I’m delighted to bring some positive Disney Plus/Marvel news to you all today, I’ve heard through a trusted source that WandaVision has finished filming after all and possibly VFX on the series is done as well. All that’s left is the editing (barring any reshoots, of course). Previous information was that there was still a bit of filming left, signs indicating that it had to do with references and changes to TheFalcon and the Winter Soldier pandemic storyline. But it sounds like it will be straightened out in editing, at least in WandaVision’s case.
What does this mean for when we might see the Scarlet Witch and her beloved Vision on our TV screen? Well, we may need to keep our feet on the ground a bit here, as it seems unlikely they’d air the show very far ahead of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness which is currently scheduled for release on March 25, 2022. There is also the matter of finishing up TheFalcon and The Winter Soldier’s filming, 3 weeks at least, before WandaVision airs. The shows were originally scheduled in a certain order for a reason, and if WandaVision has things that spoil TheFalcon and The Winter Soldier, even without the reference to the pandemic story line in it anymore, it is unlikely that WandaVision would be moved ahead of it unless there are major changes and reshoots to that show.
In other tentatively positive news, it was reported today via The Hollywood Reporter that the Czech Republic will now allow productions to resume filming there. The testing, guidelines and sanitation standards that need to be followed in order for everyone to be safe, however, would certainly complicate The Falcon and The Winter Soldier returning to finish up. No word yet on when they may.
Director Sam Raimi is in talks to board Marvel Studios Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness, according to a trade report.
Raimi, who directed Sony’s 00’s Spider-Man trilogy, would replace Scott Derrickson who left the project after developing it for the past several years. The sequel is expected to have horror elements and Raimi has a long history working in the horror genre dating back to his 1978 short film, Within the Woods, which he later remade into the horror classic The Evil Dead.
Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness is set to begin production this Spring (I’m hearing an April start is possible) and will appear in theaters May 7, 2021.
Every now and then I come across some information the veracity of which can be confirmed by a second source. What happens FAR more often is that I come across some information that while believable and from trustworthy sources, cannot be confirmed by other sources for various reasons. Typically, when the second scenario occurs, I move on and forget about the information unless, in rare instances, it turns out to be proven true somewhere down the road.
So, thing I heard this week (well, I heard it months ago but this is the week I’m talking about it): While filming the Disney picture Jungle Cruise, Emily Blunt met with Marvel Studios about a role in an upcoming film.
That’s it. That is all I heard. Don’t know if she signed or passed on yet another Marvel Studios role. I don’t even know what the role they discussed was. However, with the new character description (which many of us are ASSUMING is Clea) now out there, it seemed the right time to mention the meeting.
This is a story that maybe isn’t really a story because if nothing ever comes of it, then it was nothing. It is, however, interesting and I’m choosing to share it now after not doing anything with it for several months because of the latest round of Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness casting calls which call for a VERY strong “leading lady type”. late-20s to early 40s, who can be a “contemporary” to Strange.
Blunt is 36 years old and one of THE premiere female action stars in Hollywood. She not only fits the age requirement, she has all the chops and a long list of hits to be the new “leading lady” and certainly someone who can go on screen with Benedict Cumberbatch and be seen as his “contemporary.” She can do more than that. She can go toe-to-toe with Cumberbatch and knock his Stephen Strange down a few pegs when the time is right. Strange fans have longed for Clea to be a part of this sequel and a part of Strange’s MCU journey; Emily Blunt might be just the right actress for the role.
Of course there’s no way for me to know if she was talking about Clea, Sue Storm, Medusa (just in case those Inhuman reinvention rumors were true) or even a character in Eternals or another property I don’t even know about. What I do know is that the more I think about a list of actresses who can give what it takes to portray Clea appropriately, I can’t make that list without her on it.
The illuminderi have come out of the gates swinging and, on Friday afternoon, launched another haymaker with the report that Marvel Studios is searching for a Caribbean actor for a lead role in next year’s Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness. While the character was not identified, it seems like a safe bet that it is for Jericho Drum, aka Brother Voodoo. I can confirm that the studio is searching for an actor in his late 20s to early 40s for the role.
