Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is coming to theaters on May 6, 2022. The latest trailer that was released during Super Bowl LVI has been breaking internet records as Marvel fans watch it over and over again trying to analyze every Easter Egg. The film will star Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange and Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch and is rumored to have cameos even more jaw-dropping than those in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).
Related: Marvel’s WORST Artist Confirms ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Leak “Is Happening”
Who has been confirmed to appear in ‘Doctor Strange 2’?
While Marvel Studios have been trying to keep as many details as possible on the Doctor Strange (2018) sequel quiet, they have been having a rough time with it. Leak after leak has confirmed that Marvel Comics characters like Rintrah, Sleepwalker, and D’Spayre will be making their Marvel Cinematic Universe debut.
The Marvel Universe’s current Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong) and Baron Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) will also return for Doctor Strange 2. Dr. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) was also featured in the trailers. But the rumored cast list could surprise some Marvel fans.
Related: Everything You Need to Watch Before Seeing ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’
Who will Benedict Cumberbatch play?
Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Stephen Strange was last seen nearly breaking the Marvel Universe in No Way Home to help Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland). And it looks like he will be paying the price for his arrogance in his next Marvel movie as the multiverse begins to unravel.
The trailer revealed that Benedict Cumberbatch will be playing multiple versions of Doctor Strange. Including those seen in Marvel Studios’ first animated series What If…? which is currently streaming on Disney+. This includes Strange Supreme, the evil version of Doctor Strange who went on to help the Watcher Uatu (Jeffrey Wright) and become a Guardian of the Multiverse and the Zombie Doctor Strange.
Related: Kevin Feige Believes ONE Movie Will “Redefine the MCU Entirely”
Benedict Cumberbatch will also be playing a new variant of Doctor Strange called Defender Strange. The Defenders are a team of Marvel superheroes dedicated to protecting the earth from extra-dimensional threats. They first appeared in Marvel Feature #1 (1971) by Roy Thomas and Ross Andru.
Defender Strange seems to be pulling from the 2010 Defenders comic by Matt Fraction and Terry Dodson. This version introduced the black and red costume Defender Strange is wearing in the trailer. In this volume, the Defenders found themselves lost in space-time and traveled to alternate universes.
Related: Marvel ‘Avengers’ Versus DC ‘Justice League’ Crossover Series Finally Happening
Is Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch the villain?
Wanda will return to the big screen in the Doctor Strange sequel following her series WandaVision. It has been speculated that she will be a villain, trying to use the broken Marvel Multiverse to bring back her twin sons Billy/Wiccan (Julian Hilliard) and Tommy/Speed (Jett Klyne). This has caused some debate among fans who say that Doctor Strange has been just as careless with his magic as Wanda.
There are two variants of Wanda in the trailer, one who is coming from the main Marvel timeline and one who appears to have remained in Westview. This hints that there could be a cameo from the breakout star of WandaVision, Agnes/Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hayn), who is already set for her own spin-off Agatha: House of Harkness. Or perhaps Paul Bettany could return as Vision.
Related: Marvel Reveals How ‘Thor 4’ Will Fix Major ‘Endgame’ Plot-Hole
Who are the new characters in ‘Doctor Strange 2’?
It was also confirmed that Doctor Strange 2 will introduce America Chavez/Miss America (Xochitl Gomez). Marvel Studios has been hinting that they are building up the team of Young Avengers, which includes Billy Kaplan, Tommy Shepherd, Kate Bishop/Hawkeye (Hailee Steinfeld’s Hawkeye character), and Eli Bradley/ Patriot (Elijah Richardson’s Falcon and the Winter Soldier Character).
The trailer also confirmed that Sir Patrick Stewart will be returning. And although Marvel Studios has not officially confirmed it, he is playing the leader of the X-Men Charles Xavier/Professor X. Sir Patrick Steward played the character in 20th Century Pictures’ X-Men franchise and fans have been waiting for these characters to show up in the MCU.
Related: Kevin Feige Confirms There Won’t Really Be an ‘Avengers 5’
Which X-Men are rumored to appear in ‘Doctor Strange 2’?
There are rumors that other major characters from Fox’s Marvels could be making their way to the MCU. Evan Peters, who played Peter Maximoff/Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Deadpool 2 (2018) and X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019), showed up as red herring in WandaVision. At the time, fans thought he could be playing a variant of Wanda’s twin brother Pietro Maximoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) who died in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).
Related: Marvel’s Most Reviled Character Is Returning to the MCU
Will Wolverine be recast for ‘Doctor Strange 2’?
