Just prior to yesterday’s Super Bowl, the MCU’s next blockbuster, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, was teased via a second trailer for the movie scheduled to open in theaters on May 6th. In the first standalone sequel for Doctor Strange, the movie follows the Sorcerer Supreme as he tries to contain the aftermath of the multiverse-fracturing spell he cast in Spider-Man: No Way Home — which caused villains from across the multiverse to spill over into the central Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. The film is set after the events of WandaVision and Loki, and the trailer shows Doctor Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, teaming up with Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen.
In addition to continuing the stories started by WandaVision and No Way Home, the movie appears to introduce The Illuminati, a council of super-beings who secretly run the world. In the comics, the Illuminati features Strange, Tony Stark, T’Challa, Namor the Submariner, and Professor X, which is interesting because a voice that sounds a lot like Patrick Stewart’s is heard in the trailer saying, “You should tell him the truth” as an imprisoned Strange is brought in front of them. So, speculation is running rampant that the creator of the X-Men, Professor Xavier, will make an appearance in the movie.
In addition to Cumberbatch and Olsen, the movie will also see the return of Benedict Wong as Wong, Rachel McAdams as Dr. Christine Palmer, and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo. Xochitl Gomez will make her MCU debut as America Chavez. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is directed by Sam Raimi. Loki’s Michael Waldron and Jade Halley Bartlett wrote the script.
For more Marvel-related news, check out the teaser for Avengers x X-men x Eternals ‘Judgement Day’.