Will 'Doctor Strange 2' Take Place Before or After 'Avengers: Infinity War'?

Select members of the Avengers: Infinity War cast recently appeared in Singapore with director Joe Russo for a fan promotional event - and the official proceedings of that event inadvertently revealed a big change for one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe character: when Doctor Strange star Benedict Cumberbatch took the stage, he was introduced as Marvel's "Sorcerer Supreme!"

That title is one that Doctor Strange takes after become the most accomplished sorcerer in the Master of the Mystic Arts order - but it's not something that occurred within the storyline of the Doctor Strange origin film. By the time we next saw Strange (during his brief cameo in Thor: Ragnarok), it seemed as though he'd definitely grown into the full role of Sorcerer Supreme - but there was no official confirmation of that. Apparently, Avengers: Infinity War won't be vague about Stephen Strange's status in the MCU order.

However, the notion that Doctor Strange is Sorcerer Supreme in Avengers: Infinity War raises some big questions about Doctor Strange 2 - the biggest being when will the film be set: before or after Infinity War?

After the events of the first Doctor Strange movie, we asked the question of when Doctor Strange would officially become the MCU Sorcerer Supreme. That speculation led to two clear choices: Strange's rise to official Sorcerer Supreme would either happen in Avengers: Infinity War, or Doctor Strange 2. As we've gotten closer to the release of Infinity War, however, it's become clear that there's probably a different route that Marvel Studios will go, with this question.

Doctor Strange 2: Sorcerer Supreme

It's clear that Strange will be Sorcerer Supreme by the time the events of Avengers: Infinity War; but the story of how he finally claimed the title may be what Doctor Strange 2 is all about.

The post-credits scene of Doctor Strange revealed that Chiwetel Ejiofor's Mordo was embarking on a dark new mission to steal the magic away from what he sees as unworthy sorcerers all over the world. Mordo was last seen ambushing Benjamin Bratt's Jonathan Pangborn and stealing his magic -- a vile act that would've made waves in the mystic world -- as his campaign expands. Given that Doctor Strange takes place in a time span stretching between the end of Iron Man 2 and Captain America: Civil War, it's hard to imagine Mordo watching Stephen Strange take the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme without a fight, and allowing that ascension to continue unchallenged, all the way up to the events of Infinity War.

It's highly plausible that Doctor Strange 2 could cover important events between the end of the first film and the beginning of Infinity War, such as how Doctor Strange confronted both the threat of Mordo and the otherworldly threat of confirmed sequel villain Nightmare, and how those massive mystical threats forced him to truly grow into a Sorcerer Supreme worthy of the Ancient One's legacy. Given the nature of Mordo's scheme, Strange would truly be the shepherd of all mystics of Earth if he defeats Mordo, and benevolently returns the stolen magic to all the good and noble sorcerers Mordo robbed. Given how separated the Marvel mystic world is form the main MCU, there would be little to no crossover conflict with the events Avengers: Infinity War.

Doctor Strange 2: Nightmares

While the logic of Mordo's character and storyline seems to dictate that Doctor Strange 2 be set pre-Infinity War, it's not a hard requirement. The sequel film could tell a great post-Infinity War story -- one that examines how these two villains are particularly well-suited to attack and antagonize Stephen Strange at one of his most vulnerable times.

Previews for Avengers: Infinity War have shown that Doctor Strange will suffer a terrible blow, as he is taken prisoner and brutally tortured by one of Thanos' Black Order, presumably to reveal the hiding place of the Time Stone. After that harrowing ordeal, Doctor Strange could find his mind and emotions compromised in a way that makes it hard to fulfill the promise of being Sorcerer Supreme -- and give Nightmare the perfect small opening with which to wreak his havoc on our realm.

Clearly, if Doctor Strange 2 goes that route with a post-Infinity War story, then we won't likely ever get a play-by-play storyline for how the character officially became Sorcerer Supreme. It will just be left to imagination that he studied and grew in power, eventually being awarded the title, somewhere in the gray area between films. It's something that Marvel Studios has done before (see: all those discrepancies between where Iron Man was after Iron Man 3 and leading into Avengers 2). So it wouldn't be surprising to see it happen again.

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Do you think Doctor Strange 2 will be set before or after Avengers: Infinity War? And do you need to see the moment Strange officially becomes Sorcerer Supreme depicted onscreen? Let us know in the comments!

Marvel Studios' Black Panther is now playing in theaters. Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on April 27, 2018. It is followed by Ant-Man and The Wasp on July 6, 2018, Captain Marvel on March 8, 2019, the untitled fourth Avengers film on May 3, 2019, the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming on July 5, 2019, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2020.