Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness comes at a crucial time for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The multiverse started cracking in Loki and Spider-Man: Far From Home, but it is Doctor Strange (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) who will deal with its biggest fallouts—and may be the first to meet certain major cast members from other Marvel properties that have not yet been incorporated into the MCU.
The Doctor Strange trailer features the very recognizable voice of a certain X-Man—but viewers will have to wait until the release date to find out if the actor is playing who fans think he is.
Marvel has kept many details of Multiverse of Madness under wraps, as they are wont to do with their many movies. However, details have emerged from the trailer and various cast interviews.
Here's everything we know right now about Doctor Strange 2.
When is Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness coming out?
The U.S. release date for the movie is Friday, May 6, when the film will exclusively come to theaters.
In other countries, however, Marvel fans will get to watch the movie one or even two days before American audiences do. Per IMDB, the film is coming out in the following countries at the following times:
- Wednesday, May 4: Germany, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Cambodia, South Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Philippines, Sweden, Singapore;
- Thursday, May 5: United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Australia, U.K., Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Portugal, Slovakia, Thailand;
- Friday, May 6: Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, Spain, India, Sri Lanka, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Turkey, U.S.
The streaming release date for the film has not been confirmed. However, we know it will be released onto Disney+, with a release date in mid-July looking the most likely.
Who is in the cast of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness?
Naturally, Benedict Cumberbatch (fresh off an Oscar nomination for The Power of the Dog) is back as Stephen Strange. Strange was last seen helping Peter Parker (Tom Holland) narrowly avert multiversal collapse. Also back from the first Doctor Strange film are:
- Rachel McAdams - Christine Palmer
- Michael Stuhlbarg - Nicodemus West
- Chiwetel Ejiofor - Mordo
- Benedict Wong - Wong
Joining them are some faces new to Doctor Strange, but familiar to Marvel followers. Chief among them is Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, last seen hiding out after the events of WandaVision. Heard but not quite seen in the Multiverse of Madness trailer is Sir Patrick Stewart, but whether he is reprising his role as Dr. Charles Xavier has not been revealed (though is widely plausible what with the multiverse opening up and all...)
Xochitl Gomez also stars in the film as America Chavez, a character that comic book readers know becomes Miss America (and is also the first Latin-American LGBTQ+ character to star in an ongoing series). Marvel has been quietly adding a host of Young Avengers like Speed and Wiccan (Wanda's sons) and the Kate Bishop Hawkeye (Hailee Steinfeld) to the MCU, so Chavez's addition may be setting up a future series or movie featuring the young heroes, especially as Wanda's two sons are both in the Doctor Strange 2 cast.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness director Sam Raimi has also confirmed that actor Bruce Campbell will make a cameo in the film. Campbell has appeared in 11 of Raimi's movies so far, most famously playing Ash in the cult Evil Dead trilogy. Per a Twitter post from the actor, it seems he is playing an alternate world version of Doctor Strange.
I always feel a little strange when I work on a Sam Raimi movie. #multiverse pic.twitter.com/oJy0lmFFYm
— Bruce Campbell (@GroovyBruce) April 1, 2022
What is Doctor Strange 2 about?
The official plot synopsis for the movie reads: "In Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the MCU unlocks the Multiverse and pushes its boundaries further than ever before. Journey into the unknown with Doctor Strange, who, with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary."
As revealed in reviews, Chavez is introduced in the film as a young woman with the power to travel between the multiple universes—and who is being chased by that "mysterious new adversary."
WARNING: If you don't want to know who that adversary is, stop reading now.
Marvel is being a little disingenuous by describing that adversary as "new"—it is in fact Wanda herself, who is trying to find herself a universe where she can live with her children.
Along the way, fans will get multiple Easter eggs to various Marvel properties. Enjoyed how What If? on Disney+ gave us a break from MCU canon? This film looks to tie it in, with appearances teased in the trailer of Hayley Atwell's Captain Carter and Zombie Doctor Strange.
