As Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe begins, things are set to become crazier than at any point in Marvel Studios' history, as wild concepts from the comics are brought to the big screen. The most prominent of these is the use of the multiverse, which has already been teased several times through Phase 3 of the Infinity Saga.
The only real use of the multiverse seen thus far has been the use of time travel with the Time Stone and the Quantum Realm in Doctor Strange and Avengers: Endgame ; it was also touched on in Spider-Man: Far From Home before Mysterio revealed the whole thing to be fake. This is all set to change in Phase 4 with the multiverse already coming into play with WandaVision on Disney+, which just premiered last weekend.
This will continue in the untitled Spider-Man 3 as well as in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness . New quotes from Marvel's top man confirm that this will just be the start.
FULL MULTIVERSE AHEAD
In a recent interview with Rotten Tomatoes , Marvel CCO Kevin Feige confirmed that the multiverse will continue to be explored "after" the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in 2022. Speaking with Naz Perez, Feige teased that more stories in Phase 4 and beyond will "embrace the multiverse and the madness therein" :
Perez: "The multiverse was teased a little bit at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home. What can you tell us about that playing a part in the future of the MCU?"
Feige: "Well, I mean, the title of the next Doctor Strange movie is Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness, so that is our biggest clue that that movie will embrace the multiverse and the madness therein very directly. There are, as we always like to do, connections before and after that which will remain to be seen and discovered, but it seemed appropriate that it would be Doctor Strange that takes that on in the most direct way."
WHAT THIS MEANS
The MCU multiverse is confirmed to play some kind of role in both WandaVision and the untitled Spider-Man 3 , and after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness dives into the concept there will be no turning back. The details on how the multiverse will come into play are still scarce, but the idea has been building for years before its ultimate arrival on screen.
There are six confirmed movies and at least 4 Disney+ shows coming after the Doctor Strange sequel. Of those, the most likely properties that may revisit the multiverse include director Peyton Reed's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and director Jon Watts' Fantastic Four . The Quantum Realm from the Ant-Man movies served as an early tease to the multiverse's existence in Avengers: Endgame and Fantastic Four could potentially use it for some time-travel/multiverse shenanigans when it debuts.
It's becoming clear that Benedict Cumberbatch's second solo adventure will be far from the last time the multiverse is explored, though he will serve to bring it more depth than in any MCU movie preceding it . With the potential to see other versions of classic MCU characters and alternate realities galore, the multiverse is sure to play a major role throughout Phase 4 and beyond.
WandaVision is currently streaming on Disney+, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is in the early stages of filming before its release on March 25, 2022.
