EXCLUSIVE: After months speculating whether Rachel McAdams would return to reprise her role in the next Doctor Strange film, sources tell Deadline that McAdams has closed a deal to join Benedict Cumberbatch in Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Cumberbatch also returns to reprise the title role with Sam Raimi taking over directing duties.
Marvel had no comment.
Benedict Wong and Chiwetel Ejiofor also are expected to reprise their roles from the original film as fellow sorcerer Wong and Strange’s compatriot-turned-nemesis Karl Mordo, respectively. Elizabeth Olsen has been tapped to reprise her role as Scarlet Witch, aka Wanda Maximoff. Deadline recently broke that Xochitl Gomez is also joining the cast.
Plot details are unknown at this time, as is how big of role McAdams will have. Production will begin after Cumberbatch finishes filming on the next Spider-Man pic, where he also will be playing Doctor Strange.
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Raimi replaces original director Scott Derrickson, who departed the project in January due to creative differences. Derrickson remains as an executive producer. Raimi, meanwhile, will need to get up to speed before the film’s scheduled production start date in May.
McAdams is coming off her heartwarming performance in the Netflix musical comedy Eurovision, which showed off her comedic chops again and earned her strong reviews across the board.
She is repped by Magnolia Entertainment, WME and attorney Howard Fishman.
