Marvel's Benedict Cumberbatch Confirms MCU Return

It appears Doctor Strange will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the very near future. Fans last saw Benedict Cumberbatch in 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where he fought his fellow Avenger Scarlet Witch. The film also explored more of the Multiverse while also introducing the future Young Avenger America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) and Doctor Strange's comic book wife, Clea (Charlize Theron). It's always been assumed Doctor Strange would return for either Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Avengers: Secret Wars, but Cumberbatch confirms there are "capers" in the works for next year as well.

Benedict Cumberbatch was a guest on Alan Howard's JW3 Speaker Series, where dropped the details on what he'll be up to in 2024. "There are some Marvel capers in the making next year," the Doctor Strange actor said. It should be noted that Cumberbatch didn't reveal if he will be shooting scenes for a feature film or a streaming series on Disney+. Marvel's current slate of projects has already been pushed back again, with new release dates for Deadpool 3, Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts, Blade, and Fantastic Four announced. The Avengers sequels Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars have also both been delayed an entire year.

Charlize Theron Comments on MCU Debut in Doctor Strange 2

Even though Charlize Theron only made a quick appearance as Clea in the post-credits scene of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, fans are already excited to see more of her team-up with Stephen Strange. However, after Doctor Strange 2 came out, Theron commented on what it was like to join the MCU.

"When Kevin [Feige] asked me to join the Doctor Strange world, I didn't even know when I was going to shoot that [The Boys cameo] at the time. The [roles] were so far apart that I almost forgot," the Oscar-winning actor said during a Q&A panel last year (via THR). "But in full transparency, I shared it with them and they were so happy that people are interested in this world, whether it's satire or non-satire. I don't know why both of these superheroes can't live in the same world."

When we spoke with Multiverse of Madness writer Michael Waldron, he revealed his excitement at being the one to introduce Clea.

"Charlize, she's badass," Waldron said. "It's awesome. It's so cool. I was so excited. It's dream casting for that character. I felt like we needed to close the book on Doctor Strange and Christine Palmer's relationship, and I feel like she advances him as a character, when she tells him to not be afraid of loving someone [or] of letting himself be loved. That's what opens the door for him to finally meet his great love from the comics. And so, she's every bit his equal. And I just think they have an amazing dynamic in the comics, and so I'm excited to see how that plays out in the future."