First appearing in Strange Tales #169, the Haitian born Jericho Drumm left for America to become a psychologist. Upon returning home, he found his brother, Daniel, the local Houngan or Voodoo priest, dying from a spell cast on him. Before he passed, Daniel made Jericho promise to study to become a Houngan, starting his path towards eventually replacing Stephen Strange as the Sorcerer Supreme.
The inclusion of Jericho Drumm has been expected for some time. His brother, Daniel, the keeper of the New York Sanctum, was killed by Kaecilius in Doctor Strange, setting the stage for him to learn the mystic arts as he works to keep the memory of his brother alive.
Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness is due in theaters May 7, 2021.
Late last year in a chat with students at the New York Film Academy, Kevin Feige teased the introduction of several new characters in 2021’s Doctor Strange sequel, including one he indicated fans might not guess saying:
The next Doctor Strange film, for instance, features some new MCU characters which will be making their debut in that movie you won’t expect or won’t guess who it is but we found a cool way to make it work because we want to make a particular type of movie there and there was a character who we always wanted to do something with who will fit really well there.
According to the site, Marvel Studios casting director Sarah Finn is searching for an Hispanic actress, 15-17 years of age for a supporting lead role in Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness. While no name was given in the description, it’s not much of a leap to jump to the multiverse-traveling powerhouse, America Chavez.
First appearing in 2011’s Vengeance #1, the nearly invincible Chavez quickly became a fan favorite, appearing in Young Avengers, A-Force, Ultimates,her own solo series and, most recently, West Coast Avengers.
Chavez posseses the ability to open star-shaped portals that allow her to navigate her way through the Multiverse, a talent that may just come in handy given that the Strange sequel is set to introduce that construct to fans.
Though no list of actresses was given, I’d expect to see Isabela Merced (formerly Moner) and Jenna Ortega (both of whom were on Marvel Studios radar for a smaller role in Black Widow), Rachel Zegler and Dylan Conrique under consideration. Whoever lands the role, if it is in fact Chavez, should expect to be busy as the character will likely play a large role moving forward as a member of the Young Avengers.
Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness will begin production later this year and will be in theaters on May 7, 2021.
If you’ve never read an installment of Connecting Imaginary Dots, allow me to explain the idea. Connecting Imaginary Dots was the title I came up with for my speculation pieces when I was writing at MCU Exchange. These types of pieces basically allow me to unload a bunch of junk that’s circulating in my brain in a way that should never be confused for things I actually expect to happen. I basically take a bunch of facts that are almost always entirely unrelated and do my best to connect the dots with by stretching my imagination. In the past these types of pieces have resulted in me theorizing that the Spider-Man sequel which became Far From Home might end up being a team-up outing of Spidey and Hulk in the Savage Land;however, I also wrote one theorizing that Sterling K. Brown would be playing the father of Erik Killmonger in Black Panther LOOOOOONG before anyone else was considering it and one in which I theorized that Annette Bening was actually Mar-Vell when everyone else still thought Jude Law was playing the character. The bottom line is this: these are fun spec pieces that allow me to just be a fan. With that out of the way…
Back in August a casting call, revealed by GWW, indicated that Marvel Studios was searching for an actor, 30-40, to play “the ruler of a distant ancient kingdom.” At the time of their report, GWW speculated that the character might be Namor and, given Kevin Feige’s recent comments, it’s looking increasingly possible that they might be right.
In a recent stint a as a guest speaker at the New York Film Academy, Feige gave a little insight into how they chose characters for Marvel Studios films, including Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness.
The most pertinent bit is transcribed below:
Sometimes you’re choosing title hero, choosing which main character or main team you want to bring to the screen and often times, it’s as you’re making and developing the movie [asking] ‘Who will come into it?’ and ‘Who will fit into it? The next Doctor Strange film, for instance, features some new MCU characters which will be making their debut in that movie you won’t expect or won’t guess who it is but we found a cool way to make it work because we want to make a particular type of movie there and there was a character who we always wanted to do something with who will fit really well there.
