The wait is almost over. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is within weeks of its May 6 theatrical release; and if its ticket sales thus far are any indication, fans are more than ready for this Multiversal epic. While the fact that the film follows Spider-Man: No Way Home is definitely intriguing, much of the appeal of Doctor Strange 2 has to do with its mystery and cast.
In addition to Benedict Cumberbatch's Dr. Stephen Strange and Benedict Wong as Wong, Multiverse of Madness also stars Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff, following her "incident" in WandaVision on Disney+, as well as the return of Rachel McAdams as Dr. Christine Palmer.
Still, that's not all. Xochitl Gomez is set to make her MCU debut as America Chavez, and Wanda's kids, Billy and Tommy, are also confirmed to return. Plus, there's the potential for Variants and Multiversal crossovers, including that of Patrick Stewart's Professor X.
Despite this extensive cast list and the film's multiple TV spots and trailers, audiences still don't know just what this film holds. But now, thanks to a member of the Multiverse of Madness crew, fans now have a better idea of who else might appear.
Doctor Strange 2 Gift Hints at Additional Comic Book Characters
Mark Wagner, a member of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' stunt crew, posted a picture of director Sam Raimi's wrap gift on Instagram which he refers to as the director's "reference materials:"
Wagner's photo can be seen below and was captioned as follows:
"When the director gives you some of his reference materials as a wrap gift."
The comic is Doctor Strange (1974) #48, featuring the Marvel Comics character of Clea, as well as Brother Voodoo and Sara Wolfe.
Interestingly enough, the only other characters confirmed for Doctor Strange 2 who also appear in this comic are Doctor Strange and Wong.
Doctor Strange 2's Evergrowing Cast List
In the comics, Clea was a sorceress with ties to Dormammu. In addition to having been taught by Doctor Strange, the two had a romantic relationship; and from time to time, Clea has even ruled the Dark Dimension.
Before Mark Wagner shared director Sam Raimi's "reference materials," there were reports of casting calls for Clea and even rumors that Academy Award-winning actress Charlize Theron was attached to the role.
The fact that Clea is featured on the cover and in the storyline of this particular comic only gives more weight to these rumors. However, if this proves to be true, that doesn't mean Theron or Clea will have a leading role in the film. It's more likely that audiences will see Theron in a small role or cameo, setting the stage for her to play a larger role in future projects.
The character of Sara Wolfe in Multiverse of Madness also seems like a possibility given a Funko Pop! figure of a sorcerer named Sara recently surfaced online. In the comics, Sara Wolfe served as Strange's secretary and was Wong's love interest.
Much like Clea, Brother Voodoo is also a sorcerer who, at one point, was given the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme and even obtained the Cloak of Levitation. It's worth noting that his brother, Daniel Drumm, did play a minor role in 2016's Doctor Strange, potentially setting the stage for this character in Multiverse of Madness.
While it's true that Marvel Studios uses the comics as source material, the studio has always taken its liberties in adapting characters and storylines into live-action. Even though preexisting rumors, and now this comic from Raimi, strongly suggest audiences will see the likes of Clea, Sara Wolfe, and Brother Voodoo in Doctor Strange 2, their characters and the extent of their roles will likely be different than what fans know from print.
Still, the fact that Raimi chose this comic as a reference is worth paying attention to. After all, the director first named-dropped Doctor Strange in 2004's Spider-Man 2. If he chose this particular Doctor Strange comic, there's sure to be something there that impacts this film's story.
Just what that is and what this film actually has in store is anyone's guess at this point. Thankfully, fans won't have to wait too much longer to find out.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to release in theaters on May 6.
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