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Marvel Leak Reveals True Villain of ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

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Posted on by Thomas Hitchen 3 Comments
Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange in 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'

Credit: Marvel Studios

In just over a month, Kevin Feige’s Marvel Cinematic Universe will welcome its 28th feature film in the form of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) from director Sam Raimi and writer Michael Waldron.

The sequel to Scott Derrickson’s Doctor Strange (2016) is highly anticipated after the cataclysmic events of Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), where Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange) starred with Tom Holland (Peter Parker/Spider-Man), in the Multiversal adventure. Now, with elements of the story still tightly under wraps, a synopsis from a certain cinema chain has revealed the true villain of the Marvel movie.

Doctor Strange using magic
Credit: Marvel Studios

After months and months of delay, as well as a recent switch up across the entire slate of Phase Four Marvel films, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will finally release exclusively in movie theaters on May 6, 2022.

The MCU film brings back Cumberbatch as the titular superhero (who is apparently not an Avenger?) following his starring role in Spider-Man: No Way Home, where he is joined by newcomer Xochitl Gomez (America Chavez/Miss America), Benedict Wong (Wong), Rachel McAdams (Dr. Christine Palmer), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Karl Mordo), and Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff/Scarlett Witch).

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff AKA Scarlet Witch Break the Rules Enemy in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness with benedict Cumberbatch
Credit: Marvel Studios

Related: Everything You Need to Watch Before Seeing ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

Upon Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s release, the Doctor Strange sequel received its first official teaser trailer during a post-credits sequence for the record-breaking Marvel and Sony movie. Weeks later, the official trailer dropped during the 2022 Super Bowl, bringing more iconic snippets to Marvel fans across the world.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness looks set to tackle the fallout from Strange’s manipulation of the Multiverse, somehow involving Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff in the action and what seems to be many Doctor Strange Variants, including Defender Strange, Sinister Strange, and Zombie Strange.

Doctor Strange casting a spell
Credit: Marvel Studios

Fans last saw Wanda in Marvel’s first Phase Four project, WandaVision, where events led the former Avenger to live in exile after she took the entire town of Westview hostage in order to “resurrect” Vision (Paul Bettany).

From various footage, it has not been exclusively clear who or what is the true villain of the Doctor Strange sequel. Clips have seen the former Sorcerer Supreme and America Chavez take on the classic comic book Marvel Universe villain, Shuma-Gorath (although here, the tentacled monster is allegedly called Gargantos due to copyright issues), while also teasing a darker version of the Scarlet Witch.

And then there are the various Strange Variants, with one in particular, Sinister Strange, looking like he could take the mantle of the main antagonist in the MCU feature film.

Sinister Strange in 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'
Credit: Marvel Studios

Now, one cinema chain has seemingly confirmed that it will be a version of Doctor Strange that will be the adversary of Strange in this movie and not Gargantos or Scarlet Witch. According to SM Cinemas in the Philippines, the synopsis of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is as follows:

Dr. Stephen Strange casts a forbidden spell that opens the door to the multiverse, including an alternate version of himself, whose threat to humanity is too great for the combined forces of Strange, Wong, and Wanda Maximoff.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange
Credit: Marvel Studios

Related: Copyright Termination Filed, Fate of Spider-Man and Doctor Strange Uncertain

It should be noted that Sinister Strange is apparently a different entity to Doctor Strange Supreme (AKA Evil Doctor Strange) that appeared in Marvel’s animated series, What If…?, who destroyed his entire universe after being unable to bring back his one true love, Christine Palmer.

The Marvel film also looks set to debut the MCU’s version of the Illuminati and will somehow involve Patrick Stewart, who tenured as Professor Charles Xavier/Professor X in the X-Men film franchise. It could also debut the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards and other Variants of Marvel characters such as Iron Man. For the latter, Tom Cruise has been rumored to star as the hero, Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr. made famous in the MCU.

As with anything MCU, fans won’t truly know until the Doctor Strange film releases.

Doctor Strange meeting the Illuminati
Credit: Marvel Studios

What do you think will happen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? Let us know in the comments down below!

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Thomas Hitchen

When he’s not thinking about the Magic Kingdom, Thomas is usually reading a book, becoming desperately obsessed with fictional characters, or baking something delicious (his favorite is chocolate cake -- to bake and to eat). He's a dreamer and grew up on Mulan saving the world, Jim Hawkins soaring through the stars, and Padmé Amidala fighting a Nexu. At the Parks, he loves to ride Everest, stroll down Main Street with an overstuffed pin lanyard around his neck, and eat as many Mickey-shaped ice creams as possible. His favorite character is Han Solo (yes, he did shoot first), and his favorite TV show is Buffy the Vampire Slayer except when it's One Tree Hill. He loves sandy beach walks, forest hikes, and foodie days out in the Big City. Thomas lives in England, UK, with his fiancée, baby, and their dog, a Border Collie called Luna.

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