On the surface, only part of that (“a character who we always wanted to do something with”) sounds like Namor. Namor and Strange have a long comic book history through their time together on The Defenders, a team of otherwise non-teamer uppers who often come together to tackle threats that are more mystical or supernatural. The non-team team often included Hulk, Silver Surfer, Valkyrie and others over the course of the years. Namor also suffered from amnesia, causing him to forget his true heritage. Could the opening up of the Multiverse and the potential influence of Nightmare be enough to jog the memory of the Avenging Son of Atlantis?
Though the casting call did not specify which project the character would appear in, other information in the casting call does give a small hint. For instance, we can probably rule out the character of “DAVID” appearing in Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings because other character descriptions that appeared around the same time and have since been confirmed to be for Shang-Chi gave a time frame of January through May, a time frame we now know fits for that film, while the description for “DAVID” gave a TBD start date. So while we can’t pin down that this character will appear in Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness, we can be fairly confident that it is not for Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings and it doesn’t make a ton of sense to believe that they were already searching for actors for Thor: Love and Thunder a full year before it would film.
So, if we are connecting all the dots and doing some imagineering, we can at least make a case for Namor to make his long-awaited MCU debut in 2021 and, while we’re at it, we can make the case for “ADAM”, a character from another similar description, to be Jericho Drumm, aka Brother Voodoo…but that’s another story.
So what do you think? Could Namor finally make his debut in 2021’s Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness?
Every now and then I come across some information the veracity of which can be confirmed by a second source. What happens FAR more often is that I come across some information that while believable and from trustworthy sources, cannot be confirmed by other sources for various reasons. Typically, when the second scenario occurs, I move on and forget about the information unless, in rare instances, it turns out to be proven true somewhere down the road.
This Thanksgiving week has served up a cornucopia of information that I have not been able to verify but that has come from trustworthy sources (read sources who have given previous information that has been confirmed) and I’ve decided to share some of these. It’s important to understand that, because I can’t verify these with a second source, I myself treat them as rumors which means, for the time being, I don’t believe them myself. It’s also important to understand that in each of these cases, the information provided would be spoilery if did turn out to be true. So please read at your own risk and please make an effort to represent what you’ve read here as nothing more than a rumor. These aren’t “hot scoops”, at least not yet. For now, they are nothing more than some compelling rumors that should generate plenty of great discussion among the MCU fan community. With that having been said, read ahead if you chose.
Things I heard this week: Nightmare has been cast and will be revealed as the villain of WandaVision.
Unlike the other rumors I shared with you, I am not telling you everything I heard in this case, but I am sharing one of the more tantalizing tidbits I heard this week. I know that by sharing this part of the rumor, it’ll fuel speculation and generate some pretty interesting fan theories, but I am not, in this case, at liberty to say anything more.
This is an interesting rumor because, if I’m not mistaken, it’s already a popular fan theory and for good reason. When Kevin Feige revealed that WandaVision and Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness would be related projects, many folks remembered that Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson wanted to use Nightmare in the first film and that writer C. Robert Cargill had indicated that the sequel would probably feature the villain, so they connected some dots. In that way, and others, this rumor makes a lot of sense.
We know that WandaVision will be part-sitcom homage and part MCU spectacle and that it will lead directly into Doctor Strange: Into the Multiverse of Madness, said to be Marvel Studios first true foray into the horror genre. The Disney + feature, Expanding the Universe, along with casting calls seemed to indicate that WandaVision will introduce Wanda and Vision’s twin sons, Tommy and Billy, and that they might grow up awfully fast during the sitcom portion of the show. It seems entirely possible that the reason they exist and grow so fast is that they are part of a sort of dream-like reality in which Wanda has found herself, perhaps even at the mercy of Nightmare. Imagine how unhappy Wanda would be to awaken from reality where she’s been reunited with Vision and has been raising a family. Given everything she’s been through, one might imagine losing all that would be the tipping point for her, launching the MCU spectacle portion of WandaVision and, should that tipping point unleash some sort of large-scale use of her growing power, be reason enough to call Doctor Strange in to help.
