Portraying a single character over a decade is challenging, but Robert Downey Jr. managed just that – successfully bringing Tony Stark/Iron Man to life in 10 films.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Joe and Anthony Russo, who directed Downey in three of his Marvel Cinematic Universe appearances, explained how the actor kept the character fresh for so long. "When he'll come back to set, Robert is famous for throwing the plan out the window and climbing on top of the couch and whatever, sort of going off-book," Joe said. "He does this because he likes to surprise himself. He likes to keep things fresh. He lights up for that."
"There's no other way that he could have played that character for 10 movies unless he was doing that," Anthony added. "Robert has certainly lived a complicated life. He understands the stakes, he understands loss, he understands the turns life can take between ups and downs. He's always looking for that level of depth, that level of complexity. I think he knows that's what we all come to movies for in the first place."
Marvel Studios Firmly Shuts Down Iron Man's Return
During the same interview, dubbed "Robert Downey Jr.'s Third Act," Kevin Feige debunked rumors that Marvel Studios was considering bringing Stark back into the multiverse storyline. "We are going to keep [Iron Man's death] and not touch that moment again," Feige explained. "We all worked very hard for many years to get to that. We would never want to magically undo it in any way," he added, referencing Tony Stark's character growth over the years.
"We'd already said tearful goodbyes on the last day of shooting. Everybody had moved on emotionally," Joe Russo added. "We promised him it would be the last time we made him do it ever." Iron Man met his demise in Avengers: Endgame, giving up his life to thwart Thanos and avert the villain's plan to obliterate half of all life once more. However, with recent MCU releases failing to capture the magic of the Infinity Saga, speculation about Iron Man's return has been rife.
When Robert Downey Jr. was initially cast as Tony Stark in 2008, it was an unexpected choice, and the studio had explored other options before finalizing the decision. Among the considered actors was Tom Cruise, who Feige says was in contention for the role during the mid-2000s. However, financial considerations proved to be a hurdle, as Cruise's asking fee at the time exceeded what studios were willing to risk on an untested superhero property. Interestingly, Cruise dismissed speculation about playing Iron Man and commended Downey for his exceptional portrayal of the superhero.
Kevin Feige has confirmed whether or not Iron Man will be returning in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Robert Downey Jr. originated the MCU version of the character in 2008's Iron Man, the movie that kicked off the franchise which has now expanded to include 33 movies and eight Disney+ shows, with many more on the way. Downey Jr. reprised his role in nine MCU movies before his character's death in 2019's Avengers: Endgame.
Vanity Fair recently ran a cover story on Robert Downey Jr. in which they spoke to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige about the possibility of a future Iron Man MCU return. Feige said that they are planning to "not touch that moment again." He shared that bringing Iron Man's story to a close took years of hard work, and they do not intend to "magically undo it." Check out his full quote below:
We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again. We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.
Iron Man's MCU Legacy Looms Large
Given the fact that the introduction of the multiverse in Phases 4 and 5 of the MCU could potentially allow a version of Iron Man to return to the franchise, Feige's determination may seem surprising. However, Iron Man's death is one of the most important moments in the overarching story of the franchise. In addition to allowing Robert Downey Jr. to exit the MCU after more than a decade playing the same character and go on to pursue other projects like Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, the legacy of the Iron Man character still defines the path of the MCU moving forward.
This has already been the case, as coping with the loss of his mentor Iron Man was at the center of the two most recent adventures of Tom Holland's Spider-Man. While it is currently unclear if that particular character will be returning to the MCU, Iron Man has already inspired another hero who is set to make a splash in the franchise. That would be the armored young inventor Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), also known as Ironheart, who debuted in 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and is set to return in the upcoming Disney+ show Ironheart.
Iron Man also has another, less distinctly positive influence on the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His Avengers: Endgame decision to return the population that Thanos destroyed without erasing the five years the universe spent without them resulted in a disjointed timeline known as The Blip, which has had tremendous social and political ramifications the universe over. Even if the character never returns, his actions have a tremendous impact and leave behind a legacy just as important and complicated as the character himself.
Marvel is reportedly eyeing the possibility of Iron Man's return to the MCU, and has already been setting up the conditions for such an event for the last 10 years. Despite being halfway through MCU Phase 5, Iron Man is still a central figure in the MCU, with even The Marvels' final trailer featuring Tony Stark and his collection of suits in the opening shots. The MCU lingering on Tony Stark four years after his death only helps to cement the notion that it isn't through with him yet. Short of being a cause for concern, however, this may not be a bad thing given that Tony Stark has some unfinished business in the MCU.
Tony Stark was the hero who kicked off the MCU with 2008's Iron Man, with one of the most iconic comic book movie arcs in history culminating in his heroic sacrifice. Despite Tony Stark's heroics, however, he left behind a rather problematic legacy that he had briefly rectified in Iron Man 3 before the following 10 years worked to reverse it entirely. That legacy was one he had attempted to combat throughout his life, but unfortunately, one that persisted past his death.
The overarching motif throughout Tony's tenure has focused on the repercussions of his manifested ideas either falling into the wrong hands, being replicated by the wrong hands, or, as was the case with Ultron, being the wrong hands. Iron Man saw his first-ever suit of armor being commandeered by nefarious actors. Iron Man 2 saw his technology being suboptimally replicated by less competent figures, to dangerous effect. Iron Man 3, meanwhile, culminated in Tony Stark triggering the "Clean Slate Protocol," amounting to the destruction of his suits, which at least went some way to keeping them out of the reach of less worthy characters.
Soon after the shocking conclusion to Iron Man 3, however, Tony Stark resumed building tech that would continue to be misappropriated. Among the most cataclysmic was Ultron, who was intended to be an AI protector of Earth before it turned genocidal. Even Thanos nearly utilized Stark's nanotech gauntlet to commit the Snap once again. Following his death, Stark's tech has continued to be misappropriated, with E.D.I.T.H. and its access to Stark's drones falling into the possession of Mysterio before E.D.I.T.H. was most recently seen being used by Damage Control to hunt down super-powered individuals.
Vision, meanwhile, has been "revived" by S.W.O.R.D. to become White Vision, initially presented as a dangerous mindless husk of his former self whose destructive potential is now unchecked. Then, from what is known of Armor Wars, Tony Stark's armor is doomed to fall into the wrong hands without him around to prevent it to catastrophic effect. All of this combined practically leaves Stark's MCU legacy in tatters.
Iron Man Should Return To Reclaim His Own MCU Story
Evidently, Stark's legacy requires some TLC to circumvent the possibility that his tech has caused more harm than good. The events of Iron Man 3, in which he wiped the slate clean by destroying the Iron Legion, seem like a drastic but necessary route towards this. Only by removing his tech from the equation can Stark and the Avengers be certain his work will not be misused by unscrupulous characters who fail to approach it with the correct level of competence and nuance that only a handful of Stark tech-wielding characters can embody.
