Benedict Cumberbatch spills the beans on Avengers: Secret Wars and Avengers: Doomsday, even offering a glimpse into the subsequent X-Men era. Marvel and Kevin Feige are likely delighted (or perhaps slightly mortified!).

Table of Contents

• Conspiracy Theory? Doctor Strange's Absence
• Spider-Man, Not Iron Man, as the Anchor
• Secret Wars: A Multiversal Mashup
• The Future of the MCU and Doctor Strange

Conspiracy Theory? Doctor Strange's Absence

Likely not a conspiracy. Marvel likely orchestrated the revealing interview as a strategic spoiler deployment to distract from other controversies (Ryan Reynolds/Blake Lively, Captain America: Brave New World).

Cumberbatch confirmed details about both Doomsday and Secret Wars, revealing significant storyline changes following Jonathan Majors' dismissal. Avengers 5 transitioned from Kang Dynasty to Doomsday, bringing back Robert Downey Jr. A planned Doctor Doom/Doctor Strange team-up (à la Triumph and Torment) is off the table due to Downey Jr.'s likely post-Secret Wars departure.

Doctor Strange's absence from Doomsday stems from the revised storyline; he was originally intended for a larger role in the Kang Dynasty iteration.

The original Avengers 5 (Kang Dynasty) featured Shang-Chi prominently. This version focused on the Council of Kangs. The MCU's overhaul introduced Victor Von Doom (played by Robert Downey Jr.). This seemingly confirms long-standing fan theories about the Ten Rings' origin, linking them to Kang via similarities to his time-ship rings seen in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Spider-Man, Not Iron Man, as the Anchor

Avengers: Doomsday centers on the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom, directly leading into Doomsday as the final film before the event. A post-credits scene, similar to Thor: Ragnarok's setup for Infinity War, will likely bridge the gap. Kevin Feige's emphasis on "anchor beings" (as seen in Deadpool and Wolverine) remains a mystery, though he confirmed the being is still alive, ruling out Iron Man as the "Marvel Jesus."

The theory suggests Doctor Doom aimed to eliminate the MCU anchor. With Strange's removal, Spider-Man emerges as the likely candidate. Both versions of Avengers 5 seem to adapt the Avengers: Time Runs Out storyline, culminating in a Battleworld scenario. Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom will attempt to save (and ultimately become the villain of) the multiverse as God Emperor Doom.

Secret Wars: A Multiversal Mashup

Secret Wars will be a multiversal film featuring legacy actors in a multiverse Avengers team, effectively soft-rebooting the MCU. Cumberbatch's revelations highlight Shang-Chi's downgraded role in Doomsday. The interview also revealed that Doctor Strange was initially slated to survive the multiverse's destruction in Secret Wars, alongside other MCU characters. The film would have featured a blend of surviving MCU characters and legacy actors from pre-MCU Marvel films. The scale will be akin to Deadpool and Wolverine, potentially including X-Men, Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, Venom, and classic Fantastic Four actors.

The Future of the MCU and Doctor Strange

Cumberbatch hints at Doctor Strange's pivotal role in the MCU's X-Men era, potentially involving him in X-Men-related stories (alluding to his appearance in X-Men '97). He positions himself as a key figure in the MCU's future.

Doctor Strange 3's release is now linked to Secret Wars, requiring plot changes due to the post-incursion setting. The film may incorporate more X-Men-related magic characters. Alternatively, it could feature a classic Defenders storyline or a Midnight Suns team-up, potentially including Moon Knight and even an MCU Ghost Rider (referencing almost-casting Nicholas Cage in Deadpool and Wolverine). The possibilities are vast, thanks to Cumberbatch's spoiler-filled interview.