Doctor Strange 2 Leak Reveals First Look at Villain

By Sam Hargrave Updated:
Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness, Shuma-Gorath

After managing to maintain interest for over a decade through the hugely popular Infinity Saga as everything built toward the final showdown with Thanos, the MCU has a tough road ahead with Phase 4 to hold onto its fans.

Following years of speculation and even a complete misdirect with Mysterio in Spider-Man: Far From Home, the Marvel Multiverse was finally born with the death of He Who Remains in Loki as the timeline fractured into infinite realities.

The Multiverse is already proving to be a powerful storytelling tool for Marvel Studios as it serves as the cornerstone of What If...?Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

While little is known about the multiverse-centric Doctor Strange sequel, which finished filming earlier in the year, leaks suggested fans are in for plenty of cameos, surprises, and twists.

Previous rumors reported the powerful multiversal being Shuma-Gorath would serve as the main villain of the sequel, and those were only further amplified by the appearance of a squid-like creature in several episodes of What If...?.

With the May blockbuster quickly approaching, a product listing offered the first look at Shuma-Gorath himself.

Doctor Strange Puzzle Reveals Sequel Villain

Australian book retailer Booktopia listed an adult coloring pad and jigsaw puzzle for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness featuring Benedict Cumberbatch's Sorcerer Supreme taking on Shuma-Gorath.

Doctor Strange 2 Shuma Gorath
Marvel

Shuma-Gorath has previously been rumored to serve as the main antagonist of the highly-anticipated sequel and seemingly made his MCU debut in several episodes of the What If...? Disney+ animated series. 

What If...? Shuma Gorath
Marvel Studios

Doctor Strange Villain Accidentally Revealed

With six months still to go until Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness releases and the villain yet to be confirmed, it can be assumed the spoiler-filled product in question was listed by accident, especially since it doesn't release until April 2022.

The plot for the Doctor Strange sequel remains shrouded in mystery but confirmed characters so far include the Sorcerer Supreme, America Chavez, Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch, Wong, Baron Mordo, and Rachel McAdams' Dr. Christine Palmer.

Having made his on-screen debut in the What If...? animated series, it will be interesting to see how the squid-like creature translated to live-action in what is sure to be a CGI spectacle among the MCU's biggest yet. 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6, 2022.

- About The Author: Sam Hargrave
Sam Hargrave is the Associate Editor at The Direct. He joined the team as a gaming writer in 2020 before later expanding into writing for all areas of The Direct and taking on further responsibilities such as editorial tasks and image creation.