If this is the route that the MCU takes, then it must be Stark himself who pushes the "self-destruct" button. A huge part of his character arc was the recognition of his technology's destructive potential, and how dangerous it is in the wrong hands. By replicating the events of Iron Man 3 and ensuring that he seizes control of his own destiny, Tony Stark's story can reach a second satisfying conclusion following his apparent death in Avengers: Endgame. This does, however, necessitate his return to the MCU.
Will Iron Man Really Return To The MCU?
It already seems apparent that the MCU is gearing towards some kind of Tony Stark reprisal. Iron Man is so central to the MCU's identity that it seems almost remiss to not revisit the character in some capacity, particularly with his legacy being so starkly threatened by the likes of Armor Wars and whatever Damage Control ends up doing with E.D.I.T.H. Whether it will be an Iron Man portrayed by Robert Downey Jr, however, is up for debate.
On one hand, RDJ so perfectly embodied the character of Tony Stark that it would feel wrong to see an Iron Man that isn't him. On the other, his story came to such a satisfying conclusion that bringing him back could seem like a desperate attempt from Marvel to recoup its recent losses by redeploying its biggest star. Whatever the case, the multiverse offers plenty of opportunities to have Iron Man return in a satisfying capacity, if only to have him tie up the final loose end he left behind.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe's Iron Man hypocrisy can start Marvel Studios' version of the Hulk story known as World War Hulk. Iron Man and Hulk are two incredibly important characters to Marvel and the MCU, with both heroes being there from the start of the MCU. Marvel Studios' shared universe debuted in 2008 with the release of Iron Man, which captured hearts all around the world due to Robert Downey Jr.'s career-defining performance as Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. Then, just over a month later, came the release of The Incredible Hulk, which starred Edward Norton as Bruce Banner and his destructive alter ego.
While RDJ's Iron Man would go on to become one of the two faces of the MCU alongside Chris Evans' Captain America, the Hulk would be relegated to a supporting role in other movies, even after Hulk's face changed. After behind-the-scenes issues, Marvel recast the Hulk, with Norton being replaced with Mark Ruffalo, who debuted as Bruce Banner/ the Hulk in 2012's The Avengers and continues to play the character to this day. After years of the Hulk falling through the cracks, the character is heavily rumored to be facing redemption in the MCU's Phase 6, and Marvel's Iron Man hypocrisy could play off this storyline to lead to a World War Hulk movie.
The MCU's Iron Man Treatment Makes Hulk's Arc Worse
Ruffalo's Bruce Banner had to suppress his Hulk side after a series of accidents that landed the Green Goliath in hot water. The same could have been applied to Iron Man, as the character was involved in a series of controversies over his long MCU tenure. Iron Man was responsible for a fair number of villains over the years, such as Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio, Iron Monger, and Whiplash. Some of the villains created by Iron Man's existence and actions are also still active in the MCU to this day, including the antagonistic organization Damage Control, Michael Keaton's jailed Vulture, and Justin Hammer, who is rumored to be in Armor Wars.
Tony Stark and Bruce Banner also created one of the villains that most affected the MCU, Ultron, who almost destroyed the world before being stopped by the Avengers, but whose actions led to the superhero Civil War and the Avengers being broken when Thanos came for the Infinity Stones. While Banner's role in Ultron's creation and the Hulk's path of destruction leaving a mark on the character's reputation is understandable, Tony ended up doing equal or even worse things after he became Iron Man, not to mention Stark Industries' past as a weapons manufacturer, and was still seen by the public as a hero.
Iron Man had a journey to become more selfless, but the hero's main traits remained intact until his last MCU appearance, while the Hulk underwent a major change. That's where the MCU's Iron Man hypocrisy comes in, with Tony not having to fundamentally change how he acted to be able to mature and eventually save the universe, whereas the Hulk had to let go of his berserker rage - a fundamental character trait - to become the hero others expected him to be. In Phase 5, the Hulk is still ultimately suppressed by Banner, and that could eventually lead to a breaking point: a World War Hulk movie.
The MCU Needs The Primal Hulk Back
Due to Marvel's Hulk movie rights issue, the character was relegated to appearing in a supporting role in other heroes' movies or Avengers films instead of getting a sequel to The Incredible Hulk. After starting his MCU journey as the uncontrollable version of the character that used to leave a path of destruction in his wake, the Hulk became a far more contained hero known as Smart Hulk. The change came between Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. The third Avengers movie sets up Banner to understand his two sides, but the next time he appears in Avengers: Endgame, he is already Smart Hulk, with his arc resolved offscreen.
Smart Hulk is a natural progression for Ruffalo's character, with Banner finally stopping to see the Hulk as an enemy but as an important part of himself. However, that arc happening offscreen was not the best choice, with Avengers: Endgame's bad Hulk story decision being explained by one of the film's directors, Joe Russo, who said, "We just didn’t know what to do with him." The decision left the Hulk's story feeling disjointed, and after years of Smart Hulk, the MCU is ready for Banner to welcome back the classic Hulk in full force for the hero's return as a protagonist in the rumored World War Hulk movie.
How She-Hulk Supports A Phase 5 World War Hulk Movie
Disney+'s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law introduced Tatiana Maslany's Jennifer Walters, aka She-Hulk, to the MCU. Ruffalo returned as both Bruce Banner/ Hulk in the series, with the veteran hero teaching Walter how to control her Hulk powers. During their training montage, it was revealed the lengths that Banner goes to maintain his new zen attitude; however, that can't last forever, and the character's appearance focusing a great deal on the Hulk's control of his anger serves as a great setup for a future moment where he can't maintain his cool and is forced to let his rage come back in.
Hulk then returns to the Earth - after leaving the planet aboard a Sakaaran ship early in the season - with Skaar, his newly discovered son. In the comics, Skaar debuts in the World War Hulk event, and his first MCU appearance might be leading to a movie adaptation of that story. World War Hulk also includes the Illuminati team in a major role, and a multiversal version of the group debuted in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, hinting that a possible main MCU Illuminati team is coming. A World War Hulk movie would allow the Hulk to get back the spotlight, all starting from the MCU's Iron Man hypocrisy.
The return of Iron Man in the MCU could be problematic, but White Vision can be the perfect tool for the franchise to avoid the issue. Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Tony Stark, a.k.a Iron Man, helped launch the Marvel Cinematic Universe into a pop culture behemoth, culminating in his heroic death in 2019's Avengers: Endgame. Tony's A.I. assistant J.A.R.V.I.S. has gone through a major arc of his own, becoming Vision after being implanted into a robotic, humanoid body in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Vision himself died at the hands of Thanos (Josh Brolin) in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War before being revived in the Disney+ series WandaVision as both Hex Vision and White Vision. The ending of WandaVision sees White Vision regain his memories and part ways from Westview and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), leaving his future role in the MCU ambiguous. However, Vision's best return would be in the upcoming Disney+ series Ironheart, especially since this could help the MCU avoid the temptation to bring Tony Stark back.
Why The Ironheart Show Is White Vision's Best Return
Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) makes her MCU debut in 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, in which she builds her own version of Tony Stark's Iron Man suit to become the superhero Ironheart. Riri's MCU origin reworks her comic book backstory somewhat, with Riri being an MIT student who builds her suit after Tony's death. By contrast, the comics show Riri as an apprentice of Tony's, with an A.I. version of Tony Stark guiding her in her comic book origin story.