Feige has said repeatedly that he is not interested in direct adaptations of the comics, so we shouldn’t limit our imagination of what might happen in the MCU because “it didn’t happen that way in the comics.” This rumor is probably my favorite one of the week because it ties the two projects together and forces me to ask the question of who the true antagonist of Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness will be: Nightmare or the Scarlet Witch?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one and all of its implications. Please chime in below and tell me how you see this unfolding IF it’s true.
Over the course of the first 23 MCU films, several films stand out as having steered the longform narrative. AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, CAPTAIN AMERICA:THE WINTER SOLDIER, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, THOR: RAGNAROK and ANT-MAN AND THE WASP all featured choices, consequences and plot points that impacted more than just the events of those films. It’s hard to argue that Bucky’s reintroduction in The Winter Soldier, the implications of which rippled through the MCU for 5 years, might not have been the point from where the MCU changed forever. It was the beginning of the end of the Avengers, the inciting moment that lead to Civil War and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes being scattered around the globe when its people needed them most. The heroes, of course, came back together to defeat Thanos but it cost them dearly and we are left with a world, 4 years into the future, without a team of Avengers to defend it, alternate timelines created by their attempt to undo Thanos’ destruction and a group of survivors who have experienced a great deal of loss and trauma. While the first two films of Phase 4, 2020’s BLACK WIDOW and THE ETERNALS, don’t seem primed to explore the repercussions of AVENGERS: ENDGAME, it’s beginning to become clear which film will and, by doing so, become a game changer in the same way as Age of Ultron or Ragnarok before it: DOCTOR STRANGE: IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS.
While we know very little about the plot of the sequel at this point, it’s becoming clear that it is being set up to be the fulcrum of Phase 4 and, perhaps, the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Following its introduction in 2016’s DOCTOR STRANGE, the idea of the multiverse was largely left to marinate in the minds of fans before being brought back into the spotlight in SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME. Though Quentin Beck’s story of the multiverse turned out to be nothing more than part of his plan to deceive Peter, it did bring the idea back to the forefront of fan’s minds so when Kevin Feige revealed the full title of the Doctor Strange sequel at last summer’s SDCC, it caused an uproar. At that time, we found out that Wanda would be a key player in the film and that the events of WANDAVISION would spill directly into it. Just recently, Feige indicated that DOCTOR STRANGE: IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS would also be connected to the events of LOKI, which will somehow follow the unredeemed 2012 version of the Lord of All Liars on a trip through time, already making the Scott Derrickson sequel the central hub for MCU fans in 2021.
While we don’t know exactly what to expect from DOCTOR STRANGE: IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS or how WANDAVISION and LOKI will impact it or be impacted by it, it certainly seems that the film is positioned to reshape how we will think about the MCU going forward. Opening up the true multiverse means almost endless possibilities for story telling going forward. Other universes mean other versions of familiar characters, territory that has been mined in the comics for decades. It might also mean new characters such as Captain Britain, the Squadron Supreme or Miles Morales. Having Strange learn to navigate between these universes could also mean he might come into contact with cosmic entities that exist outside the confines of a singular universe, being such as Eternity, the Living Tribunal or even the Beyonder, who might have a thing or two to say to the Sorcerer Supreme.
In the way that CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER set the pace for the longform narrative for the films from 2014-2019, it’s possible that DOCTOR STRANGE: IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS could set the stage for the next several years of films after 2021. If anyone is looking for a path the connects Sony’s films to the MCU or for some version of SECRET WARS to make its way to the big screen, it seems like establishing the true multiverse is a necessary first step.
