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Benedict Cumberbatch Confirms Doctor Strange Is in Avengers: Doomsday
Marvel Studios turned the casting announcement for Avengers: Doomsday into a massive online event, revealing its sprawling ensemble cast through a viral livestream that showed a succession of director’s chairs, each bearing an actor’s name. The stunt confirmed the return of heroes like Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Captain America (Anthony Mackie) alongside members of the Fantastic Four and the surprising inclusion of several actors from Fox’s original X-Men films. However, as the hours ticked by and the roster grew, fans quickly noticed a few key figures from the Marvel Cinematic Universe were missing from the lineup. One of the most glaring omissions was Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange, the sorcerer who has become central to the MCU’s multiverse storyline. Despite his absence from the official reveal, Cumberbatch has repeatedly hinted that he might still be part of Avengers: Doomsday, and his latest comments have all but confirmed his involvement.
“I don’t know, maybe they didn’t have enough chairs,” Cumberbatch joked to Brazilian outlet Omelete when asked why he was not part of the initial cast announcement, before playfully humming the Doctor Strange theme song. When the interviewer followed up, asking directly if Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige was intentionally keeping Doctor Strange’s appearance in Doomsday a secret, Cumberbatch’s response was much more direct. “That’s exactly it,” he stated, adding, “Call him!”
While there has been no official word from Marvel Studios, Cumberbatch’s coy confirmations fuel ongoing speculation that a second cast announcement for Avengers: Doomsday could be coming. Recent rumors suggest a significant storyline for the character, teasing that Doctor Strange will join forces with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom to stop the universe-ending threat of Incursions. This narrative path would align perfectly with Strange’s established role as a guardian of reality and place him at the very center of the saga’s primary conflict.
Doctor Strange’s Latest MCU Appearance Set Him Up for Avengers: Doomsday
Doctor Strange’s last solo outing, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, was instrumental in establishing the concept of Incursions within the MCU, setting the stage for his critical role in Avengers: Doomsday. An Incursion is a cataclysmic event where the boundary between two universes erodes, causing them to collide and resulting in the destruction of one or both realities. Throughout the film, Strange is forced to confront the devastating consequences of multiversal travel, witnessing firsthand a reality that was destroyed by the reckless actions of one of his variants, who caused an Incursion. This experience provides him with the knowlodge on the dangers that now threaten all of existence.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ mid-credits scene provided the most direct setup for Strange’s future storyline. While walking through New York, he is confronted by Clea (Charlize Theron), a powerful sorceress who appears through a portal to the Dark Dimension. She directly tells him, “You caused an Incursion, and we’re gonna fix it.” Without hesitation, Strange joins her, embracing his duty to protect the multiverse. This cliffhanger explicitly positions him as a frontline warrior in the battle against Incursions, the very threat that is expected to be the central conflict of Avengers: Doomsday. Among the vast roster of MCU heroes, only Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who is already confirmed for the film, has a deeper connection to the multiversal stakes, so it’s fair to assume that Cumberbatch will be part of the movie.
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to be released in theaters on December 18, 2026.
What role do you think Doctor Strange will play in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments!
The post Benedict Cumberbatch Confirms Doctor Strange Is in Avengers: Doomsday appeared first on ComicBook.com.