With Tony dead, White Vision could fit the cast of Ironheart as a mentor to Riri, with White Vision already being an A.I. brought to life by Tony. Indeed, White Vision's origin as Tony's A.I. J.A.R.V.I.S. makes him even more perfect as a surrogate (and very literal) Iron Man to serve as Riri's closest ally. Most of all, bringing White Vision into Ironheart would enable the MCU to preserve Tony Stark's death in Avengers: Endgame.
Why The MCU Needs To Avoid Reviving Iron Man
In the climactic battle of Endgame, Tony Stark is given one of the most memorable send-offs in big-screen history. Getting hold of the six Infinity Stones, Tony quips to Thanos, "And I....Am....Iron Man" before snapping Thanos and his army into oblivion. This ultimately costs Tony his life, but such a powerful heroic sacrifice is far too grand of an exit for the MCU to undo, even if Riri's MCU origin is a bit sadder due to Tony's absence from the MCU.
Even Downey returning to voice an A.I. version of Tony would still bring Tony's snark and knack for quips back into the MCU at the expense of a masterful ending. The MCU's post-Endgame movies and shows have seen a far more mixed reception compared to the MCU's first three phases, which would make reviving Tony Stark an enticing proposition for the franchise. However, with White Vision so well-suited to aid Riri Williams on Ironheart, Iron Man's legacy is best left as that of a technological genius who sacrificed himself to save the universe.
In one of Iron Man’s most recent comic adventures, Felicia Hardy aka Black Cat uses the skills that made her famous and actually tricks one of the smartest people in the world to give Felicia her own Iron Man suit.
Black Cat made her first appearance The Amazing Spider-Man #194 as an antagonist but quickly became an antihero who wouldn't hesitate to pick up the reins of heroism in times of crisis–which was recently shown in the King In Black event–though she is primarily a master thief which lands her squarely in the antihero category. In her most recent comics runs, Black Cat uses her powers of bad luck projection to get away with even the most complicated of heists, even successfully stealing from Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum on more than one occasion. Tony Stark aka Iron Man has absolutely no need to rob anyone as he is a billionaire genius with the intelligence and the means to build any suit of high-tech armor he can think of–something that makes him the perfect target for one super powered cat burglar.
When Black Cat and Iron Man were coming up with the plan to capture Tamara, Black Cat secretly had her crew infiltrate Tony’s lab using the access she was granted and then used her designs to have Stark’s own equipment build Felicia yet another Iron Cat armor–one she alone has remote access to and uses in this issue. Basically, because the Avenger decided to work with Black Cat to take down a common bad guy, he got seriously played and lost an entire suit of armor in the process.
By the end of the issue, the villain Madame Menace rises to power, trumping the immediate threat of Tamara–who was working with the much more dangerous villain–and completely overshadowing Black Cat’s thievery of Iron Man’s equipment. So, as it stands, Black Cat has her very own suit of Iron Man armor unencumbered by Tony Stark’s influence which Tony himself is not actively trying to get back given the dire situation at hand. This all means that Tony Stark was effectively tricked into giving Black Cat her own Iron Man suit which proves once again how good Black Cat really is at what she does.
Marvel's Iron Man is known for his high-powered suits and his larger-than-life ego, but in one instance, the latter actually influenced the former to such a degree that the Armored Avenger began attacking his allies. Tony Stark's self-image has always proved problematic, especially when he is in the midst of a major discovery (or a major struggle with his own alcohol abuse issues). But one of his most unique armors tapped into Stark's ego in a very real way - and made him feel as if he were an absolute perfect being.
Stark is constantly battling his own inner demons, even if he doesn't appear to be. The infamous Demon in a Bottle story arc saw Tony confront his alcohol addiction head-on and nearly lose everything before putting the bottle away for good. The latest Iron Man run by Christopher Cantwell sees Tony Stark sell a major stake in his company, fight a supervillain that leads him stranded on a remote planet, suffer a broken neck that requires him to wear his helmet (and manage the pain through morphine to which he inevitably becomes addicted), and eventually go through rehab all over agian.
Stark's suits, rather than help him, actually exacerbate the problem. In Marvel Nemesis: The Imperfects #5, written by Greg Pak with art by Renato Ariem, an alien cybernetic serum has infected Storm, Wolverine, Iron Man and the other heroes, making them feel superior. According to Storm, "It made us feel...perfect. You have no idea." The serum eventually infects Iron Man, turning his suit a sickly green color - and manipulates him into blasting Wolverine across a clearing. Logan's healing factor allows him to survive, but the blast would most likely have killed anyone else.
Storm, working in conjunction with a remote Reed Richards, manages to short-circuit Iron Man's systems, bringing him back to normal. The alien virus, aside from forcing allies to attack one another, makes the infected believe they are perfect and beyond mistakes - but deep down, Iron Man knows this is a lie. He is a deeply flawed character, perhaps one of the most flawed superheroes in the Marvel Universe - and it is perhaps this realization that allowed him to fend off the virus in the first place (albeit with help from Storm and Mr. Fantastic).
Iron Man knows that he has hurt many people - even if his own ego will never permit him to openly acknowledge it - and it is this self-awareness that allows the character to grow and change. While characters like Spider-Man commit the same mistakes again and again, Iron Man does not; he refuses drinks ever since Demon in a Bottle, and is even seen on his private yacht in 2022's Iron Cat #2 with Black Cat allowing drinks to be served, but foregoing taking one for himself. This is why the virus couldn't corrupt Iron Man fully: despite his ego working against him, his subconscious fights against it.
The mystical Doctor Strange shares many similarities with Iron Man, but the biggest difference between the two characters is actually a problem for the MCU – and Phase 4 proves it. Since Stephen Strange's first appearance in the MCU, it has been impossible not to notice the similarities between the character and Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, both in terms of personality and role in the Marvel universe. With Iron Man dead after sacrificing himself in Avengers: Endgame, there is now a vacuum in the MCU regarding who the new face of the franchise will be, and Doctor Strange is one strong contender.
Doctor Strange, the first Doctor Strange film in the MCU, follows a structure very similar to that of Iron Man. Strange is portrayed as an egocentric, often selfish person who, despite being a doctor, was more interested in being the best in his field than in necessarily saving lives. Similar to what happened with Tony Stark after being kidnapped, the accident that cost Stephen Strange's career also put him on a path of self-discovery and redemption, leading to the birth of the sorcerer Doctor Strange.
The journey from a narcissist to one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the strong personality, the cutting sense of humor, and the popularity of the actor who plays the character are all some of the key similarities between Doctor Strange and Iron Man. However, one major difference is that, so far, Strange is being treated more as a plot device than as a true character. While Tony Stark had a lot of screen time in the MCU, including in a Spider-Man film and a Captain America film, each of his appearances evolved the character in some way. However, for Doctor Strange, it has been the other way around – the character is being used to advance the plot. The Avengers: Infinity War's long-term plan to defeat Thanos, the Spider-Man: No Way Home's memory spell, and the setup of incursions in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness all had crucial importance to the MCU, and yet those did nothing to evolve Doctor Strange as a character.
