10 Years Ago, The Future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Was Confirmed in 1 Doctor Strange Quote

Aside from a name-drop in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) didn’t enter the MCU officially until his first solo movie in 2016. While the character’s status as Master of the Mystic Arts and Sorcerer Supreme is well known to comics fans, casual moviegoers likely weren’t too familiar with the character, created by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee in 1963. But it wouldn’t take long for Doctor Strange to become a central part of the Infinity Saga.

Following his debut feature, Strange popped up briefly in Thor: Ragnarok before becoming a central character in Avengers: Infinity War. As it turns out, Strange finds himself positioned right at the heart of the heroes’ defense against Thanos (Josh Brolin) and, as many fans surmised, even names its follow-up, Avengers: Endgame. In hindsight, the original Doctor Strange film — which turns 10 years old this year — did a lot more than just introduce its title hero. It gave audiences a brief look at the future of the MCU.

Stephen Strange’s Origin Story Actually Changed Everything

Although the principal goal of director Scott Derrickson’s Doctor Strange may have been to usher Cumberbatch’s hero into the MCU, the film accomplished a lot more than fans probably realized. At the time of the film’s release, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige acknowledged that Strange’s introduction was actively designed to expand the MCU’s scope.

“[Strange’s] origin has always been, like Tony Stark’s, relatively stable, relatively consistent, and we’re certainly pulling from that – the arrogant New York neurosurgeon… who loses his identity and loses himself,” Feige told Slashfilm in 2016. “He has a nice downward spiral, before finding his way in a last-ditch effort in something he doesn’t really believe into Nepal, to the people who he will encounter and who will teach him and open his eyes to a whole other reality.”

That “other reality” isn’t limited to just the power of the mystic arts but the knowledge that accompanies it. At the hands of The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton), Strange learns not only how to wield magic to accomplish seemingly impossible things. He also discovers that the nature of reality itself is far grander than he originally thought.

“This universe is only one of an infinite number worlds without end,” The Ancient One tells him in the film. “Some benevolent and life-giving. Others filled with malice and hunger. Dark places where powers older than time lie ravenous and waiting. Who are you in this vast multiverse?” Check out the scene below:

This is the first time in which the MCU name-checks the multiverse, sneakily planting the seeds for what the next three phases — now collectively known as the Multiverse Saga — would delve deeper into. Strange has since played key roles in, of course, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness but also Spider-Man: No Way Home and the animated series What If…? as an antagonist of sorts to Tom Holland’s Peter Parker and the Guardians of the Multiverse, respectively.

Will Doctor Strange Re-Emerge During Avengers: Doomsday?

Despite his debut feature serving as the formal introduction of the multiverse, Strange has been, well, strangely absent from the Multiverse Saga. In fact, he has made no live-action appearances since Multiverse of Madness hit theaters in 2022. Given the longer-than-expected six-year wait between the original Doctor Strange and its sequel, it’s not too surprising that a third film still hasn’t been officially announced. But what is a bit baffling is the fact that Cumberbatch hasn’t been confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars (yet).

Strange and Clea (Charlize Theron) embark on a universe-saving quest at the end of Multiverse of Madness. And rumors and speculation abound about where that mission may have taken them. Will the mystical duo make surprise appearances in Avengers: Doomsday, perhaps aligned with Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.)? Putting Strange in league with Doom — whether by choice or coercion — would certainly stack the deck against the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four heroes who hope to stop his plan. Plus, don’t forget that Feige proclaimed Strange to be an “anchor” of the MCU right before his second film was released. It simply doesn’t feel like his role in this multiversal tale has finished.

The MCU needs to address Strange’s absence one way or another. So an appearance in either Doomsday or Secret Wars certainly feels likely. After helping to usher in the multiverse with a tease five years ahead of the actual Multiverse Saga kickoff, Strange deserves to play an integral role in how this particular MCU era comes to a close. And beyond that, hopefully he’ll have a role to play in the rumored Midnight Sons project.

Doctor Strange is now streaming on Disney+.