After Spider-Man: No Way Home’s astounding success, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has proven it still has a lot of surprises in store, even for its longtime viewers. One of the most anticipated future releases is easily Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a movie that ties in with the shocking events of Spidey’s third adventure.
In Doctor Strange 2, the titular character accidentally casts a spell that opens the door to the Multiverse. There has been some speculation that this enchantment is the magic he uses in NWH, but that may not be the case. Either way, the end result spells trouble for Strange and his allies, but also promises an exciting movie for viewers.
10 The Immense Potential Multiverse Has Only Begun To Be Explored
As evidenced by the title, the movie focuses on Doctor Strange’s adventures in the Multiverse. This isn’t a surprise, as Phase Four has heavily been focusing on this concept, relying on its massive scale to raise the stakes after Avengers: Endgame. It’s an excellent creative decision, and the immense potential of the Multiverse has only begun to be explored.
The first trailer for Doctor Strange 2 teases viewers with tantalizing images of a twisted reality, but the movie itself will doubtlessly have much more to offer. Doctor Strange may have been unwise to cast that forbidden spell, but fans are definitely grateful.
9 Wanda Maximoff Flashes Into Action As The Scarlet Witch
In the wake of the Disney+ series WandaVision, Wanda Maximoff has finally embraced her true fate as the Scarlet Witch, and her powers are growing. The emotional backlash of the events in Westview makes her withdraw from civilization, seeking solitude and serenity. Doctor Strange turns to her aid when confronted with the imminent threat he unleashes.
As one of the most powerful characters in the MCU, Wanda is always a delight to have on the screen. Her reality-twisting abilities can bring about shocking developments, as evidenced by the Hex she creates in WandaVision. Having already proven herself capable to create life and manipulate minds at a massive scale, Wanda is ready to face an even greater threat than her own magic is—and viewers will doubtlessly get a treat from it. In the trailer, she appears to have black fingernails, which may suggest she is delving into even darker powers—just like Agatha Harkness did.
8 Karl Mordo Could Be Both Friend & Foe For His Former Pupil
Wanda, Stephen—and of course, the omnipresent Wong—aren’t the only magic users confirmed to return in the movie. Stephen’s former mentor, Karl Mordo, will also be making an appearance. Mordo becomes disenchanted with the Ancient One after he learns she is drawing power from the Dark Dimension. Strange’s confrontation with Dormammu—and his indiscriminate usage of the Time Stone—is the last straw, and he leaves the Masters of the Mystic Arts. His disappointment with his former allies turns him into Stephen’s enemy.
The events of Multiverse of Madness seem to at least partially confirm Karl Mordo’s fears. The two characters are also shown engaging in a brief fight but his true role in the movie remains unclear. While Mordo has been one of Strange’s most notorious villains in the comics, his character in the MCU has a different arc and he may act as Stephen’s ally.
7 Doctor Strange Supreme Makes His Shocking Reappearance
While many elements in the trailer have filled fans with excitement, none have been more popular than the appearance of a second version of Stephen. Viewers of the Disney+ series What If…? may recognize the character as Doctor Strange Supreme, a version of Stephen from an alternate universe where Christine Palmer is killed. In his desperation to save her, Strange abuses the power of the Time Stone. He accumulates more and more magic and is eventually corrupted by it, leading to the destruction of his universe.
Doctor Strange Supreme’s appearance in Multiverse of Madness promises exciting things for the movie. The character has already had a battle with a version of himself in his own reality and has come out the victor. Time will tell what the outcome in this second confrontation will be. Interestingly enough, a shot from the upcoming movie is almost identical to the fate of Doctor Strange Supreme’s universe, so the story may be on its way to repeating itself.
6 Christine Palmer’s Relationship With Stephen May Be Better Explored
Considering the fact that Doctor Strange Supreme’s main motivation is the loss of his lover, the return of Christine Palmer is not a surprise. The movie-verse version of Stephen no longer has a romantic relationship with her, as Christine chooses to break ties due to Stephen’s egotistic personality.
The trailer displays her wearing a wedding dress, but she doesn’t seem to be getting married to Strange. Even so, the relationship between him and Christine may still be better explored, especially since Christine is shown right by his side, venturing into the Multiverse.
5 America Chavez Can Create Inter-Dimensional Portals With A Punch
The return of previously established characters is definitely something to look forward to, but new additions are always exciting. The trailer gives MCU fans a glimpse at an all-new member of the cast, America Chavez. The young superhero originates from Utopian Parallel, a dimension out of time and of the Multiverse, formed from the “unbinding of magic” by the Demiurge.
Beyond powers like superhuman strength, durability, and speed, America can literally create interdimensional portals with a punch or a kick. She will definitely be an asset to Dr. Strange’s team.
4 Gargantos Appears To Be One Of The Main Villains
Doctor Strange Supreme isn’t the only presence from What If…? that shows up in the movie. The titular character is displayed fighting a giant one-eyed monster with numerous tentacles. A brief look at comic book history identifies the creature as possibly being Shuma-Gorath, an immensely powerful being on a campaign of interdimensional conquest. A monster with a similar look appears in the first episode of What If…?, where he is pushed back into his portal by Captain Carter.
Recent merchandise identifies the horrific antagonist under the name Gargantos, a lesser-known villain from the Namor comics. It’s not the first time the MCU has made changes to its interdimensional monsters—with a recent example being the Dweller-in-Darkness—but no matter what his name is, the creature will doubtlessly be an enemy to be reckoned with.
3 Spider-Man Could Swing By For An Assist
Since Doctor Strange is so closely connected to No Way Home, it’s not out of the question for Spidey to make an appearance in Stephen’s own movie. In the wake of NWH, Peter has been left bereft of all his allies. Stephen’s final spell makes everyone in the world forget about him.
But he accepts this as a necessary sacrifice and he starts over, rebuilding himself anew as another version of Spider-Man. Considering the scale of the threat involved, he will doubtlessly want to be involved.
2 Loki & His Friends May Drop By To Make Mischief
When it comes to the Multiverse, Stephen isn’t the only man qualified to step in. In the Disney+ series Loki, the 2012 version of the God of Mischief gets a nasty lesson in the workings of this particular concept. His attempt to stop the Time Variance Authority ends poorly, and he ends up in a dimension where the villainous He Who Remains is the overt leader of the organization.
But Loki, his female variant Sylvie, and his friend Mobius may make an unexpected comeback in Doctor Strange 2. A brief shot from the trailer displays Wanda seemingly using magic in front of a Timedoor. The image may be deceptive, but the concept of Loki’s return definitely has promise.
1 Additional Cameos Are Rumored To Appear
After the approach taken by NWH and knowing the future of the MCU, fans have already begun to make additional speculations on what other cameos Doctor Strange 2 may contain. The Marvel logo in the movie is shattered and seems to display flashes of logos from previous franchises including Marvel characters.
This has made people hope for visits from the X-Men, the Fantastic 4, or even Deadpool. Other possible cameos include characters from What If…?, like Hayley Atwell’s Captain Carter or other versions of Tony Stark, played by someone other than Robert Downey Jr.
About The Author
Alexandra Moroca
(260 Articles Published)
Alexandra Moroca is an author with a degree in Political Science and a penchant for obsessing over fictional characters. Hailing from Romania, the country of all things vampire, she particularly enjoys digging her non-existent fangs into works of supernatural fiction. When she isn’t binging the newest anime series or writing her newest novel, she likes to scream about her favorite characters on CBR.
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