Why The MCU Needs To Change How It Treats Doctor Strange
For comparison, Iron Man's role in Captain America: Civil War served to show how much the events of The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron had changed the way Tony Stark perceived the matter of superheroes dealing with national security, while Strange's role in No Way Home was limited to performing the memory spell. If Marvel wants Doctor Strange to take on the role of Iron Man in the MCU, then the character should be treated with the same dept as Tony Stark did. That is not to say Doctor Strange cannot continue to be important to the MCU's Phase 4 plan, especially now that incursions and the multiverse are set to be the next major saga, only that those lore-heavy storylines should be followed by a solid character arc. Strange's happiness and fears were discussed in Doctor Strange 2, but only on a superficial level.
What made Iron Man so special in the MCU was not his role in major events like the Battle of New York and the final fight against Thanos, but rather how well developed the character was over the course of ten years. Doctor Strange has been part of the franchise for more than six years, and yet he's still far from being as well developed as Iron Man. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for Doctor Strange 3 to happen, and if the film, unlike Strange's role in Phase 4, will focus more on the character than on the plot.
Armor Wars is an upcoming Disney+ TV show that will face the problem of how to focus on Rhodey while still preserving Iron Man's looming legacy. Audiences last saw War Machine on the big screen in Avengers: Endgame, where he helped the final army against Thanos win the Battle of Earth and again at Tony Stark's funeral. He then appeared in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier at the ceremony where Sam is giving Captain America's shield to a museum so that the public can celebrate and enjoy Steve Rogers' legacy.
Armor Wars is set up to be a vehicle for War Machine and how he handles making sure that everyone in the MCU isn't using Iron Man's tech for nefarious purposes. In the comics, the Armor Wars storyline is about Iron Man himself finding out that his tech is being misused after his ideas are sold to Justin Hammer. The first two Iron Man films deal with a similar problem. Obadiah Stane and Whiplash both abuse arc reactors to use them for their own purposes. Iron Man even tried to keep the government away from his tech at the beginning of Iron Man 2. With Iron Man dead in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though, it looks like the Armor Wars series is going to follow the comics in a way but will swap out Iron Man for War Machine.
Though the premise for the show is exciting, it does have a unique challenge in how it handles Iron Man's legacy. It's possible Armor Wars could become bogged down by Tony's friendship with Rhodey and the role that Stark tech plays in the show's story. While some viewers may be hoping the series will focus on Iron Man's death, which hasn't been addresed extensively since Spider-Man: Far From Home, Armor Wars is really War Machine's chance to shine after taking a backseat in so many MCU films. As such, the series will have to balance the impact Tony had on Rhodey while making it clear that War Machine is the show's most important character who needs his own arc separate from Iron Man.
Armor Wars Is Facing A Recent MCU Challenge
It's also worth remembering that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier had a similar challenge as Armor Wars in that another departed Avenger, Steve Rogers, was a key part of the series. The show addressed Captain America's legacy head on, as Bucky and Sam worked to preserve and honor the good work Steve did while also preventing John Walker from tarnishing it. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ended with an inspiring and conscious speech where Sam tells the world's governments to start working for the people again, solidifying that Sam now stands for a slightly different America than Steve used to and how that is okay. While the series concluded as it should, with Sam established as the MCU's Captain America from here on out, at times, the shadow of Steve Rogers threatened to overwhelm the show and Sam's story.
This could serve as a cautionary tale for Armor Wars. While it helps that War Machine isn't becoming Iron Man in the way Sam became Captain America, it still faces a legacy hurdle. The MCU as a whole tends to get caught up in immortalizing departed characters, sometimes to the detriment of those who are still around. Hopefully, Armor Wars manages to circumvent this issue and finally give War Machine the standalone story he deserves.
With a recently revamped stealth function that allows him to forego his normal luster, Marvel Comics’ Iron Man looks more ominous than ever, donning jet-black armor that would be a perfect fit for an evil Tony Stark. This aesthetic is dark and mechanical, with the type of glowing red eyes found in nightmares. It is a look that reinforces the most terrifying aspects of stealth technologies – namely, that a dangerous enemy could be lurking in the shadows, unseen and ready to strike.
When the stealth suit (or Model 7 Armor) made its debut in Iron Man #152 by David Michelinie, John Romita, Jr., Bob Layton, Joe Rosen, and Glynis Wein, it was far from intimidating. In fact, it quickly became apparent that this was Iron Man's weakest armor, with a design that lacked firepower. Rather than applying his genius to take down a fearsome foe like Hulk or Thor, it was a barebones outfit, focused solely on technologies that would make Iron Man electronically invisible, lightweight, and nimble during a reconnaissance mission to rescue his romantic partner, Bethany Chase. Aside from these basics, and a color scheme that helped him blend into the night, it was poorly engineered and its weak defense systems and armor ultimately allowed Iron Man to sustain an uncharacteristic amount of damage at the conclusion of his mission. As someone who is always looking for ways to improve upon his suit designs, since even Iron Man's Hulkbuster armor is flawed in its functionality, Stark did successfully modify the stealth suit for a handful of later missions.
In Iron Man #22 by Christopher Cantwell and Angel Unzueta, however, it appears that Iron Man is suited up in the Model 70, with stealth capabilities added. Having his standard array of offensive firepower and gaining the ability to be largely hidden turns this armor into something that a more menacing version of Tony Stark would have a field day with. He could emerge from being virtually unseen to loom right in front of his foe. A variant cover for Iron Man #22 by Alexander Lozano captures why the stealth suit is something to be feared should it fall into the wrong hands, with a soulless, robotic gaze that even Ultron cannot match. The armor looks like it was chiseled from the darkest parts of a starless night.
Spider-Man: No Way Home may have been the first movie to bring Multiversal mayhem to the MCU, but it may be nothing compared to what's coming in 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Marvel Studios' first theatrical film of the year will advance a number of stories within the franchise, which far exceeds Benedict Cumberbatch's master magician alone.
When the sequel was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, the only wild casting that fans found out about was Elizabeth Olsen's inclusion as Wanda Maximoff. Although her story was said to continue directly from the events of WandaVision, she would be the film's biggest new player alongside Doctor Strange, and they'd eventually have returning players Wong and Baron Mordo join the fray.
After that, this movie's story and cast list turned into...pun totally intended...madness.
The Multiverse became a reality after Tom Holland's Spider-Man threequel, which brought five past Spidey villains into the MCU along with both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's web-slingers. Now, the possibilities are endless for Doctor Strange 2.
With the movie set for release in May, the film's two full trailers and the Super Bowl TV spot have teased various potential heroes and villains that could play a role in the expansive plot. The promo material has led to confirmation and rumors pointing to appearances by plenty of classic Marvel characters from both the MCU and other adjacent universes.