Fans are begging for Hugh Jackman to return as Logan/Wolverine in Deadpool 3 alongside Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool AKA the Merc with a Mouth. However, Hugh Jackman has stated he was done with the character after Logan (2017). Though, Sir Patrick Stewart has said the same thin in the past. If he returned in Deadpool 3, if it ever gets released, it would be the first time Jackman and Reynolds will reunite since once of the worse Marvel movies of all time – X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009).
However, there is a new rumor that Doctor in the Multiverse of Madness could introduce a new actor as Logan – Daniel Radcliff (Harry Potter). Daniel Radcliff previously joked he wanted to be the next person to take up the mantle of Wolverine and fans have been making fan art ever since. So far, this rumor has had no confirmation even in behind-the-scenes leaks.
Related: Marvel’s Shocking Reversal on “Garbage” Series Following Monumental Backlash
Will Magneto appear in Marvel Phase Four?
Ian McKellen, on the other hand, has been leaked to appear as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto. He was revealed in the same leak that first suggested Sir Patrick Stewart was returning to the Marvel Universe. Since that reveal has panned out, the idea that Magneto will appear with his longtime friend/enemy Professor X in Doctor Strange 2 does not seem out of the question.
The trailer also revealed that the Doctor Strange and America Chavez could find themselves in the Savage Lands, which has ties to Magneto in the comics. So even if he is not a member of the MCU’s Illuminati there will be more than one chance for the omega-level mutant to appear.
Related: Robert Downey, Jr. Is Returning to Movies as a Villain
Is Storm showing up beyond a cameo?
Another heavily rumored cameo is Ororo Munroe/Storm. The Queen of Wakanda in Marvel Comics has been rumored to appear in both Doctor Strange 2 and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (November 11, 2022). Halle Berry has hinted that she is done with Storm and is open to returning at any time.
The rumors for Black Panther 2 have Ororo Munroe recast with Michaela Coel. If that is true it is unlikely that Storm will appear in both films. And there is a limit to how many mutants Marvel Studios can reasonably fit into Doctor Strange 2 as there are even more rumored cameos from across the Marvel Universe.
Related: ‘The Godfather’ Director Ford Coppola SLAMS Marvel, “What is a Marvel Picture?”
What other Marvel Legacy Actors are rumored cameos?
The rumored cameo list for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness contains more that just Fox’s X-Men. It seems to be growing every day. Marvel fans have speculated that nearly everyone from any Marvel property released in the last two decades could show up again. Since Marvel Studios recently brought back characters from older Spider-Man films like Alfred Molina as Doctor Otto Octavius/Doc Ock/Doctor Octopus and William Defoe as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, anything seems possible. Even characters that were not as beloved as those from Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004), The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014).
Related: Everything to Know About Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man
Is Ben Affleck Replacing Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil?
One rumor is that Ben Affleck could return as Matt Murdock/Daredevil. Affleck played the Man Without Fear in Daredevil (2003). It did well enough to get a spin-off in Elektra (2005) starring Jennifer Garner. But neither film is as loved as Netflix’s Daredevil series starring Charlie Cox. Charlie Cox recently returned the role of Matt Murdock in No Way Home and co-star Vincent D’Onofrio came back as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin in Hawkeye.
Ben Affleck also may have sworn off playing superheroes ever again after he has spoken out how much he hated playing Bruce Wayne/Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017). He particularly did not like working for controversial director Joss Whedon calling it the “worst experience”. He did return for Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021). However, it seems unlikely he would be replacing Charlie Cox, who has threatened to fight anyone who dare replace him.
Ironically, John Favreau played Matt’s best friend Foggy Nelson in Fox’s Daredevil movie. When Favreau became the director of Iron Man (2008) he would cast himself in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, now as Happy Hogan.
Is Nicholas Cage’s Ghost Rider coming to the MCU?
Fans seem to be torn on how they want to see Ghost Rider in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It seems inevitable that he is on his way as the MCU is setting up the Midnight Sons with Blade (Mahershala Ali) Marc Spector/Steven Grant/Moon Knight (Oscar Isaac) and Dan Whitman/Black Knight (Kit Harrington). Multiple versions of Ghost Rider have been on the Midnight Sons since they were first introduced in Ghost Rider #31 (1992) by Howard Mackie and Andy Kubert.
Nicholas Cage played Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider in Ghost Rider (2007) and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011). It has been rumored he could appear of that Johnny Blaze could be recast and Norman Reedus (AMC’s The Walking Dead) could take over the role.
