Tom Holland's Spider-Man 3: Benedict Cumberbatch Reprising Doctor Strange Role in MCU Sequel

By Tom Drew Updated:
Spider-Man and Zendaya as MJ, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange

Spider-Man 3 has had a recent influx of news as of late, ahead of its return to filming in October. This has come in the form of multiple casting announcements, including the return of the majority of Peter Parker's supporting cast.

Recent news about Jamie Foxx returning as Electro in the MCU set the internet ablaze, causing many to wonder whether the multiverse would be used in Spider-Man 3 . A rumor suggested that this may be the case, with WandaVision kicking off the use of the multiverse in the upcoming Disney+ series.

More evidence from past emails from Kevin Feige demonstrate that the Marvel producer has an affinity for the character , possibly indicating that this is the very same Electro from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 .

Tom Holland previously indicated that he wanted to have a team-up with Doctor Strange. Now, this wish may have just been granted.

A past MCU actor has now joined the Spider-Man 3 cast, adding more credence to the multiverse actually being featured in the film...

NEWS

Tony Stark, Peter Parker, Doctor Strange
Marvel Studios

According to a new report from The Hollywood Reporter , Benedict Cumberbatch has reportedly joined the cast of Spider-Man 3 to reprise his role as Doctor Strange.

The report notes that Stephen Strange would be playing a mentor role to Peter Parker in the film, similar to Tony Stark and Nick Fury's roles in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home , respectively.

Deadline also corroborated the news , reiterating that Strange would be used as a mentor to Peter. Marvel Studios is reportedly planning for Cumberbatch to shoot for Spider-Man 3 first and then move on to production for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Variety shared that Spider-Man 3 is now set to begin filming next month.

Marvel Studios and Sony had no comment on the news.

WHAT THIS MEANS

Doctor Strange
Marvel Studios

Spider-Man 3 is experiencing bombshell after bombshell, with two massive back-to-back returning cast members. With Doctor Strange reprising his role to the film, it can almost be said for certain that Spider-Man 3 will be dealing with some multiverse shenanigans.

While it is unknown how much Strange will actually be used in the film, his role as a mentor indicates that he will at the very least have a relatively substantial part to play. The characters had a bit of interplay in Avengers: Infinity War , so Spider-Man 3 should give them the opportunity to hang out a bit more. The Sorceror Supreme could even help Peter with his identity problem, using his magic to thwart J. Jonah Jameson's plots.

It does not outright confirm it, but this heavily indicates that Electro will indeed be the same character seen in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 brought over via the powers of the multiverse. This will give Jamie Foxx another shot at the character and to make Electro a household name.

For Strange to appear in the film without mention of the multiverse would be a bit odd, as there are plenty other heroes that could fit a standard mentor role. Therefore, it is incredibly likely that the multiverse will be used in the film, which could lead to a live-action Spider-Verse down the road.

With the multiverse's inclusion, could this mean that other versions of Spider-Man characters may appear? Perhaps this means that the possibility of Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin or Alfred Molina's Doc-Ock rearing their villainous heads once again is actually on the table.

Spider-Man 3 is set to release on December 17, 2021, now featuring Doctor Strange and Electro.

- In This Article: Spider-Man: No Way Home
Release Date
December 17, 2021
Platform
Theaters
- About The Author: Tom Drew
Tom Drew is the Executive Editor at The Direct. Tom writes for The Direct's Marvel, Star Wars, and DC branches while specializing in all things movies, from blockbuster to indie darlings.