With all that being said, The Direct has compiled 34 characters that are either rumored or confirmed to appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch)
It wouldn't exactly be a Doctor Strange movie without Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Stephen Strange. Now more than five years into his MCU tenure, Cumberbatch is set to make his sixth appearance as Marvel's master sorcerer, although this is only his second solo movie after first debuting in Doctor Strange in 2016.
Fans last saw Strange working with Tom Holland's Spider-Man in Spider-Man: No Way Home, having cast the spell that first broke the Multiverse open in order to help Peter Parker with his identity crisis. The threequel ended with Strange performing the spell the way it was originally meant to be cast, leaving the world with no memories of Peter's existence.
Now, Strange will take on a whole new universe of trouble as he advances his sorcery skills, which is already confirmed to pit him with challenges he's never seen before.
The film's first synopsis teased Strange's status as a central figure amongst the Avengers while also showing that he's more ambitious than ever with magic. Of course, he's been the key figure in both of the movie's first two trailers, with plenty of footage giving a taste of where his journey will go.
While the MCU's core Doctor Strange will be the center of attention in his solo sequel, he won't be alone. In fact, he won't even be the only Doctor Strange that fans will meet in this adventure.
Defender Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch)
Status: Confirmed
"The Multiverse is a concept about which we know frighteningly little."
Once that Multiversal door is opened again in this new sequel, Stephen Strange will find out just how powerful and important he is in more than just his world. After freaking out at the sight of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's Spider-Men next to Tom Holland's MCU hero, he'll come face-to-face with different versions of himself in his next solo movie.
One of those is known as Defender Strange, which has the opportunity to give an exciting twist to one of Marvel Studios' most powerful heroes.
This version of Strange is classically a part of Marvel's Defenders team in the comics, having boasted partnerships with iconic characters like the Hulk and Valkyrie. Although the ponytail hairstyle he rocks is likely just to help differentiate him from the movie's titular hero, his outfit is almost identical to the one he wore while fighting alongside the Defenders.
The most recent spot from Super Bowl LVI confirmed this version of Strange will be a part of the plot after he was teased for a split second in the first trailer from December. He's also been rumored to come from the same universe as America Chavez, one of the film's other core protagonists, although exact plot specifics are still being kept under wraps.
More information on the second version of Doctor Strange will likely come in pieces over the next few weeks, although there's a third magician that will help lead the other side of the fight.
Sinister Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch)
Status: Confirmed
"Things just got out of hand."
Completing the trio of Doctor Stranges is the recently named Sinister Strange, who made his creepy debut at the end of the sequel's first trailer.
Dressed in darker robes and sporting a more disheveled look than either of his counterparts, Sinister Strange started plenty of conversations when he first came to life. Benedict Cumberbatch's third character in this film became one of the first wild entries to be officially confirmed.
Part of what started so many discussions about him in Multiverse of Madness was the idea that this new Variant could be the same Doctor Strange Supreme seen in What If...?. However, this was debunked with the Super Bowl trailer's captions.
Sinister Strange is one that seems to be taking a much darker turn even than the MCU's animated sorcerer, who did everything he did almost purely out of grief.
No matter how his story is fleshed out, Sinister Strange is here in full force and ready to cause his own round of mayhem. And somehow, he's not the last Strange, as yet another version of the sorcerer made his way into the public eye shortly after this trio.
Supreme Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch)
Status: Confirmed
In a universe that had only featured one Doctor Strange since his 2016 debut, the character's solo sequel is pulling out all the stops. The movie is now confirmed to bring a fourth good doctor into the mix.
While not much is known about him, a leaked Funko Pop! image teased the inclusion of another Doctor Strange Variant called "Supreme Strange." This take on Cumberbatch's hero sports lighter-colored blue robes than any of his contemporaries and is completely clean-shaven, which should help distinguish him from the ponytailed Defender Strange and the shaggy-looking Sinister Strange.
This appears to be the version of Strange that was depicted in a massive statue in front of the Sanctum Sanctorum, which the prime Strange was seen briefly admiring in footage from the Super Bowl trailer.
Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen)
Status: Confirmed
"I made mistakes, and people were hurt."
After nearly three years away from the big screen, Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch is here for her first Phase 4 theatrical movie.
Wanda Maximoff has had quite the journey since being snapped back into existence in Avengers: Endgame, as seen in her nine episodes of WandaVision on Disney+. That series ended with the heroine embracing her Scarlet Witch persona, and in the first trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, she was confirmed to play as big of a role as anybody.
The trailers have teased that Wanda will come into play due to Doctor Strange looking for her help with his new venture into the Multiverse. Now that Wanda is more powerful than ever, even seemingly allowing some dark magic from the Darkhold to take hold of her as seen in the shot of her floating in the air with blackened fingers and dark changes to her outfit.
Every bit of footage has shown just how pivotal of a role Wanda will have in this movie - all that remains to be seen is the specifics. However, as was the case with her co-starring sorcerer, there appears to be more than one Wanda that will make an impact on the plot.
Variant Wanda? (Elizabeth Olsen)
Marvel
Status: Confirmed
Elizabeth Olsen's longtime heroine wasn't the only Scarlet Witch to come on screen, as one fateful moment in Westview, New Jersey confirmed the existence of a Wanda Variant!
Only seen in a few seconds of footage, one version of Wanda was seen on her knees in her full Scarlet Witch outfit in tears as another version of herself looked down seemingly in anger. This Variant was dressed in a much more casual outfit and had bruises on her face, which could come from an upcoming battle between the two Scarlet Witches in their family home.
How this Wanda Variant comes into play and why she's a part of the story is very much unknown, especially since she's seen less than five seconds of screen time in the trailers thus far. In fact, this is the only scene that confirmed that the movie will feature Wanda Variants at all with the tie back to WandaVision.
Regardless, two Scarlet Witches can only mean that some wild magic is set to make its mark on this new story. The world and the Multiverse will be on high alert no matter which Wanda flies into action.
Wong (Benedict Wong)
Marvel
Status: Confirmed
Benedict Wong's Wong is one of the most important supporting players for Doctor Strange in the comics and on the big screen. It would be a crime if the master of magic didn't come back for more action in a second Doctor Strange solo movie.
Wong has actually been a bigger part of Phase 4 thus far than almost anybody in Multiverse of Madness with one scene in Spider-Man: No Way Home and his semi-cameo in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The Spider-Man threequel even confirmed that he now has the title of Sorcerer Supreme after Strange blipped in Avengers: Infinity War, leaving him in charge of Kamar Taj and the training of all sorcerers.
Wong has appeared in every trailer and TV spot thus far, set to advise and protect Doctor Strange in his upcoming journey through the Multiverse. Not wanting anything to do with Strange's spell to help fix Peter Parker's life at the end of 2021, he'll absolutely have to be more involved this time around.
Fans haven't seen Wong cast much magic yet, but that Sorcerer Supreme title will have to be put to good use sooner rather than later.
