Doctor Strange
Disney
2/13/22 Update below. This post was originally published on February 14.
There have been some new developments on this front since this trailer aired. First, there’s a growing chorus of insiders and skeptics who believe that the figure we saw in the Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness trailer was not Superior Iron Man, but instead, Maria Rambeau:
This idea does make sense for a few reasons, given that Maria Rambeau and Scarlet Witch share a connection, as her powers were born during the WandaVision series. Also, the same rumors that talk about Superior Iron Man also say that Rambeau is supposed to be in this movie as well, so both things can technically be true. Also, looking at that display of powers, the pure energy could be interpreted as being a more Captain Marvel-style power than something you’d see from an Iron Man suit. Still, I see Superior when I look at that image specifically.
That’s not the only new development, however. There is also a new Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness poster that’s come out, and when fans zoomed in, they saw Captain Carter’s shield on a piece of shattered glass:
That one is pretty clear, and indicates that more rumors that Hayley Atwell would be suiting up for a live action version of her Marvel’s What If…? character may be panning out. She also may be a part of the Illuminati, the group discussed below that has Tony Stark and Charles Xavier. She’s not in the comics, but I can see the MCU making that change given her role in What If…? and the fact that otherwise, the Illuminati is all men.
What’s clear is that Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is going to be jam packed full of cameos to the point where it’ll make Spider-Man: No Way Home look tame. Hopefully it’s a good movie on top of that, too.
Original article follows:
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Last night, my Bengals lost the Super Bowl, but as a consolation prize, we did get a wild new Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness trailer, one that is not shy about dropping some of its cameos early, and letting fans pick through the pieces to find some of the others that may be hiding.
First and foremost, the one that everyone (except me, my first viewing) caught was that Patrick Stewart does a voiceover, and it seems like we see a fraction of his head from behind. The idea is that Stewart is returning as FOX’s Professor X in this movie, sitting in judgment of Doctor Strange’s Multiverse crimes as part of the Illuminati.
Who are the Illuminati? In the Marvel universe, they’re a group of some of the most powerful heroes in existence. The main list is:
Doctor Strange
Black Bolt
Charles Xavier
Reed Richards
Namor
Tony Stark
Black Panther
From that list, it seems that Charles Xavier is already being teased, but keep in mind this is a Multiverse movie, and this does not necessarily mean Disney is about to port all of FOX’s X-Men over full-time (though Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine showing up as a cameo in this movie is another common theory).
Fans are also hoping to get a glimpse of Reed Richards, as we know Marvel is making a Fantastic Four movie in the next few years. But whether that could be a callback to past films with Ioan Gruffudd in the role, or a new casting that will carry forward, who knows.
But, let’s talk about Tony Stark.
While “OG” Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr, is dead, sacrificed to kill Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, the idea here is that a new variant of Tony Stark played by Tom Cruise is going to arrive, based on some long-running rumors.
The evidence?
They are very clearly doing the Illuminati, which he is a part of.
Doctor Strange is being escorted by Ultron guards, no doubt built by some version of Tony Stark.
This shot, which seems a whole lot like Superior Iron Man in action.
Other guesses about this shot include Maria Rambeau or Nova, but I really can see the Tony Stark idea when you put them side by side.
Regardless, one thing is clear, that Doctor Strange is going to go incredibly hard on its cameos if it’s already willing to more or less reveal Professor X now, so you have to imagine what they’re saving as surprises. Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is out May 6, 2022. See you then.
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