Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness featured a thrilling adventure like never before for Benedict Cumberbatch's titular sorcerer. The sequel pushed the concept of the Multiverse into the forefront while also giving Strange his biggest challenge yet as he embarked on a universe-hopping journey to ultimately defeat Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch.
While The Master of the Mystic Arts was successful in the sequel, the film's ending proved that there are still plenty of stories to tell.
In the post-credits scene, Strange was recruited by Charlize Theron's Clea to fix an Incursion that he caused, thus directly setting up the story for his potential third solo movie. However, Marvel Studios has yet to officially announce the follow-up to Multiverse of Madness, leading fans to question if it is in the cards or if the story will be saved for another crossover movie.
Now, the MCU veteran has addressed the possibilities surrounding Doctor Strange 3.
Doctor Strange 3? Benedict Cumberbatch Responds
Doctor Strange actor Benedict Cumberbatch sat down with The New Indian Express to talk about the possibility of a third movie centered around the MCU's Stephen Strange.
When the outlet directly asked about the likelihood of seeing a potential third movie to complete his solo trilogy, Cumberbatch openly said that he would "love to do another one," citing the fact that there is still "so much more to explore" with the character:
"I hope so. I would love to do another one. Doctor Strange is such a complex character and it feels like there is so much more to explore with him. He is such a brilliant character and I’m still having a wild time playing him."
In a previous interview with Extra TV, Cumberbatch already teased that Multiverse of Madness sets him up "for a really exciting future" in the MCU:
"I really can’t wait to see what the fan reaction is to this and where it takes Strange, and who he is by the end of the film. But I think it sets him up for a really exciting future.”
Cumberbatch then admitted that he was never a big comic book fan growing up, pointing out that he "didn't know anything" about Doctor Strange. It even came to a point that he had to ask some people who Strange was "when the character was first pitched to [him]:"
"I have to hold my hand up and humbly admit that I am not and never was a big comic book fan. I did have a few comics and I loved the Superman films with Christopher Reeve. That shows how old I am! I certainly didn’t know anything about Doctor Strange. I had to ask some people about who he was when the character was first pitched to me. The more I have discovered about him, the more I have loved him as a character. He’s a wonderful character to play."
The outlet then asked Cumberbatch if he knew that Doctor Strange would go on to play a prominent role in the MCU. The veteran actor said that he's still "surprised" at how prominent Strange has become, revealing that he had "no idea" that the storyline would lead to the Multiverse saga:
"Not really. I’m still surprised at how prominent he has become. I always knew there was amazing potential there because of all the aspects to the character, but I definitely had no idea that we would get to be at this point with the multiverse aspect when we started out."
Cumberbatch also unveiled his dream Multiverse crossover, sharing that he would love his Doctor Strange to show up alongside Banana Man in one corner of the Multiverse. Banana Man is a fictional superhero who appeared in British comic books, where he is usually portrayed as a schoolboy who transforms into a caped figure when he eats a banana:
"I rather like the idea of him popping up with Banana Man. I was a big Banana Man fan as a kid and I like the idea of us going there to see what he’s been up to."
When Will Marvel Release Doctor Strange 3?
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige previously unveiled that Benedict Cumberbatch is now the MCU's "anchor" due to his "tremendous" vision for where he could take Doctor Strange as a character. That said, the veteran actor's willingness to return for another project as The Master of the Mystic Arts is a welcome development, and a sign of good things to come for the franchise.
Cumberbatch has grown to love the Doctor Strange character, especially after portraying the role six times since 2016. Even though Multiverse of Madness is only his second solo movie, the actor's time butting heads with other Avengers in crossover films like Iron Man and Spider-Man essentially contributed to his growth while also making him stronger and wiser for future installments.
It's reasonable to assume that a third Doctor Strange movie is only a matter of when and not if for the MCU, considering the sequel's ending.
Doctor Strange 3 could end up exploring what an incursion is and how it affects the other Earths in the Multiverse. Charlize Theron's Clea is also a likely candidate to have a starring role in the potential threequel since she will be pivotal in Strange's MCU future.
For now, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to premiere on Disney+ on Wednesday, June 22.