America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez)
Marvel
Status: Confirmed
The biggest newcomer in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be Xochitl Gomez's America Chavez, who was teased as early as Summer 2020. Gomez was cast in March 2021, and she's even seen a few seconds of action in the promotional material that confirms her impact on the story.
Coming in with incredible Multiversal abilities and the potential to lead the MCU's next wave of Young Avengers, America Chavez will help introduce Doctor Strange and Wanda to what she knows about the Multiverse. She's able to travel through multiple dimensions, and she's already been teased to have a relationship with the movie's core villains.
Gomez's heroine hasn't had any dialogue yet, but considering how often she's been discussed in talks about the movie, she's someone who can't be ignored. With plenty of Young Avengers already having debuted in Disney+ shows and movies alike, America Chavez should be just at the start of her exciting MCU tenure.
Gargantos
Marvel
Status: Confirmed
Aside from the powerful humans that will drive the story forward in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, interdimensional monsters will make their MCU debut as well. The biggest of these comes with Gargantos, the one-eyed, green, slimy, tentacled alien who has been seen in every piece of promo material released to date.
The character was originally thought to be the villainous Shuma-Gorath, although legal issues didn't allow Marvel Studios to bring that specific entity onto the big screen. Now, Marvel is putting forth a different Multiversal monster in Gargantos, one who is already confirmed to cause some serious damage to an undisclosed city in his Marvel Studios debut.
Rumors are indicating that Gargantos is hunting America Chavez in order to steal her powers and gain full control of the Multiverse, although he's only been seen on-screen for a few seconds. He's had no lines and no specific backstory has been revealed for his character so far, but considering how powerful he's said to be, it's clear that there is plenty more to learn about his inclusion in the film.
It's looking likely that Gargantos will be the main villain of Multiverse of Madness, although that could easily change once the film debuts in full. No matter how the details pan out, this gargantuan creature won't be something easy for Doctor Strange and company to take down.
Rintrah
Marvel
Status: Confirmed
Marvel isn't just getting a giant tentacled alien in the Doctor Strange sequel. The heroes' side of the fight also gets their own powerful being in a Minotaur known as Rintrah!
In the comics, the green and furry creature debuted in 1986 as a mystical being from the planet R'Vaal before going on numerous adventures with Doctor Strange. After being teased in various pieces of promo material, Rintrah made his first MCU appearance in the second trailer for Marvel Studios' first movie of 2022.
Thus far, Rintrah's only seen a couple of seconds of footage thus far, including a shot of his horse-like face from a distance away. Fans are looking forward to seeing more of the mystical creature in action, whether it be with his physical skills or his abilities with the mystic arts.
How the Minotaur comes into this story alongside Strange and the sorcerers at Kamar Taj is anybody's guess, as is the extent of how big his role will be. Regardless, there's no denying that Rintrah will be there to unleash his full powers in his MCU debut.
Master Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor)
Marvel
Status: Confirmed
Chiwetel Ejiofor made his mark on 2016's Doctor Strange as his Baron Mordo helped the titular hero progress toward becoming a sorcerer, all before leaving Kamar Taj on his own quest to become even more powerful. While Ejiofor will still be playing Mordo in the solo sequel, it will seemingly be a different version of the powerful magician this time around.
This one is known as Master Mordo, who many are speculating to be a Variant that serves as the Sorcerer Supreme of his world. This version of Mordo boasts a more extravagant green costume along with top-notch black dreadlocks flowing from his head, and he also appears to have even more power than prime Mordo from the first movie.
In the trailers, this Mordo is seen in a fistfight with Doctor Strange, although his presence will go far beyond just that. He's also heard telling Strange "Your desecration of reality will not go unpunished."
Right now, it's unclear if the same Mordo from Doctor Strange will make an appearance in this movie alongside Master Mordo, with the former still likely after Strange for "violating the natural law." But even with that mystery, Master Mordo will add yet another new dimension of storytelling to this adventure, particularly with the Illuminati's rumored involvement.
Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams)
Marvel
Status: Confirmed
While she isn't exactly a love interest, Rachel McAdams' Christine Palmer did play a key role in helping Stephen Strange find himself as a man outside his magical journey. Although there are plenty of other powerful players coming into play, it would be almost a crime not to have her return for her second MCU appearance after first debuting in 2016's Doctor Strange.
When audiences last saw Christine, she put in her best effort to save the Ancient One before the former Sorcerer Supreme met her end. Christine sent Doctor Strange off on his mission to defeat Kaecillius and Dormammu in Hong Kong and the Dark Dimension, although she's been completely missing from Strange's stories for more than five years.
After her inclusion in the cast at Disney Investor Day 2020, the first trailer for Multiverse of Madness confirmed that Christine will indeed be back for more of the magic and craziness. However, as is the case with many other characters, the big question is exactly how many Christine Palmers there will be in this film.
Most of her footage thus far has been from her wedding, showing the leading lady in a white gown as she walks down the aisle and then runs outside to see what's happening to her world. This seems most likely to be prime Christine, but there's a version of McAdams' MCU doctor that could be someone completely different as well.
A quick shot from the Super Bowl TV spot showed a more casually-dressed Christine is seen in what appears to be the Illuminati's headquarters as Ultron Bots run beside her. At this time, it's unclear if these Christines are one and the same or if the one in the lab is a new Variant coming into play.
Regardless, Christine will be back for Round 2 in the MCU as she sees just how expansive the Multiverse truly is.
Nicodemus West (Michael Stuhlbarg)
Marvel
Status: Confirmed
Another one of Strange's co-workers will be back for the Doctor Strange sequel as Michael Stuhlbarg reprises his role as Dr. Nicodemus West.
Fans saw him involved in a workplace rivalry with Strange, although he only appeared in a couple of scenes in total. Things ended with West trying to help Strange and Christine Palmer in the emergency room to save the Ancient One's life, although it's a mystery where his story will go after that.
Stuhlbarg's character was seen for a split second in the first trailer next to the good doctor at Christine Palmer's wedding, bearing a huge grin on his face. He was also confirmed as part of the cast in one of the film's official synopsizes, but there's no telling how big his role will be in the overarching plot.
However big that role is, Dr. West will be back in action, ticking watch and all.
Ultron Drones
Marvel
Status: Confirmed
In October 2021, The Direct exclusively revealed that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness would feature the return of Ultron sentries, which were rumored to come from a different universe. While their specific role is still somewhat unknown, the Super Bowl promotional material showed these robots making their glorious return after debuting in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron.
The TV spot had one of these robots running beside Christine Palmer in the Illuminerdi's headquarters while the full new trailer showed them escorting Stephen Strange to what will likely be a hearing in front of the Illuminati. These drones seem to have gotten an upgrade in their design, which now looks much more sleek and refined compared to the look from seven years ago.
How long these drones are in the movie and what they will be doing specifically is still yet to be revealed. However, Ultron's sentry robots will be back in action for the first time since Phase 2 of the MCU in this massive sequel.
Sara
Funko Pop!
While no actress is confirmed for this role, another leaked Funko Pop! confirmed the appearance of a character named Sara. Based on her blue sorcerer's robes, Sara is likely a magical newcomer training at Kamar Taj alongside Strange, Wong, Rintrah, and more as the sequel is getting started.
