Doctor Strange 2 Producer on Potential Magneto Talks

By Adam Barnhardt

Throughout much of Marvel Studios' Phase Four, the multiverse has been at the center of the outfit's storytelling efforts. From Loki to Spider-Man: No Way Home and beyond, jumping between timelines and realities has been more commonplace than not. That's especially true when it comes to a film like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where much of the picture takes place in an alternate reality that isn't the primary Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline.

Because of the multiversal wonkiness, Marvel was able to bring back Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier, making the character the first mutant to appear in the franchise. Though rumors in the lead-up to the film persistently pointed towards the introduction of Magneto—either the Ian McKellan or Michael Fassbender version—Strange producer Richie Palmer doesn't recall if any serious talks were had on the matter.

"I don't know if that was ever seriously talked about, again, that [Michael] Waldron's got a head full of crazy ideas, so, I'm not going to say those things never came up in conversation," Palmer said on a recent episode of the Empire Podcast (via The Direct).

As the producer puts it, it was already difficult explaining the Illuminati and other multiversal concepts, let alone introducing a whole group of X-Men into the mix.

"I think once you start getting into Magneto and explaining Mutants, you know, I think that the Illuminati appearances in this movie are pretty self-explanatory. I think you get them and you know... I think it's all right there for you," the producer continued. "To go any further with it, and to try to explain that stuff, might've detracted from the experience. However, who's to say in this universe, that's a different Wanda than our Wanda with a different backstory, there is a Professor Xavier there, there are Mutants, there are Inhumans. So, you got to believe she definitely has her own version of that story going on."

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now streaming on Disney+. What'd you think about the sequel? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments section or by hitting our writer @AdamBarnhardt up on Twitter to chat all things MCU!

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