However, some fans are still holding out hope that the version of Ghost Rider from Agents of SHIELD could return. Gabriel Luna’s Robbie Reyes/Ghost Rider was last seen entering the Dark Dimension with Wanda’s future spell book the Darkhold. Gabriel Luna has also expressed interest in returning as the Spirit of Vengeance to help Stephen Strange.
Is Edward Norton ready to return as Bruce Banner/Hulk?
The second entry in the MCU was The Incredible Hulk (2008). It is often skipped over as the film is not currently on Disney+, the streaming rights belove to Universal Pictures, which co-produced the film. Some fans do not even consider it canon, although actors like Tim Roth (Emil Blonksy/Abomination) and William Hurt (Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross) have reprised their roles in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) and Black Widow (2021) respectively.
In The Incredible Hulk Edward Norton played Bruce Banner/Hulk. Though he would be replaced by Mark Ruffalo in The Avengers (2012). Mark Ruffalo has played the gamma powered monster ever since. Edward Norton left the Marvel Universe over creative difference and accusations that he was controlling on set. He has not expressed interest in returning yet.
Related: Marvel Fans Have a New Reason to “Cancel” Brie Larson
What are the craziest cameo rumors for ‘Doctor Strange 2’?
If cameos from the X-Men and other Legacy film actor were not enough to get fans excited, there are yet more rumors about who could appear in Multiverse of Madness. The super-soldier variant of Peggy Carter from What If…?, called Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell), has been long rumored to appear and her shield can be seen on the new poster for the film.
There are other rumors like Anson Mount playing the Inhuman King Black Bolt. Charlize Theron as Clea and Lashana Lynch as a variant of Maria Rambeau who became Captain Marvel. Even Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool is thought to be hiding in the trailer.
Related: The Secrets of Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum Revealed
Tom Hiddleston might play an unexpected role
Fans have thought Tom Hiddleston would appear in Doctor Strange 2. Though many expect him to return at the Asgardian god of mischief, Loki. Hiddleston’s trickster god got the spotlight in his own Disney+ Marvel original series Loki. His shows also dealt with the new Marvel Multiverse and ended with the female Loki variant Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) killing He Who Remains/Kang the Conqueror (Jonathon Majors) and disrupting the Sacred Timeline. So, it would make since for Loki to show up with the Time Variance Authority (TVA) to help deal with the multiverse.
However, one rumor online suggests that if Tom Hiddleston does appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness it will not be as Loki. Instead, he could play a variant of his brother, the god of thunder, Thor. Tom Hiddleston originally auditioned to play Thor before getting the role of Loki.
Related: Marvel Under Fire Over MAJOR Controversial Change to Character
Tom Cruise may make a cameo as an alternate version of Iron Man
Tom Cruise might also be finally getting a role he auditioned for. He famously auditioned to play Tony Stark/Iron Man but ended up backing out and the role went to Robert Downey Jr. instead. It has been strongly suggested that he will show up in Multiverse of Madness as a variant of Iron Man, specifically an evil version called Superior Iron Man.
It seems that Tom Cruise’s cameo could be part of the Illuminati scene that was hinted at in the trailer. The Ultron robots seen in the trailer look like the Superior Iron Man suit, which famously has no helmet. One of the rumored reasons that Tom Cruise turned down the role was because he did not want to wear a helmet.
Related: Everything We Know About Marvel’s ‘Fantastic Four’ Reboot
John Krasinski as Mr. Fantastic
This is one of the most long-standing rumors. Fans have wanted John Krasinski (The Office) to play Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic ever since the rights to Marvel’s first family returned to Marvel Studios. They also want his wife Emily Blunt to play Reed’s wife Sue Storm/Invisible Woman. Fans even believe they spotted Sue’s brother Johnny Storm/Human Torch in the trailer. This caused rumors that Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America) could play him again as he did in The Fantastic Four (2005) and The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007).
We know that the Fantastic Four will appear in Marvel’s Phase Four. The planned reboot directed by Jon Watts (Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and Spider-Man: No Way Home). It was rumored to be released on November 3, 2023 but many Marvel movies have since been delayed. So, they could be introduced in an earlier film like Doctor Strange 2 for impatient fans.
Related: Repeating Controversial ‘Avengers’ Mistakes Final Straw for MCU Fans
More on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
The film will be directed by Sam Raimi and has been called the MCU’s first horror movie. It does not have an office description yet, but Marvel’s overview says:
Marvel Studios’ “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”—a thrilling ride through the Multiverse with Doctor Strange, his trusted friend Wong and Wanda Maximoff, aka Scarlet Witch. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” opens in U.S. theaters on May 6, 2022.
If even a handful of these rumored cameos are true it will be the biggest Marvel movie since Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
Let us know which cameo you are most excited for in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.