One option for who this character could actually be is Sara Wofle, who briefly held the title of Wong's girlfriend in different runs of the comics. Other theories have pointed to this potentially being Sara Krowler, better known as both Baroness Mordo and Baron Mordo's mother, which could bring quite an interesting twist to this story.
Professor X (Patrick Stewart)
Marvel
Status: Semi-Confirmed
"We should tell him the truth."
The real madness behind this Multiversal outing now comes with the rumored inclusion of Patrick Stewart's Professor Charles Xavier.
Having played the role for 17 years with 20th Century Fox, rumors began teasing Stewart's jump to the MCU at the end of 2021. While he still isn't officially confirmed to be a part of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the signs are all pointing in that direction.
Although Stewart denied it being the case, fans are convinced that his voice was the one that told Doctor Strange "we should tell him the truth" as the shot panned to an undisclosed person. With rumors of Marvel's Illuminati coming into play, Professor X would be a prime candidate to lead that Multiversal team considering his incredible power and intelligence.
Although Marvel is doing its best to keep Stewart's MCU debut as secretive as possible, the studio still seemingly included him in an official trailer three months ahead of his return. This will make for one of the biggest moments not only in Multiverse of Madness but in the MCU's history as a whole.
Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell)
Marvel
Status: Semi-Confirmed
Hayley Atwell is one of the MCU's longest-standing supporting players, having last appeared via voiceover in 2021's What If...? as the Multiversal Variant Captain Carter. In her universe, she was the one to receive the Super Soldier Serum in Project Rebirth before leading the Guardians of the Multiverse into battle against Infinity Ultron.
Now, a small glimpse of her shield on the Doctor Strange 2 poster may be teasing a transition to live-action for Atwell's new take on Peggy Carter.
Rumors had pointed to this being the case in July 2022, teasing that Atwell would play a small role as Captain Carter in the Multiversal sequel. With her shield showing up on the movie's poster, there's no way to ignore it as a real possibility.
Due to such a vast number of universes being explored in this movie, even one that may be animated, it wouldn't be too big of a shock relatively to see Atwell's Captain Carter make the transition to live-action stories. How she plays into the plot is still unknown, but there seems to be a real chance that she'll be there for the action.
Captain Marvel (Lashana Lynch)
Marvel
Status: Semi-Confirmed
Captain Marvel's status is rising in a big way in Phase 4, with Brie Larson's character already having appeared in the mid-credits scene from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. However, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may be teasing the existence of another Captain Marvel that isn't Carol Danvers.
Who could that Variant be? None other than Lashana Lynch's Maria Rambeau.
The sequel's second trailer showed a version of Captain Marvel that appeared to have Lynch's face under the glowing white eyes as Captain Marvel flew into action. This confirms that a version of the heroine will make an appearance in the movie, especially as fans saw her fly headfirst toward Wanda Maximoff in what appeared to be the Illuminati's headquarters.
With Carol Danvers becoming more of a key player as Captain Marvel and Monica Rambeau exploring her full potential as Spectrum, it appears that Lashana Lynch now has her time to shine as a hero. Nothing will be confirmed until the film releases, but this new version of Captain Marvel could make a major impact on the Multiverse.
Bruce Campbell's Undisclosed Character
Marvel
Status: Semi-Confirmed
Sam Raimi has turned many of his filmmaking decisions into regular moves over the years, including his partnership with longtime actor Bruce Campbell.
Campbell has a history in the Marvel world with roles in all three of Raimi's Spider-Man films from 2002 to 2007. He was even rumored to play Raimi's version of Mysterio in the unmade Spider-Man 4 after playing a wrestling announcer, a theater usher, and a maitre d' in his first three superhero outings.
Campbell is an interesting addition to this list, as he's already confirmed that he will have a role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. What isn't known yet is who exactly he will be playing in this wild adventure.
Will he finally get the chance to bring a different version of Mysterio to life? Will it be another classic Marvel character? Will it simply be a background player in the middle of the action?
That will all come to light when Campbell actually appears on-screen.
Loki (Tom Hiddleston)
Marvel
Status: Rumored
Tom Hiddleston is in an interesting situation in regard to his potential appearance as Loki in Multiverse of Madness.
Immediately after the sixth episode of Loki aired on Disney+, Hiddleston was said to have joined the cast of Benedict Cumberbatch's solo Doctor Strange sequel. However, neither Hiddleston nor anybody involved with either project has spoken about Loki being a part of the plot at all.
Although Hiddleston's appearance was reported by The Hollywood Reporter, one of the most reliable sources in the business, Loki hasn't been a part of any promotional material on-screen or in merchandise. It's unclear how big his role will be in the sequel, or how he enters the fray, but after opening the Multiverse in his own solo series, he'll have to put his best efforts in to fix everything in front of him.
Mobius (Owen Wilson)
Marvel
Status: Rumored
Loki built up a relationship with both Owen Wilson's Mobius and Sophia Di Martino's Sylvie through his six-episode series, although there was no confirmation for where and when they would continue. Rumors pointed to them following the God of Mischief into Doctor Strange 2, but just like Hiddleston, no other reports have discussed their place in the story.
Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino)
Marvel
Status: Rumored
Fans last saw Mobius in a bit of a frenzy at the TVA headquarters after the Multiverse broke while Sylvie remained at the Citadel at the End of Time after killing He Who Remains. There is certainly a path for them to traverse the Multiverse and reunite with Loki as everything descends into madness, but that will remain a secret likely until the film debuts.
Billy & Tommy Maximoff (Julian Hilliard & Jett Klyne)
Marvel
Status: Rumored
WandaVision allowed the titular Wanda Maximoff to have a life with her family, which included classic young Avengers Billy & Tommy Maximoff. Her twin sons, also known by their superhero monikers of Wiccan and Speed, were lost when Wanda's Hex faded from reality, but there's still a path for them to rejoin the fray in Doctor Strange 2.
Reports revealed that Marvel took a couple of days to film a scene featuring Billy and Tommy set on some sort of country farm. How this ties into the movie is anybody's guess, but it wouldn't come as too big of a shock to see Wanda's twin sons come back for their second MCU project.
The Scarlet Witch is trying to do anything she can to get her family back, the first teases of which are seen as she hears her sons' voices in her head while she floats in the air. Although they won't be confirmed as part of the cast for a while, their return is firmly on the list of possibilities.
Mr. Fantastic (John Krasinski)
Marvel
Status: Rumored
There are no signs pointing to when Marvel Studios' Fantastic Four will go into production or release, but rumors are pointing to Doctor Strange 2 bringing in the first member. One of the numerous cameos rumored to come into this movie is the group's leader, Reed Richards, who is said to be played by fan-favorite John Krasinski.
The man behind Jim Halpert in The Office has been one of the most popular fan-casts for the MCU's version of Dr. Richards, and whether he plays the core MCU version or not, he may have the opportunity to break the mold for Marvel Studios.
