"Benedict Cumberbatch Reveals All About Marvel Future"

Benedict Cumberbatch recently spilled the beans on Avengers: Secret Wars and Avengers: Doomsday, diving deep into the intricacies of these upcoming Marvel blockbusters. Not only did he cover the changes in these films, but he also touched upon the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), including the upcoming X-Men era. Marvel and Kevin Feige must have been thrilled with his candid revelations.

Conspiracy Theory?

Could it be a conspiracy that Doctor Strange is absent from Avengers: Doomsday? Fans are buzzing with theories, but it's unlikely that Marvel would allow such a significant spoiler to slip unless it was part of their strategic plan. Recently, Marvel has been known to use tactical spoilers to shift focus from less favorable news, such as the Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively drama or the issues surrounding Captain America: Brave New World.

Cumberbatch confirmed several plot points for both Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, revealing how the storyline has evolved since Jonathan Majors was fired. Avengers 5, originally titled Kang Dynasty, has been rebranded as Doomsday, and it's set to feature the return of Robert Downey Jr.

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While fans were hoping for a Doctor Doom and Doctor Strange team-up inspired by the comic "Triumph and Torment," it seems Robert Downey Jr.'s involvement in Secret Wars might steer the narrative in a different direction.

Doctor Strange is Not in Doomsday

According to Cumberbatch, Doctor Strange's absence from Doomsday is due to the character not fitting into this particular storyline. Initially, Strange was meant to have a larger role in the Kang Dynasty version, which would have included Shang-Chi as a main character and focused on the Council of Kangs. However, the film has since been retooled to introduce Victor Von Doom and bring back Robert Downey Jr.

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This shift confirms long-standing fan theories about Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings of Power, especially after similarities were noted between the Ten Rings and Kang's time ship in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. The original plan hinted at a connection to the Council of Kangs, but the new direction suggests a different narrative path.

Spider-Man, Not the Iron Man

Avengers: Doomsday will pivot more towards the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom, aligning with the upcoming Fantastic Four movie. This setup will lead directly into Doomsday, Marvel's final release before Avengers: Doomsday. The film will include a post-credits scene setting up the beginning of Doomsday, much like Thor: Ragnarok did for Infinity War.

Kevin Feige's concept of "anchor beings" became significant during Deadpool and Wolverine, hinting at a central figure in the MCU. Given that Iron Man is not this anchor, and with Doctor Strange's absence from Doomsday, it's speculated that Spider-Man might be the key figure. The plot seems to adapt elements from the "Time Runs Out" storyline, where the multiverse collapses into Battle World, setting the stage for Secret Wars.

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In Secret Wars, Robert Downey Jr. is expected to take on a role akin to God Emperor Doom, aiming to save the multiverse but ultimately becoming its main villain.

Secret Wars

Secret Wars is poised to be a multiverse movie featuring legacy actors forming a multiverse Avengers team, effectively soft-rebooting the MCU. Cumberbatch's revelations highlight a significant downgrade for Shang-Chi in Doomsday, pushing his character to the background and delaying his sequel in favor of other projects.

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In the original plan, Doctor Strange was to survive the multiverse's destruction and make it to Battle World. Secret Wars would feature a drastically different cast, with most MCU characters dying in a manner similar to the Infinity War snap, leaving a few survivors and many legacy actors from pre-MCU Marvel movies.

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The film is expected to be a larger-scale version of Deadpool and Wolverine, potentially bringing back X-Men characters, Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and even classic Fantastic Four actors.

The Future of MCU and Strange

Post-Secret Wars, Cumberbatch hinted at a soft reboot of the MCU, with Doctor Strange playing a central role in the upcoming X-Men era. This suggests that Strange will be integral to X-Men-based stories moving forward, as seen in his appearance in X-Men '97.

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Cumberbatch's enthusiasm during the interview positions him as a pivotal figure in the evolving MCU, likening him to the "new Marvel Jesus." Doctor Strange is expected to be involved in high-level story arcs across Marvel Phase 7, potentially leading to an Avengers vs. X-Men storyline.

Doctor Strange 3, initially planned to release before Kang Dynasty, has seen significant changes. The film's plot was originally centered around incursions leading to the Council of Kangs. However, with its release now potentially aligned with Secret Wars, the narrative will need to shift away from incursions and multiverse themes, focusing instead on X-Men-related magic and characters.

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There's no script yet for Doctor Strange 3, leaving room for various possibilities, including a classic Defenders storyline or a Midnight Suns team-up featuring characters like Moon Knight and possibly even Ghost Rider, as hinted by Ryan Reynolds regarding Deadpool and Wolverine.

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Cumberbatch's revealing interview has opened up a multitude of exciting possibilities for the MCU's future.