As Phase 3 and the saga of the Infinity Stones comes to a close, the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has begun to come into focus. Though Kevin Feige has stuck to his guns and made no official announcements about what to expect after Avengers: Endgame, it’s nearly impossible to hide things anymore and the post-Thanos slate has started to fill up.
Black Widow and The Eternals are set for 2020 and the gears are in motion for sequels to Black Panther and Doctor Strange to occupy two of the three 2021 films. While the first two have scripts and are in different stages of pre-production, the latter have only recently secured directors with Ryan Coogler and Scott Derrickson returning for their respective sequels. Coogler is set to write the sequel to Black Panther and the search for a screenwriter for a second Doctor Strange film is underway, but both directors have indicated in the past that they have plenty of ideas where their characters might go next. Of course, as fans, we all have our ideas too and that’s what this is all about…my takes on what I would love to see in the next installments of Black Panther and Doctor Strange. These are just some ideas that have been floating around in my head. You may like them or you may not. That’s how ideas work.
Black Panther: The Conscience of the King
Had I written this up 6 months ago, I’d have had an entirely different take on this one. For a long time, I’d thought that a Black Panther sequel would be an ideal time to introduce Namor. I don’t claim to understand the intricacies of his live-action rights, but I’ve always assumed that, like Hulk, it would be easier for Marvel Studios to include him in another film than to make a Sub-Mariner solo. That may or may not be true, I’m just explaining my thinking here. However, the impending arrival of the Fantastic Four has changed my thinking on Namor as has the evolving structure of the landscape of films happening post-Endgame. At this point, I’m not so sure we might not FINALLY see a Sub-Mariner film, but if we don’t, I’d love to see Namor come into the picture as a Fantastic Four antagonist and then develop over time. So that’s a long way of saying what the sequel won’t be about, so let’s move on to what I’d like to see.
Black Panther left things pretty well set up not only for Wakanda’s role in Avengers: Infinity War, but also for the sequel to take any number of routes. With Wakanda fully-revealed to the world and establishing a Wakandan outreach center in Oakland, any number of new issues could arise and I think that turning to Christopher Priest’s acclaimed run gives us an idea of what they might be.
Between 1998 and 2003, Priest wrote 60 issues of Black Panther for Marvel Comics and, to this day, they are considered among the seminal work done on the character. Priest’s run began with T’Challa in an interesting pinch: a girl who was a part of T’Challa’s Tomorrow Fund, an organization he founded in the United States to help clean up some inner cities, has been found murdered. Meanwhile, refugees flock to Wakanda’s border, led by the enigmatic Reverend Doctor Michael Ibn al-hajj Achebe. When T’Challa chooses to leave to investigate the murder of girl, Achebe makes his move to overtake Wakanda.
Achebe represents an entirely different type of threat to T’Challa and Wakanda. A master manipulator willing to go great lengths to remove T’Challa from the throne, his motives and means are vastly different than those of Killmonger’s. Achebe is a villain that many fans have longed to see brought to the screen and who has been described as the Joker to T’Challa’s Batman. It’s entirely possible that not only could Coogler make him a memorable villain, but also that he’s already set things in motion to work Priest’s arc into a sequel.
The Wakandan outreach center in Oakland could quite easily become the Tomorrow Fund. T’Challa’s descision to open Wakanda’s borders could very easily result in a refugee crisis (something that we are all too familiar with and that would allow Coogler to inject a measure of social commentary into his film). Achebe’s goal is to essentially destabilize T’Challa and Wakanda, allowing him to take over. He hits the King from all fronts, leaving nothing off the table. Unlike Killmonger and M’Baku, he presents no physical threat to the King which would allow for Coogler to show audiences what fans of the comics have known for years: T’Challa is one of the smartest characters in the Marvel Universe. Of course we’d like to see him do some fighting too, so bringing in a secondary antagonist, like arms dealer Moses Magnum and his crew, would allow for some nice action, but if Coogler wants to separate this film from the last one, Achebe has to be the threat and he has to be as different from Killmonger as possible. If we stay with the Batman analogy, this would be Coogler’s chance to make the MCU’s The Dark Knight. For all Killmonger’s physicality and emotion, he didn’t stretch T’Challa to his breaking point: that’s what a man like Achebe could do.