How much screen time is in store for Krasinski? There's no way to tell for sure. But should he make his MCU debut, it will undoubtedly be a headlining moment from this sequel.
Black Bolt (Anson Mount)
Marvel
Status: Rumored
One of Marvel's most maligned properties is the Inhumans TV show, which only ran for one eight-episode season on ABC in 2017. The Inhumans have haven't been explored in the larger MCU, but the group's leader, Black Bolt, is part of rumors for one of Doctor Strange 2's major cameo appearances.
Anson Mount brought the immensely powerful Inhuman king to life in the ABC series, boasting a voice that kills and destroys anything in range.
It's unclear if there are any official plans to introduce the Inhumans officially, although rumors are pointing to this being the case in Ms. Marvel. Should Black Bolt appear in Doctor Strange 2, it would open the door for these unique super-powered beings to join a growing Multiverse's worth of heroes.
Clea (Charlize Theron)
Marvel
Status: Rumored
Another powerful sorcerer in Marvel's catalog is Clea, who has long been rumored for a potential role in the MCU. With ties to the Dark Dimension and a history with Dormammu, the magic-wielder has now come up again in talks about Doctor Strange 2, this time with Charlize Theron potentially attached to the role.
Theron has been connected to the MCU on multiple occasions, although she's indicated that Marvel's never asked her to take on a role before. Having her play Clea would tie in fairly easily with her history alongside strange in the comics, and even if she doesn't play a big role in this movie, a cameo could set the stage for a bigger role in the future.
Balder the Brave
Marvel
Status: Rumored
While no actor is attached to the next rumor, it teases the potential inclusion of a famous Asgardian named Balder the Brave.
The character is known as Thor's half-brother and an ally of the Warriors Three in the comics, having served as one of Asgard's greatest warriors over the years. How he actually joins the story in Multiverse of Madness is a whole other mystery, particularly with no other Asgardians rumored to be joining the plot otherwise.
Balder is rumored to be from another universe in this movie, although this wouldn't be Doctor Strange's first interaction with an Asgardian after his time with Thor and Loki in Thor: Ragnarok. The longtime comic hero will most likely remain under the radar officially for the time being, although his introduction in Doctor Strange 2 could bring a new level of thrills, especially with Thor: Love and Thunder debuting in July.
Magneto
Marvel
Status: Rumored
Where there's a Professor X, there's often a Magneto. And in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Erik Lehnsherr may not be far behind his old friend, Charles Xavier.
Along with rumors featuring everyone from Inhumans to Asgardians, this sequel may bring in a version of the classic X-Men antagonist for a short moment on screen. Whether it's Sir Ian McKellan from the original Fox trilogy, Michael Fassbender from the 2010s, or a completely new actor is unknown at the moment, but Doctor Strange should certainly be on the lookout for any fast-moving metal.
Another mystery is whether Magneto will interact with Patrick Stewart's Professor X, which would bring the entire Marvel universe full circle with those two driving the original X-Men trilogy. Should this come to play, generations of superhero movie fans would be in for the event of a lifetime.
Iron Man Variant (Tom Cruise)
Marvel
Status: Rumored
In the canon MCU, Tony Stark hasn't been seen since 2019's Avengers: Endgame, but his influence remains strong throughout Phase 4. It seems fitting that there are rumors about a new Tony Variant coming into this movie, one that's played by legendary action star Tom Cruise!
The man behind Mission: Impossible has a history with the role, as he was actually in the running to play Iron Man in 2008 before Downey took it. While Cruise's potential role in Doctor Strange 2 is still a mystery, there are a couple of key pieces of evidence that lead to him being there for the fight.
The Super Bowl TV spot for Multiverse of Madness showed what appeared to be a version of Iron Man, which fans are already theorizing to be the evil Superior Iron Man. Additionally, an alleged leaked screening of the movie teases that Cruise is in fact on screen playing the role.
This rumor won't be substantiated until early May, but it's one that has fans talking nonetheless.
Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds)
Marvel
Status: Rumored
Whenever Deadpool inevitably comes into the MCU, he'll unquestionably be played by Ryan Reynolds. When that happens is anybody's guess, but the Merc With a Mouth finds himself in the middle of rumors pointing toward an MCU debut in Doctor Strange 2.
Looking at the sequel's first official poster, fans believed they saw a hint of Wade Wilson in one of the broken shards of glass surrounding Doctor Strange.
Now, Reynolds has denied the rumor by telling the world flat out that he isn't in Doctor Strange 2. This same sentiment came through shortly after Reynolds' denial, as movie insider John Campea shared information that made him supremely confident about Deadpool not being in the movie.
This will be another wait-and-see situation, although it may not be one of the more likely ones. But, as Reynolds said, everybody involved could be lying.
Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire)
Marvel
After more than a year of silence on the matter, Tobey Maguire caused cheers all over the world when he returned as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Since then, he's spoken about just how special it was for him to reprise his iconic superhero role, and there's even a chance that he'll be back in the red-and-blue spandex sooner than anyone expected.
Rumors hinted that Maguire would, in fact, be back with Marvel Studios in some capacity for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The rumor didn't tease the extent of his role or how he would play into the plot, but the chance that Strange may interact with a web-slinger again seems only fitting after he did it in the biggest movie of last year.
Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield)
Marvel
With the tease that Peter 2 may be in for Round 2 in the MCU, the same can also be said for Peter 3.
Following his long-awaited MCU debut as the Amazing Spider-Man in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Andrew Garfield may be in line for another chance to play the web-slinger in Doctor Strange's solo sequel. The rumors for his return haven't been quite as public as those for Maguire, but he does remain in the discussion.
Should he return, it likely won't be in quite as big of a role as he played in No Way Home, where he and Maguire drove the third act home alongside Tom Holland. Even so, seeing him at all would bring plenty of excitement for the Spidey fandom.
Wolverine
Marvel
Status: Rumored
Professor X and Magneto are one thing when it comes to the X-Men finally arriving in the MCU. Throw a potential Wolverine into that mix, and it could be cause for even more mayhem in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
According to a rumor from Joe Deckelmeier of The Illuminerdi, the magical sequel will feature a version of James Logan that isn't played by Hugh Jackman. Whether this is the MCU's core take on the clawed mutant or if it's just a Multiversal Variant is a mystery. But the opportunity is there for arguably the X-Men's most famous hero to charge into the fray.
As is the case with other characters, there are no signs pointing to how big Wolverine's role will be. Even so, he'll add another layer of anticipation to the faction of X-Men possibly making their MCU debut this year.
Which Marvel Characters Will Appear in Doctor Strange 2?
Marvel
With two months remaining until Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness debuts, Marvel will be tight-lipped on revealing any truth to rumors about the characters included in this list. Fans won't stop talking until that time, but these rumors will only remain rumors until the appropriate time.
Now, the fandom approaches the home stretch for this sequel's promotional tour with it being the next theatrical release on Marvel's massive slate. More than a dozen characters are undoubtedly appearing in the new movie while nearly another two dozen are in discussions - safe to say, Marvel Studios has yet another event on its hands.
