Marvel Studios thrives on multiple characters interacting within its cinematic universe, and with the recent busting open of the multiverse in “Spider-Man No Way Home,” the “Doctor Strange” sequel is expected to be positively loaded with characters. Directed by Sam Raimi with a script by “Loki” writer Michael Waldron, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” promises to be one heck of a ride.
And as if one version of certain characters isn’t already enough, different iterations of Doctor Strange himself look will be making appearances, as Benedict Cumberbatch’s sorcerer travels the multiverse.
This “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” cast and character guide is now spoiler-filled so proceed with caution. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, don’t read any further!
Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch)
Back in “Doctor Strange” (2016), we meet a very arrogant and full-of-himself Stephen Strange, whose cockiness stems from his talent as one of the top surgeons in the country. After a car crash leaves his hands injured to the point that he can no longer operate, he journeys to Kamar-Taj in the hopes of healing his hands, but gets pulled into a much deeper life calling. Strange now serves as a Sorcerer Supreme, one of the guardians of the universe from dimensional threats, and since his survival of the blip, Thanos and more, Strange’s most recent activity included helping Peter Parker (Tom Holland) sort his identity crisis that came about in “Spider-Man: Far From Home.” In helping him with a risky spell, Dr. Strange opened up the multiverse, and in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” he faces the consequences of doing that, but not alone.
Cumberbatch is known for playing Khan in “Star Trek Into Darkness” (2013), Little Charles Aiken in “August: Osage County” (2013), Alan Turing in “The Imitation Game” (2014), Sherlock Holmes in the series “Sherlock” (2010-2017) and most recently Phil Burbank in “The Power of the Dog” (2021).
Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen)
We first met Wanda Maximoff in “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” She and her brother Pietro volunteered for Hydra to experiment on them after they lost their parents in a bombing that leveled their home. Wanda’s powers include telekinesis, energy manipulation and some form of neurelolectric interfacing. She bonds with Vision, an artificial being, but she loses him when Thanos rises to power and, in his search for all six infinity stones to fill the gauntlet that allows him to erase half the population with the snap of a finger, takes the mind stone from Vision’s forehead to fulfill his quest.
Doctor Strange seek’s Wanda’s help (and past advice from Vision) in better understanding the Multiverse and the potential threats he has unleashed. Olsen has previously appeared as Wanda in “Captain America: Civil War,” “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Avengers: Endgame” and most recently “WandaVision.” Other roles Olsen has played include those in the films “Silent House” (2011), “Godzilla” (2014), “Ingrid Goes West” (2017), “Wind River” (2017) and the TV show “Sorry for Your Loss” (2018-2019)
Wong (Benedict Wong)
Wong is Doctor Strange’s right-hand Sorcerer Surpeme. He helped train Strange when he first came to Kamar-Taj. Wong specializes in dimensional travel with his sling ring, as well as mastering energy and other dimensional elements to defend himself from unknown forces. Wong is known for film roles like Bruce Ng in 2015’s “The Martian,” Lomax in “Annihilation” (2018) and Mr. Wickfield in “The Personal History of David Copperfield” (2019). He also played Master Li in the TV series “Deadly Class.”
Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor)
Mordo also helped train Doctor Strange in his initial studies, pushing Strange to be better every day, following the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) without question until Strange realized she derived power from the Dark Dimension. This caused Mordo to question his commitment to protecting the world through sorcery, and at the end of “Doctor Strange” he relinquished his title of Sorcerer Supreme, vowing to rid the world of sorcerers because he thinks there are too many of them. Ejiofor played Okwe in 2002’s “Dirty Pretty Things,” Adrian Helmsley in “2012” (2009), Solomon Northup in “12 Years a Slave” and Trywell Kamkwamba in “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” (2019).
America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez)
America is one of the film’s new faces, and a new character in the MCU. She has the ability to travel between different dimensions, and she is on the run from a cosmic force when she randomly lands in New York City. She helps Strange fight off Gargantos, and from there on is involved in better handling the Multiverse. Gomez has played roles on TV shows like “Shadow Wolves,” “Gentefied” and “The Babysitter’s Club.”
Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams)
Palmer was once a love interest of Dr. Strange’s. She was there through his hand surgery and recovery process, and after he gave up medicine to become a sorcerer, he very unexpectedly visited her a few times in the hospital. In “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” it looks like Christine is finally getting married, but not to Dr. Strange.
McAdams is known for two iconic 2004 films: “The Notebook” in which she plays Allie the main love interest and “Mean Girls” in which she plays alpha Regina George. She has also starred in “The Vow” (2012), “About Time” (2013) and “Spotlight” (2015).
Nichodemus West (Michael Stuhlbarg)
West is another former surgeon colleague of Dr. Strange’s. Strange often looked down on him or snarked at him back when he could still do surgery, but after changing his ways, he finally gave the reins over when The Ancient One was dying. Stuhlbarg is known for roles in “A Serious Man” (2009), “Call Me By Your Name” (2017), “The Shape of Water” (2017) and most recently the Hulu series “Dopesick.”
Billy (Julian Hilliard) and Tommy (Jett Klyne) Maximoff
Billy and Tommy are Wanda’s imagined children she has with Vision in her magically redesigned world of Westview. They get more spotlight in “WandaVision” with one of them developing high metabolism and Quicksilver speed like Pietro and the other one gaining powers more like Wanda’s. Hilliard has a horror background from shows like “The Haunting of Hill House” and “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels” as well as a role in “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.” Klyne has appeared in “Skyscraper” (2018) and “Z” (2019).
Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart)
Patrick Stewart reprises his role as Charles Xavier from the “X-Men” movies in an alternate universe (Earth-838), although this version of Professor X is a different one than the one Stewart played in the prior Marvel franchise.
Reed Richards (John Krasinski)
Also from Earth-838 is Reed Richards, leader of the Fantastic Four, here played by John Krasinski in a bit of fan-casting come to life. This is the first time Reed Richards has appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Captain Marvel (Lashana Lynch)
In Earth-838, Captain Marvel is not Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) but instead Monica Rambeau (Lashana Lynch).
Black Bolt (Anson Mount)
Reprising his role from a forgotten, one-season Marvel TV show, Anson Mount plays the Inhuman Black Bolt. This version of the character, as revealed in Earth-838, is different than the one we’ve seen before.
Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell)
The final member of the Illuminati is Captain Carter, an alternate universe version of Captain America. In Earth-838, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) took the super soldier serum instead of Steve Rogers, and became a superhero. Atwell voiced Captain Carter in the Disney+ series “What If…?”