There are plenty of other characters that could be added (Queen Divine Justice has already been rumored to appear) and plenty of twists and turns to take, but on the whole, I’d love to see this film end with T’Challa having reclaimed the country, handing the throne to Shuri and becoming the King of the Dead, living in the Necropolis.
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme
Director Scott Derrickson has gone on record that his original Doctor Strange pitch included Nightmare, the first villain Stephen Strange faced in the comics. He was talked out of it by Kevin Feige who believed that if the first film took place partially in another dimension, it might require too much exposition and bog down the film. With the idea of alternate dimensions know established, it’s very likely that Derrickson gets to bring Nightmare into the sequel.
Nightmare is a fascinating character who lives in the Dream Dimension (aka the Nightmare Realm) where he has long tortured people in their sleep. While his appearance in the comics has changed over the years, he’s relatively terrifying to look at and would afford Derrickson the opportunity to push the film into some darker corners that he’s familiar with as a director of horror films. I have no inside info here, but I’d say the fact that Derrickson is back on board is a fairly good indicator that we will be seeing Nightmare in the sequel.
I’m 100% on board with Nightmare being in the film but I hope that Marvel Studios takes the opportunity to mess around within the dreams of people to introduce the Sleepwalkers, the protectors of yet another sleep-related dimension known as the Mindscape. Nightmare was long-considered an enemy of the Sleepwalkers in the comics and it wouldn’t take much tinkering to make things a little less complicated in the sequel. In 1991, Marvel Comics began a short-lived Sleepwalker series which focused on one of the guardians of the Mindscape who became trapped in the mind of a man named Rick Sheridan while protecting him in his sleep. One of the fascinating things about old school Doctor Strange comics is that he seemed to frequently be teaming up with other heroes. If Derrickson wants to make this an entirely quirky and unsettling horror film, the combo of Nightmare and Sleepwalker would do the trick.
Nightmare is the perfect villain to keep Strange busy in the sequel while the real villain of the piece does his work. When last we saw him, Karl Mordo was in a bad place and we can only imagine that things will have gotten much worse in the time that passes. Though Mordo walked away from Kamar-Taj and Strange after learning of what he considered to be a betrayal by the Ancient One, we all know Mordo is on a path to become Strange’s ultimate challenge.
Mordo is not only reducing the number of sorcerers in the world, he’s also stockpiling their power. It wouldn’t be shocking to see a changed Mordo here, perhaps one who has been mislead again and has entered into an agreement with Dormammu that would benefit them both: if he can deliver Strange to Dormammu, Mordo can take Strange’s power. Mordo enters into a deal with the Lord of Chaos that keeps him from breaking his vows. Though distasteful to Mordo, it serves his purpose. This scenario would require something to trap Stephen, someone in whom he doesn’t suspect evil intentions. This scenario allows for the introduction of Clea, the niece of Dormammu, and Stephen Strange’s one, true love…perhaps the girl of his dreams.
There are other characters I’d love to see make their way into Strange’s life eventually (Rintrah chief among them), but if you could slap together a plot where Strange has grown comfortable following the events of Infinity War and Endgame, is distracted by Clea, weakened by his battle with Nightmare and has to somehow team up with Sleepwalker to overcome Mordo before losing his powers, that would be a super fun film full of opportunities to scare the hell out of anyone.
There they are. The two worst ideas for sequels that you’re likely to read today! It’s always fun to do this kind of thing, but also it’s a lunatic mission because the ideas I come up with are the least likely to end up in a film written by actual professionals. At any rate, thanks for reading and have a great holiday season!
