Ever since Disney merged with 20th Century Fox and brought the rights of some of Marvel’s best characters home, fans have been trying to figuring when and how Kevin Feige will introduce them to the MCU. Marvel Studios now have access to characters including the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Deadpool, and they could be showing up sooner than Marvel fans expected.
According to a new rumor from MyTimeToShineHello, who previously leaked several details from Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) that ended up being confirmed, the next big-screen entry in Marvel’s Phase Four will feature one of Marvel Comics most complicated teams – the Illuminati.
Specifically, the report is that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (May 6, 2022) will have Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) meet Reed Richard/Mister Fantastic, the leader of the Fantastic Four. Though he does not confirm who has been cast to bring one of Marvel’s first family of superheroes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe – so those who are holding out for John Krasinski (The Office) still have time to hope.
The source had nothing to say about whether other members of the Fantastic Four like Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/Human Torch, or Ben Grimm/The Thing, would be included in the scene. The Fantastic Four will be getting their own film director by Spider-Man: Homecoming (2016) director Jon Watts (rumored to be released on November 3, 2023).
This new rumor actually adds credence to a similar theory that has Multiverse of Madness also introducing the X-Men. While that may seem a lot for the next Marvel film to accomplish, a simple cameo of the Illuminati would do both as Charles Xavier/Professor X, the leader of the X-Men, is also a member of the team.
The leak that started rumors of the X-Men began with alleged art from Doctor Strange 2 showing the Sorcerer Supreme, minus his Cloak of Levitation, in handcuffs as two Ultron bots bring him to Professor X (in his signature hoverchair) and another unidentified character – perhaps now that could be Mister Fantastic.
The Illuminati are a fictionalized secret society of superheroes representing some of the biggest teams in Marvel Comics. Introduced in New Avengers #7 (2005) by Brian Michael Bendis, they originally consisted of Mister Fantastic, Tony Stark/Iron Man, Professor X, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, and Namor.
After the Secret Invasion storyline, the team met up as a think-tank to open communication between the Marvel superhero teams like the Avengers, X-Men, and Inhumans. Iron Man learned that all the members had known about the threat of the shape-shifting Skrulls, and if they had worked together as a team, they could have stopped it from happening.
More on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Credit: Marvel Studios
Director Sam Raimi has called the Doctor Strange (2016) sequel the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first horror film. It will bring back much of the original cast like Wong (Benedict Wong), Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), and Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams).
Joining the cast is Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Xochitl Gomez’s debut as the Young Avenger America Chavez, Miss America. The film has other rumored cameos, including What If…?‘s Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell) and Strange Supreme, as well as Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who has been working on containing the new Marvel Multiverse with the Time Variance Authority (TVA).
Recent toy leaks also suggest characters like Rintrah, Sleepwalker, and D’Spayre could show up as well. Someone similar to Jericho Drumm/Brother Voodoo was featured in a casting call, and concept art also had Clea. Both of whom are the Sorcerer Supreme in another dimension.
So it is no wonder why Benedict Cumberbatch has called the production “bonkers.”
Let us know in the comments if you are ready for Mister Fantastic and Professor X to come to the MCU.
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