Benedict Cumberbatch didn't return to voice Doctor Strange in Marvel's latest Disney+ show, leaving some fans curious why.
Sherlock star Cumberbatch debuted as Doctor Strange in a 2016 solo outing after beating stars such as Joaquin Phoenix to the magical role.
The British star has since featured in five more live-action MCU movies but also gave the voice to the overpowered Doctor Strange Supreme in What If...?
Why Doesn't Benedict Cumberbatch Play Doctor Strange in Disney+'s Spider-Man?
Doctor Strange actor Benedict Cumberbatch was replaced in his MCU role for the character's latest appearance in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, as the sorcerer hero was instead voiced by Robin Atkin Downes.
The 48-year-old has previously offered additional voices in various episodes of What If...? and voiced a newscaster in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
The Avenging Sorcerer has an important role to play in the origin story of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man's Peter Parker. This version of the wall-crawler was bitten by a radioactive spider at Midtown High after it fell through a portal created by Doctor Strange while he was fighting some kind of creature.
However, as Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man takes place in an alternate universe, albeit one rather similar to the MCU, this technically doesn't mark a recasting of Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange.
Cumberbatch wasn't the only one replaced for the Spider-Man Disney+ series, as What If...? actor Hudson Thames fulfilled Tom Holland's duties as Peter Parker.
Meanwhile, one MCU actor returned for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, as Charlie Cox came back to voice Daredevil for the first time in animation.
While other MCU actors such as Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlet Johansson were replaced for What If...? before, Cumberbatch held on to his sorcerer vocal duties across six episodes of Seasons 1 and 2.
But Doctor Strange took a backseat for the recently-released Season 3, as his only appearance came with the revelation the Supreme Variant had been infused into his own universe after his death in the Season 2 finale.
Strange's absence from What If...? Season 3 and Cumberbatch's omission from Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man could suggest the British sensation was simply too busy to record vocals for Marvel Animation's latest offerings.
What Comes Next for Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange?
Benedict Cumberbatch may not be playing Doctor Strange in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, but he is far from done as his MCU hero.
Coming off Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Steven Strange has hopped through a portal into the Dark Dimension with Charlize Theron's Clea, setting him up to investigate the Multiversal Incursions he caused.
The actor recently confirmed Doctor Strange will be absent from Avengers: Doomsday due to his "character not aligning with this part of the story." But Cumberbatch looked ahead and teased his Avenger will be "quite central to where things might go," pointing to a major role in Secret Wars.
But before then, Cumberbatch confirmed discussions are underway between him and Marvel Studios for Doctor Strange 3. As Doctor Strange will be sitting out Doomsday, perhaps the magical threequel could grab the Marvel Studios' untitled movie release date between Avengers movies on November 6, 2026.
This could set Doctor Strange up to fulfill an important role in Doomsday and Secret Wars akin to Ant-Man across Infinity War and Endgame. The Avenger could sit out Doomsday, have a solo outing release between the Avengers movies, and bring the solution to the conflict with Doctor Doom in Secret Wars.
On a more frightening note, as the hero at the center of the Multiverse Saga who will have been in the MCU for a decade by the time it concludes, Doctor Strange could be the one to make the sacrifice play to defeat Doctor Doom.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will premiere on Disney+ on Wednesday, January 29.