The huge $85+ million dollar opening weekend domestic box office has made what was already a near certainty an inevitability: we will get a Doctor Strange sequel. Taking into account the global box office, the film has already recouped its production cost and the critics and fans alike have responded very well to the mind-bending action and Benedict Cumberbatch as the lead character. While it wouldn’t be surprising to see Marvel Studios announce a place-holder date for a sequel before the end of the year, we got a bit of jump start on our wishlist for future installments. Given the many years of comic back story and the richness of the character, there’s no way one sequel is enough for all this, so here’s to hoping Derrickson and company get the chance to put several more adventures together.
Nightmare
Fortunately for us, this one may be the most likely on this list as director Scott Derricksonhas said he would like to use Nightmare as the villain for his sequel. Nightmare was Doctor Strange’s first challenge and Derrickson seems to love the idea of exploring the Nightmare Realm, in fact, it was revealed that Nightmare was the original villain in the film before giving way to Dormammu. Given Derrickson’s filmography, which features several horror films, and his detail-oriented approach, exploring the impact of nightmares on the human psyche could give Marvel the type of genre-bending film they seem to try to produce and seems like something that Derrickson would love. Such a film could also allow Marvel Studios to further expand their universe by potentially also exploring the Mindscape and introducing the Sleepwalkers, characters who act as defenders of the Mindscape. My God…this movie, Doctor Strange: The Final Curtain, sounds amazing.
The tag at the end of the film indicates that not only will we see more of Karl Mordo, but that it’s almost impossible for comic book fans to predict much of what he’ll do. This Mordo is a dangerous, damaged man who has now become disillusioned with the way of life that he thought had saved him. The revelation that the Ancient One had been using the very powers against which Mordo had been defending the world sent the Master on a different, darker path. Unlike the comic book Mordo who became jealous of Strange’s accelerated ascension, this Mordo feels he’s been duped to live a life in which only those who make the rules can bend them. When last we see him, he’s seemingly ripping the magic away from Ben Bratt’s Pangborn in an effort to begin reducing the number of sorcerers on Earth, seemingly taking on some of the characteristics of Strange’s comic book foe Silver Dagger. This obviously puts him on a collision course with Strange, but just when they’ll meet again seems uncertain. I love Ejiofor’s characterization of Mordo and I want to see it continue to develop over time. This Mordo seems like the solution to Marvel’s much talked about villain problem but only if Derrickson and crew take their time and develop him alongside Strange, perhaps saving their showdown for the end of a trilogy in Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme (my title, not theirs).
Shuma Gorath
A massive, million-year-old demon, Shuma Gorath is one of Doctor Strange’s most iconic and unique looking foes. The immortal Lord of Chaos ruled over Earth in pre-historic times, Shuma Gorath has conquered hundreds of dimensions and routinely set his one, big, gross eye on Earth. Given that he is indefatigable and immortal, defeating him always proves quite a challenge, so his presence could invite many of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to the party. Alternately, Shuma Gorath could, as he has done in the comics, use an agent on Earth to do the damage. It’s not unthinkable that a movie involving Nightmare could ultimately reveal Shuma Gorath at work behind the scenes. It’s also possible that Shuma Gorath and others like him could show up in the Cosmic corner of the MCU down the line as well. However, if Derrickson and crew are looking to make their monster movie, Shuma Gorath might be the answer in Doctor Strange: A Separate Reality(my title, not theirs).
The Defenders…no, not those ones, the other ones
The original comic book Defenders were a group of traditionally solo heroes that came together to battle foes of a more supernatural nature. The roster, like many Marvel teams, changed over the years but the original team consisted of Doctor Strange, the Hulk, Valkyrie and Namor, the Sub-Mariner. With Valkyrie being introduced to the MCU in Thor: Ragnarok, that leaves Namor as the only Defender left off the board. It seems that Marvel has the option to put Namor in a film, but that much like the case with the Hulk, if it is a solo film they may have to let Universal distribute it, costing them some cash. If that’s the case, throwing Namor into team-ups, as they are doing with Hulk, seems to address the issue. Certainly, the minds at work behind the scenes at Marvel Studios can devise a situation big enough to draw Namor to the surface to meet up with the other Defenders. Cue the Nameless One and the Undying Ones. If you’re going to team-up with the Hulk, it’s because you need him to do some serious smashing and having him smash an extra-dimensional demonic race sounds rad. Of course, if you have the Undying Ones running around, that means their leader, a conqueror known as the Nameless One is close behind.
