The Marvel Cinematic Universe—or should we be saying Multiverse?—just got a lot bigger. If the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home taught us anything, it’s that Wong is always right. After Peter Parker and Doctor Strange ignored the interim Sorcerer Supreme’s warning and left reality crumbling at its seams thanks to a bad spell, it took all of Strange’s magic to try and restore the Multiverse. Now it looks like his tampering with space and time several times has yielded dire consequences.
The first trailer for the Sam Raimi-directed Doctor Strange sequel film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, reveals that all of the meddling Strange has done using the Time Stone in the Infinity saga and through trying to help Peter Parker has left the Multiverse in shambles. Seeking the help of Wanda Maximoff and America Chavez, Strange must now go on a quest to restore the reality that he has muddied with his irresponsible use of magic. It also looks like Strange will have to answer to a higher judicial body for his irresponsible actions as well. To put it plainly, this trailer is insane. Not is it strongly suggested that Patrick Stewart will be reprising his role as Charles Xavier, but we also get our first look at the MCU’s Illuminati, Xochitl Gomez’s America Chavez, aka Miss America, and variants of other characters besides Strange.
Elizabeth Olsen said a few months back that this might be the scariest Marvel movie yet, and this first look is as eerie and menacing as she made it sound. With the film due out May 6, 2022, and a whole lot to dive into before then, here are the biggest takeaways from the first trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
The Re-introduction of Professor X
First Look at Marvel’s Illuminati
There Will be Variants of other MCU Characters
Wanda Maximoff Will Be Central to the Story
Tie-ins to the Disney+ Series
Better Look at Miss America
Who Will be the Main Villain?
Based on the new promotional poster for the movie, many have theorized that one of the shattered shards of reality behind Doctor Strange is reflecting Deadpool, a character that has been known to break the fourth wall. In a very Deadpool fashion, the character made his first unofficial Marvel Cinematic Universe debut when Ryan Renolds appeared as the hero in an ad spot for his movie Free Guy with Korg from Thor: Ragnarok. Marvel’s Kevin Fiege also confirmed that Deadpool 3 will be taking place in the MCU, so it would make sense if the Merc with a Mouth makes his debut in a film centered around Multiversal collisions.
Elsewhere in the poster is also a clear shot of Peggy Carter’s Captain Carter shield. Captain Carter was a prominent character in What If…?, and since the events of that animated show were canon we might see Hayley Atwell reprise her role as the British-agent-turned-super-soldier. Other shards in the poster reflect the faces of different Doctor Strange variants, new shots of Wanda Maximoff and possibly her different variants, America Chavez, and other interesting images that might hold some hidden cameos.