With Avengers: Endgame now behind us, fans are looking forward to Phase 4 of the MCU and all the exciting projects. One of the most talked-about films is Doctor Strange's next adventure Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. Apart from its amazing title, the sequel is exciting because it promises to be something very new for the MCU.
RELATED:Doctor Strange: 5 Moments That Prove He Should Lead The Avengers (& 5 Moments That Show He Shouldn't)
The movie will see Benedict Cumberbatch returning as Strange and, after some creative differences, Sam Raimi will be taking over as director. Other than that, there are a lot of rumors floating around, some intriguing and some worrying. Here are some rumors about Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness we hope are true and some we hope are not.
Doctor Strange might not have as iconic a roster of villains as some other heroes, but there is one exciting bad guy being linked to this film. Nightmare is the overlord of the Dream Dimension who can manipulate people's subconscious.
Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson has talked about wanted to use this character for a long time and rumors suggest Nightmare will be the villain in the sequel. Though Derrickson is gone, Sam Raimi could have a lot of fun with a villain of this much potential. The Dream Dimension could make for a mind-bending setting for the film.
When the film was announced at last summer's Comic-Con, Derrickson announced that this would be the first scary movie in the MCU. This made sense given the Doctor Strange comics and Derrickson's own background in the horror genre.
RELATED:Doctor Strange: 10 Things We Hope To See By The End Of His MCU Arc
However, since then Kevin Feige has back-peddled a bit, saying the film would simply have scary elements rather than being a straight horror movie. it was rumored that this was largely the reason Derrickson left the project. Not only would it be fun to see an MCU horror film, but it's also disappointing to think the studio isn't willing to try something new.
It was also announced at Comic-Con that the new Disney+ series WandaVision would directly tie into this film, with Elizabeth Olsen returning as Scarlet Witch in Doctor Strange. This has led to a lot of rumors about what her role might be in the film.
One of the most exciting rumors is that Scarlet Witch will represent the big threat of the movie. we've seen her incredible powers on display and the rumors suggest those powers get out of control and do damage to the multiverse. This could be a fun and emotional way to bring her into the story.
Romances in the MCU have a bit of a spotty record. Sometimes they can be quite moving while others can feel very forced. That is why another rumor about Wanda's role in this film has us a little worried.
With Rachel McAdams not returning as Christine Palmer, some rumors suggest Wanda will become Stephen Strange's love interest. Hopefully, this is not the way they decide to go. Just because a male and female hero are in a film together doesn't mean a romance has to be forced on these characters. Also, such a romance would likely cheapen Wanda losing Vision.
After the fake-out in Spider-Man: Far From Home, it seems like this film will actually introduce the multiverse into the MCU. The multiverse has played a large role in the comics for years and there is clearly a lot of potential for fun in exploring the other realities.
RELATED:5 Things We Miss From Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy (& 5 That We Don't)
With Sam Raimi stepping in to direct this film, one big rumor has suggested that Raimi's version of Spider-Man will make an appearance in this film. This would be a mind-blowing treat for comic book movie fans as well as a fun way to connect the Sony Spider-Man films to the MCU.
One of the biggest weapons in Doctor Strange's arsenal is the Time Stone. He used it to defeat Dormammu in the first film and it obviously played a very big role in his fight against Thanos. Some rumors suggest that the stone will once again play a role in this film.
It is unclear how time travel would fit into the story, but it does sound like more of the same. The gimmick runs the risk of getting overplayed and it's not likely they would find a more fun way of playing with time travel than they did in Avengers: Endgame. It's time to try something new.
Doctor Strange opened up a whole new mystical side of the MCU which has continued to have major impacts on the bigger picture. There are still a lot of interesting characters that he could help bring into the MCU and this film, in particular, seems like the right opportunity.
Some rumors speculate that Strange will help bring in a team of "supernatural Avengers." This could include characters like Ghost Rider, Man-Thing, and even Blade. These characters would make sense in a Doctor Strange film and then could go on to the wider MCU.
One of the biggest questions about this film is how the multiverse is introduced. It is a concept that could forever change the MCU and has endless possibilities. But while some are expecting Scarlet Witch to be the one to open it, other rumors suggest another beloved character.
RELATED: The Avengers: 10 Most Shameless Things Loki Has Ever Done
Loki was last seen in Endgame as a past version of himself escaping custody with the Tesseract. This sets up his own Disney+ solo series but some fans believe it also sets him up to be the one messing with the multiverse. As fun as Loki is, cramming him into this film might feel like a distraction.
It's always fun to see the MCU heroes pop up in each other's films but following the massive spectacle of Endgame. It might be nice to see some solo adventures for a while. However, some rumors suggest that Doctor Strange can partner with the other heroes in this film but it a much different way.
The rumor suggests that the film will introduce alternate versions of some of the MCU's biggest heroes. One character who has been talked about a lot is America Chavez, who is an alternate version of Captain America. We could also get characters like Red Hulk or Old Man Logan appearing.
One of the more popular alternate realities within the Marvel universe is the Marvel Zombies reality. This comic storyline found many of our favorite heroes and villains becoming flesh-eating zombies.
Given the rumored horror angle of this film and the inclusion of the multiverse, there are many rumors that Strange will encounter the Marvel Zombies at some point. This is also rumored to be a storyline in the What If? series and that honestly feels like a better fit. The zombie storyline feels played out and tacked on to this movie which could explore many more interesting things.
NEXT:WandaVision: 5 Rumors We Hope Are True (& 5 We Hope Aren't)
Next10 Obscure (But Awesome) Sci-Fi Movies You Can Stream Today On Amazon Prime
A writer and film fan. I always enjoy keeping up with the latest films in theaters as well as discovering some hidden gems I may have overlooked. Glad to be a part of Screen Rant's positive and fun community and have the opportunity to share my thoughts with you.
Read the original post:
