict Cumberbatch, who appeared in both Spider-Man: No Way Home and (of course) Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The 46 year-old actor recently appeared at the JW3 Speaker Series, where he briefly teased his return to the MCU, saying:
There are some Marvel capers in the making next year.
Next year, huh? This is an exciting update, as it seems to indicate that we’ll be seeing more of Stephen Strange sooner rather than later. But Cumberbatch didn’t reveal too much, so it’s still unclear exactly where his return might occur. Hopefully more information arrives shortly for the rabid fanbase (myself included).
Benedict Cumberbatch’s comments are sure to inspire some theories from the Marvel fandom about exactly what’s coming next for the former Sorcerer Supreme. The Doctor Strange 2 credits scene introduced Charlize Theron’s Clea, and teased another adventure through the multiverse. It would be surprising if a third Strange movie was already going to start filming next year. But hey, just about anything can happen in the MCU.
Doctor Strange is seemingly becoming a bigger presence in the MCU, and as such it seems like he could appear in a number of upcoming Marvel movies. One of the places where fans are expecting to see Cumberbatch’s hero is in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, which should be the next major crossover event for the shared universe. But there’s been no indication that it’s going to start filming as soon as next year. As such, there are even more questions about the Sherlock actor’s teasy comments. Although given Strange’s role in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it seems like he could easily pop up in another project to give assistance to the shared universe’s heroes.
There are a ton of question about Cumberbatch’s signature Avenger following the ending of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Strange’s time dreamwalking and interacting with the Darkhold seem to have awakened dark power in the magical hero, including the instruction of his third eye. We’ll just have to see how this changes his adventures, and if his new abilities help the good guys battle Kang.
The next Marvel movie hitting theaters is The Marvels on November 10th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
