Doctor Strange 2 Writer Convinced Marvel to Make Big Kang Change for Loki

During the season finale of Marvel Studios' Loki, we're introduced to Jonathan Major as a character named He Who Remains, who is actually a variant of Kang The Conqueror. In the comic, He Who Remains is a totally different character than Kang and it appears they changed that for the series due to one very specific reason. While having a discussion with The Playlist, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Loki writer Michael Waldron reveals the reason for the change.

"The TVA shifted to like, 'O.K., these guys are actually guarding against a multiverse.' And so that's when He Who Remains is just kind of an old creepy guy in the comics," Said Waldron. "And I pushed and Marvel was very receptive to it, the idea, this should be a variant of Kang. Because I knew Kang was coming down the pipe as a villain in the MCU and it just felt too delicious to not have him intertwined in our time travel story somehow. And so then it was just been coming upon us to justify his role in this place, but Marvel was very supportive of all that."

The Doctor Strange sequel is expected to have numerous cameos from previous Marvel films due to the multiverse plot line. Loki is heavily rumored to make an appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and one would assume the sequel would lead into the second season of the series.
During the same interview, Waldron reveals that that's very much a possibility.

"The headaches I have are probably intertwined. I mean, it's all intertwined and it's all stands alone. Like a great comic universe, I think that one thing certainly informs the other," Waldron reveals. "You're going to have a better time watching the next chapter of an MCU story if you've seen the stuff before it. But also, hopefully, even if you've never if you've walked in off the street, you'll still have a blast. It should be good enough that it stands on its own." 

Marvel Studios describes Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as follows: "To restore a world where everything is changing, Strange seeks help from his ally Wong, the Sorcerer Supreme, and the Avengers' most powerful Scarlet Witch, Wanda. But a terrible threat looms over humanity and the entire universe that no longer can be done by their power alone. Even more surprising, the greatest threat in the universe looks exactly like Doctor Strange." 

The film is directed by the legendary Sam Rami and will star Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, Benedict Wong as Wong, Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer, Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/ Scarlet Witch, Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier, Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Baron Mordo. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to hit theaters on May 5th, 2022!

What did you think of Jonathan Majors as Kang The Conqueror in Loki? Are you excited for the second season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or by hitting up our writer @NateBrail on Twitter!