Benedict Cumberbatchis not done playingDoctor Strangeanytime soon, and is excited about what the future holds. After a long search that included actors like Ewan McGregor, Jared Leto, and Joaquin Phoenix, Marvel Studios found their Doctor Strange in Cumberbatch over a decade ago. His Doctor Strange seemed poised to become one of the new faces of the MCU after the trinity of Robert Doweny Jr., Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth seemingly stepped away. While none of that happened as Hemsworth stuck around, and now both Downey Jr. and Evans have returned, Doctor Strange has still become a fan-favorite character and is more popular than ever before.
In attendance at the Red Sea Film Festival, Cumberbatch toldVarietythat he still has a big future playing Doctor Strange, saying,“There is a lot more to play, and it’s very exciting.”The actor called the hero a"complex man motivated by a need to control everything at any cost. I am interested in seeing where these costs take him.“Meanwhile, in an interview withTV Groove, he confirmed that he will be returning forAvengers: Doomsday.
“I’m really excited not only to work with the Russo brothers again, but also to have Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom. I think there’s going to be some really cool developments ahead, and I’m excited to see what happens next.”
Despite there only being twoDoctor Strangemovies, Cumberbatch’s character has become a fixture of the cinematic universe. Even with a six-year gap betweenDoctor StrangeandDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, audiences didn’t notice because he was in multiple movies for nearly four years straight. Following 2016’sDoctor Strange, he then appeared in 2017’sThor: Ragnarok,Avengers: Infinity War,Avengers: Endgame, andSpider-Man: No Way Homebefore getting his sequel, meaning the only year without an appearance between his two films was 2020. In addition, Cumberbatch has returned to voice Doctor Strange in both seasons ofWhat If…?and isset to return for the third and final season, which will begin streaming on Aug 01, 2025.
Doctor Strange Will Return, But How?
Doctor Strange’s future in the MCU is currently unknown outside ofAvengers: Doomsday, and despite the exciting news, there is no Time Stone to glimpse into the future for answers. The end ofDoctor Strange in the Multiverse Madnesssaw Cumberbatch’s Strange teaming up with Clea (Charlize Theron) to go into the dark dimension todeal with multiverse incursions, seemingly setting upAvengers: The Kang Dynasty. Now that the upcoming movie has been retooled intoAvengers: Doomsday, Doctor Strange will likely fill a similar role. With no news ofDoctor Strange 3in sight,Doomsdaywill likely be the sorcerer’s next appearance in the MCU.
MCU: How Doctor Strange Could Make the Perfect Villain for the Multiverse Saga
Move over, Kang the Conqueror! The MCU should have a hero-turned-villain for its next phase, and here’s why.
Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom have a fascinating dynamic in the comics, with the recent Marvel Comics havingDoom take the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme from Strange. The two team up in the “Time Runs Out” storyline that leads intoSecret Warsas they attempt to save the multiverse from destruction. Strange’s role in the MCU has become the pragmatist, with him saying,“In the grand calculus of the multiverse, their sacrifice mean infinitely more than their lives,“in bothSpider-Man: No Way HomeandDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This suggests that Strange might, in the end, find himself aligning with Doctor Doom to try to save the multiverse at all costs, even if that puts him in conflict with his fellow Avengers.
Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness
