In a turn of events, it’s learned that Benedict Cumberbatch is not a part of Avengers: Doomsday. The good news? Doctor Strange will have a large role in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Cumberbatch recently said he was “very much looking forward to Avengers next year,” but apparently things have changed.
What did Benedict Cumberbatch say?
While speaking with Variety, Cumberbatch now says Doctor Strange is not in Avengers: Doomsday:
You see, he’s just told me that Doctor Strange is taking a hiatus in the next Marvel sequel, 2026’s “Avengers: Doomsday.” “Is that a spoiler?” he asks. “Fuck it!”
What happened?
According to Benedict Cumberbatch, Doctor Strange was supposed to be featured in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. However, that movie has been scrapped following the big failure of Quantumania and the controversy surrounding Jonathan Majors. Marvel is now bringing back Robert Downey Jr. to the MCU, but not as Iron Man, as Doctor Doom:
Cumberbatch’s absence from “Doomsday” has to do with “the character not aligning with this part of the story.”
Benedict Cumberbatch and Doctor Strange to star in Avengers: Secret Wars
So while Benedict Cumberbatch and Doctor Strange won’t be in Avengers: Doomsday, the actor confirms Secret Wars, which gets released a year later:
And though he probably shouldn’t be saying this, he also reveals that Doctor Strange is “in a lot” of “Avengers: Secret Wars,” which will hit theaters in 2027.
Cumberbatch continues:
“He’s quite central to where things might go,” Cumberbatch teases.
Hints at Doctor Strange 3
Rumors have said Doctor Strange 3 is going to happen, the article and Cumberbatch hint and tease that is indeed the case:
And he hints that the character, last seen casting spells in 2022’s “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” will appear in a third stand-alone film, but is hesitant to say too much beyond praising Marvel for being collaborative.
Cumberbatch said:
“They are very open to discussing where we go next. Who do you want to write and direct the next one? What part of the comic lore do you want to explore so that Strange can keep evolving? He’s a very rich character to play. He’s a complex, contradictory, troubled human who’s got these extraordinary abilities, so there’s potent stuff to mess about with.”
Excited for Avengers: Secret Wars
Back in December, Cumberbatch also said he is excited for the return of Doctor Strange, which we now know is in Secret Wars:
“I’m really excited not only to work with the Russo Brothers again, but to have Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom. I think there’s going to be some really cool developments ahead.”
Avengers: Doomsday gets released on May 1, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.
