I’m even more curious about what story Marvel Studios might explore inAvengers: Doomsdayafter Benedict Cumberbatch’s confirmation that Doctor Strange won’t be involved. Following a lengthy period of uncertainty, I was thrilled to see Kevin Feige revealDoomsdayas the new title of the nextAvengersmovie, and I’m very excited about Robert Downey Jr.’s return to theMCUas one of Marvel’s most iconic supervillains. However, I haven’t quite figured out whatstory will unfold inAvengers: Doomsday, and Benedict Cumberbatch has just added to the confusion.
So far, several notable MCU characters have been confirmed to be joining Robert Downey Jr. inAvengers: Doomsday’sever-growing cast, including Sam Wilson’s Captain America, the Fantastic Four, the Thunderbolts and Spider-Man. Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell have also been confirmed to be returning, but Benedict Cumberbatch recently revealed toVarietythatDoctor Strange will not be included, as he"[doesn’t align] with this part of the story.“I’ll missDoctor Strange inAvengers: Doomsday, but these comments have made me wonder what story Marvel will explore without the Master of the Mystic Arts.
Benedict Cumberbatch’s Comments Suggest Avengers: Doomsday Won’t Completely Set Up Secret Wars
Avengers: Doomsday Likely Won’t Include 1 Huge Marvel Comics Event
Originally, I suspected thatAvengers: Doomsdaywould directly set up the events ofAvengers: Secret Wars, the sequel that is scheduled to premiere a year afterDoomsday’sMay 2026 release. This would follow the Russo brothers' pattern that they established withAvengers: Infinity WarandEndgame, but I now think this might not be the case. At theend of 2022’sDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,Strange’s help was enlisted by Charlize Theron’s Clea to deal with an incursion, and this story will surely continue in Strange’s next appearance - which is not inDoomsday.
I’m Glad Avengers: Doomsday Will Avoid 1 Huge Doctor Strange Mistake
Benedict Cumberbatch has revealed that Doctor Strange won’t be in Avengers: Doomsday, and I think that’s the best choice for his current MCU story.
Since a project releasing afterAvengers: Doomsdaywill continueDoctor Strange’s exploration of incursions,I reckon it’s unlikely thatDoomsdaywill end with incursions destroying the multiverse, which immediately precedes Marvel Comics’Secret Warsevent from 2015. This makes me think thatAvengers: Doomsdaywill tell a story that nobody’s been expecting, perhaps setting upSecret Warssomewhat, while Strange’s next appearance will do most of the heavy lifting. It seemsSecret Warswill need one more crucial movie to be able to tell a comic-accurate and exciting story.
Doctor Strange 3 Plot Theory Seems Even More Likely Now
Theories About Doctor Strange 3’s Storyline Have Been Rife
Benedict Cumberbatch’s comments have quietly confirmed thatDoctor Strange 3, which still hasn’t been officially announced by Marvel Studios, will likely release in the empty June 09, 2025, release slot. This will fall betweenAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars, and will makeDoctor Strange 3the last movie beforeSecret Wars’premiere in May 2027.This makes me think thatDoctor Strange 3will be the project that directly sets upSecret Wars, and I think it can do this byadapting Marvel Comics’Time Runs Outstoryline.
Marvel Comics’Time Runs Outsaw Doctor Strange leave the Illuminati and join the Black Priests, fighting to stop incursions from ravaging the multiverse. This led him into the path of Doctor Doom, and the pair teamed up to steal the Beyonders' power and create Battleworld from the fragments of destroyed universes, leading directly intoSecret Wars.
Doctor Strange 3has been heavily-theorizedto be exploring Jonathan Hickman’sTime Runs Outarc for quite some time, and now that the sequel will seemingly be releasing immediately prior toAvengers: Secret Wars, this is even more likely.Time Runs Outsaw the heroes of Marvel Comics fighting to stop incursions from destroying the multiverse, with many carrying out heinous acts to save their world. This would be a fantastic arc to explore for Doctor Strange in the MCU, and adaptingTime Runs OutforDoctor Strange 3opens new doors for the story ofAvengers: Doomsday.
What Story Could Avengers: Doomsday Explore?
Doctor Doom’s Debut Creates Many Opportunities For Marvel Studios
Since I reckon thatDoctor Strange 3will explore theTime Runs Outstoryline, perfectly setting the stage forAvengers: Secret Wars, 2026’sDoomsdaywill need to adapt a different story from Marvel Comics.Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doomis set to make his MCU debut inDoomsday, and he is a key figure in theTime Runs OutandSecret Warsstorylines, so his live-action introduction has me very excited.In the months beforeTime Runs Outin Marvel Comics, a more-controlled incursion took place in Latveria, which I think could occur inAvengers: Doomsday.
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Victor Von Doom’s Doctor Doom
This smaller incursion was caused by the Mapmakers, a group of beings who worked for the extradimensional Beyonders. Doctor Doom then set out to findvariants of Molecule Man, all of whom he planned to kill prematurely to save the multiverse.This adventure took several years, and allowed Doom to form a cult, the Black Swans, with him as “Rabum Alal,” the Great Destroyer. I’d love to see this story play out inAvengers: Doomsday, giving Doctor Doom the opportunity to fully develop his motivation and perfectly setting the stage for him to eventually come across Doctor Strange.
