When a franchise becomes as big as the MCU, there’s no guarantee that we will see the same characters from movie to movie. Well, unless it’s a major tent pole, such as Avengers: Endgame. That being said, a Doctor Strange star just confirmed that he will be reprising his role in the upcoming sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Chiwetel Ejiofor, who played Baron Mordo in 2016’s Doctor Strange, is set to reprise his role in the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. When asked about his latest projects and current whereabouts, the actor had this to say:
I am in London. I’m shooting Doctor Strange [in the Multiverse of Madness]. It’s very exciting and so I’m looking forward to that. I’m in an undisclosed location at the moment.
The British-born actor revealed the news on BBC’s The One Show, where he was also asked about the plot details for Sam Raimi’s highly anticipated Phase 4 film. His response was jokingly on-brand for an actor working on one of Marvel’s secretive projects:
I can tell you all about it! How much time do you have?
He was, of course, just joking. Ejiofor played Baron Mordo in Doctor Strange, the foil to Benedict Cumberbatch’s time-bending Steven Strange. It's unclear what Mordo has been up to in the universe, as he hasn't been seen since abandoning his sorcerer duties after the events of the 2016 film.
The upcoming project has been shrouded in mystery since being announced back in 2019. While Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson was originally attached for the sequel, he has since parted ways with the production. But, it’s not all bad news. Horror legend Sam Raimi took over the project in 2020, in a decision that was even endorsed by Derrickson.
Fans may be familiar with Raimi’s work on the original Spider-Man trilogy, which featured Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker. The director’s involvement in the MCU is even more intriguing, considering some of the wild Spider-Man 3 rumors that have been circulating.
Since Raimi took over Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, there has been a fair bit of speculation on the implications of the multiverse in the MCU. Some believe that the film will open the door for a number of characters, even those from previous film installments, to make an appearance.
Heck, even Marvel executive Kevin Feige has been teasing the importance of the multiverse for some time. I think it’s safe to say that the upcoming sequel, and Chiwetel Ejiofor’s involvement, will have major implications for Marvel’s Phase 4.
We are still a long way off from seeing Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on the big screen. Right now, it’s scheduled to release on March 25, 2020. That being said, Marvel has been doing a great job of keeping fans satisfied with its Disney + offerings, including WandaVision and the upcoming Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
Marvel’s Phase 4 is set to kick off May 7, 2020 with Black Widow, which will be the first film installment since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be the fifth entry of the eight films currently on the MCU's schedule.