An Entirely Extra-Dimensional Setting co-starring the Hulk
If I can’t get the entire team of Defenders, then at least give me this team-up. Please, please let me have the Hulk going somewhere with Doctor Strange and just smash the hell out of some extra-dimensional creatures. Nothing would make fans happier than giving the Hulk an opponent he could destroy just about everything while saving the Earth. The options seem myriad and fun. I could go for Hulk smashing some Mindless Ones. I could go for a rift about the time Strange banished Hulk to the Crossroads and seeing the two of them stuck there together, Strange using his magic to fight while Hulk uses his fists. If Marvel Studios is intent on keeping the Hulk front and center, they’ll either have to pay the piper and lose some cast to Universal on production OR they can keep teaming him up with other characters like they are with Thor. I’d love to see that next team-up be with the Doctor and see what they can do.
Brother Voodoo
When Daniel Drumm died defending the Sanctum Sanctorum, his story may not have ended. Comic book fans will know that Daniel’s death pushes his brother, Jericho, further into the realm of magic where he becomes known as Brother Voodoo. Derrickson has already said there’s a good chance we’d see Jericho down the line and given the character’s rise to prominence in the comics over the years, fans will be waiting. Jericho provides the opportunity for an alternate story of magic to be told, given his Voodoo practices and dealings with the spirit of his dead brother. Though he and Strange have often worked together, the two practitioners of the mystic arts don’t always see eye to eye. Certainly, Voodoo’s dealings in possession could open interesting doors to other avenues of the supernatural and it’s always important to have an extra Sorcerer Supreme on your roster in case one dies suddenly. While introducing Jericho through a Doctor Strange sequel makes sense, we’d hope that he’s not relegated to superhero sidekick duty because his ample comic history says this mystic could even step out on his own.
Clea
We saw Dormammu and found out a little bit about the Dark Dimension. Fans of the comics know that there is likely no way that we’ve seen the last of The Dread One and theories are already out there that range from him taking the place of Galactus in the MCU to him being the boss battle of Phase 4. If we are to see more of Dormammu and his realm, it’s likely that at some point we might see one of the few well-known Doctor Strange supporting characters that was not introduced in the origin film: Clea.
Clea, a humanoid extra-dimensional being, is the princess of the Dark Dimension and the niece of Dormammu. She has a long history with Strange as his apprentice in the mystic arts and as his lover. Fueled by the energies of the Dark Dimension, Clea is a powerful sorceress and more than just a window-dressing female to add into the script. While her origins might certainly need some touching up, her inclusion into an MCU ever looking to add to its powerhouse lineup of female heroes seems to make her a good possibility. Not only will she give Strange an extra-dimensional ally, but a powerful partner on Earth to help with what’s sure to be an increase in the number of mystically powered foes. While fans may want her to join the MCU ASAP, it seems like Strange may have a little more of a journey to make before he encounters Dormammu again.
Wanda Maximoff
When last we saw Wanda in Captain America: Civil War, she had an existential conversation with Vision about their shared power source. While I don’t know that we’ve ever gotten a great explanation of how Wanda’s powers work, I think it’s safe to say she, like Strange, is channeling some sort of energy. If we are ever going to get an explanation and see Wanda continue to master her powers and/or become more unstable and dangerous, a Doctor Strange team-up might be the key to that lock.
If they were to run the comic route, an explanation into Wanda’s powers could include a trippy flashback and a story about Chthon, one of the Elder Gods of the Marvel Universe and add help to flesh out the origins of the MCU’s entire cosmos. It seems certain that Wanda and Stephen will cross each others’ paths at some point; it’s just a matter of how their interactions serve the larger narrative that will dictate the story.
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