Daniel Craig's Marvel Role FINALLY Gets Confirmed

By Klein Felt Updated:
Daniel Craig Doctor Strange 2

In a new interview, Elizabeth Olsen finally confirmed who Daniel Craig was supposed to play in last year's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Craig's cut role in the MCU sequel has been a mystery since the film was released, with no official confirmation as to who he was supposed to play. 

Last fall, a concept piece of Craig as Thor-adjacent comics character Balder the Brave surfaced from a concept artist on the film; however, it was noted the concept made it "no further than [the] watercolor" piece that was posted.

Fans even got a glimpse of a deleted scene that supposedly featured the character dead on the floor of the Illuminati Headquarters, but nothing more was mentioned. 

Daniel Craig's MCU Role Confirmed

craigbalders
Marvel Studios

Speaking with Happy Sad Confused's Josh Horowitz, Scarlet Witch actress Elizabeth Olsen revealed Daniel Craig was, in fact, set to play Balder the Brave in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

When Craig as Balder got brought up, Olsen said, "Yes, that's what I thought was going to happen," remarking that she "saw the art:"

Horowitz: "I asked him about playing Balder the Brave."

Olsen: "Yes, that's what I thought was going to happen."

Horowitz: "And where's Daniel Craig?"

Olsen: "Yeah, I saw the art. They made a costume. They had a design."

momill
Marvel Studios

This comes despite Craig previously denying he was a part of the film, telling Horowitz, "I don't know what you're talking about" when pressed about his rumored Doctor Strange 2 appearance.

What Happened to Daniel Craig's Doctor Strange 2 Cameo?

There it is, after months of speculation, fans finally have the first bit of confirmation that Daniel Craig was set to play Balder the Brave in Multiverse of Madness

But one has to ask, what exactly happened? If Marvel Studios had an A-list talent lined up like Daniel Craig, why did it ultimately cut his role? 

Well, there could have been a lot of factors at play. Multiverse of Madness has become infamous for its bumpy road to its theatrical release, with a number of drafts, rewrites, and reshoots happening throughout its production process. 

What likely happened is Craig's version of Balder (even though it seems his scenes were only ever filmed with a stand-in) was a member of the mysterious Illuminati team at one point in production but was swapped out with one of the other Multiversal cameos that made it into the final cut. 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now available to stream on Disney+. 

- About The Author: Klein Felt
Klein Felt is a Senior Editor at The Direct. Joining the website back in 2020, he helped jumpstart video game content on The Direct. Klein plays a vital role as a part of the site's content team, demonstrating expertise in all things PlayStation, Marvel, and the greater entertainment industry.