Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange won’t be in Avengers: Doomsday, but he is confirmed for Avengers: Secret Wars. This change is due to Jonathan Majors (who played Kang the Conqueror) being removed from the MCU because of legal issues, which led to a rewrite of the Doomsday script. The movie’s title changed from Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to Avengers: Doomsday, with Robert Downey Jr. now playing Doctor Doom as the main villain.
Cumberbatch explained that Doctor Strange’s absence from Doomsday is because his storyline doesn’t fit the new plot. However, he will have an important role in Secret Wars, which Cumberbatch says will be “quite central” to the movie’s events, indicating he’ll play a key part in the Multiverse Saga’s conclusion.
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Despite changes for Doomsday, Doctor Strange’s future looks good. Cumberbatch and Marvel Studios are discussing a third solo Doctor Strange film, and the actor is excited about exploring the character further.
The potential storyline for Doctor Strange 3 may connect to the mid-credits scene from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which introduced Clea, played by Charlize Theron. This could lead to a conflict in the Dark Dimension, possibly involving Dormammu. The release date for Doctor Strange 3 is still uncertain, but it will likely come out around the same time or after Avengers: Secret Wars. Given that filming hasn’t started yet, it seems unlikely to release before Avengers: Doomsday.
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for May 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars is set for May 2027. Other cast members confirmed for Doomsday include characters from Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four: First Steps, as well as Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. The smaller scale of Doomsday compared to what was initially expected is evident from Doctor Strange’s absence. The exact role of Doctor Strange 3 in the larger MCU story is still unclear, but the planning shows that the character will remain important in the franchise.
Source: Variety
