Now that Multiverse of Madness is out on Disney Plus, there's a high chance that the first moment you'll be skipping to is the Doctor Strange 2 post-credits scene. Not only does it introduce you-know-who into the MCU, but it could also be the first step towards setting up Marvel's next big event movie. Kevin Feige has recently teased more information on the MCU's next saga will arrive "in the coming months" in a new interview with Total Film, but the ball might have already started rolling in that regard. And you can thank a certain Sorcerer Supreme for that.
Of course, there are those who are coming to Multiverse of Madness for the first time. Hello! If you're curious about everything that comes after the credits, we've got a complete breakdown of the Doctor Strange 2 post-credits scenes: how many there are, what happens, and what it all could mean.
How many Doctor Strange 2 post-credits scenes are there?
There are two Doctor Strange 2 post-credits scenes. The first one comes after the usual flashy Marvel credits sequence (featuring the names of all the major actors). The second arrives around three or four minutes later after the full credits have finished rolling. Once they’re done, you’re free to stop watching – though if you have somewhere to be then only the first Doctor Strange 2 post-credits scene has any story relevance.
Now, under the next heading, we're going into major Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness spoilers. Turn back if you don't want to know what happens in the two after-credits scenes.
Doctor Strange 2 post-credits scene, explained *spoilers*
The first Doctor Strange 2 post-credits scene picks up right after the main Doctor Strange 2 ending and seemingly answers the sequel’s cliffhanger. What happened to Doctor Strange’s third eye? At the very least, the ex-Sorcerer Supreme has that dark magic situation under control for the time being.
What he doesn’t have under control, though, is his new visitor. While walking down a street in New York, a woman in purple (namechecked as ‘Clea’ in the credits and played by Charlize Theron) arrives and tells Doctor Strange that "he caused an incursion… and we're going to fix it."
Clea tears a hole in reality, which provides a window to her destination in space. Clea asks, "Unless you’re afraid?" Strange, without missing a beat and showing his new third eye, replies, "Not in the least."
What does that mean for Doctor Strange and the MCU? Incursions were mentioned earlier in the movie: an apocalyptic event that sees two universes crashing into each other. It’s why Doctor Strange in the Illuminati universe proved so dangerous. He was looking for a universe where he and Christine could be together – and ended up colliding two universes together, wiping out realities and killing trillions.
Doctor Strange 3 – or whatever's next for Stephen – will likely see Strange teaming up with Clea to take on whatever threat(s) are bleeding from one universe into another. Expect cosmic challenges galore, trippy CGI creatures, and potentially more multiversal crossovers. It might even ultimately lead to an adaptation of 2015’s Secret Wars – a comic book storyline that saw Marvel’s ‘main’ 616 universe and the Ultimate universe collide after their own incursion, with Doctor Doom on hand to pick up the pieces and create a world of his own making. It's something fans keep bringing up, too, so expect it to be addressed in Marvel Phase 4 in some way.
Clea, meanwhile, is likely going to be a major factor moving forward. For the uninitiated, she hails from the Dark Dimension (in the comics, at least) and is an exceptionally skilled sorceress. She also becomes romantically involved with Stephen Strange and also becomes his disciple at the Sanctum Sanctorum. Here in the MCU, though, they appear on a more even footing, though there's always a chance love could be in the air for the pair. Now, hats off to anyone who had Charlize Theron in Doctor Strange 2 on their cameo bingo card. You can read more about Clea's comic book history through that link.
"We knew that we wanted to introduce Clea," Doctor Strange 2 writer Michael Waldron recently told Gizmodo. "She's Strange's great love in the comics and it was felt to me like Strange wasn't at the point at the start of our movie where he was ready to meet the love of his life. It felt like we had to close the loop with he and Christine Palmer. And so after she gives him her wisdom to not be afraid of loving someone, then it felt like we were right to tease what could be eventually with he and Clea."
Less than a week after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was released, Theron took to social media to share a red carpet photo of herself in a purple dress alongside the caption: "Cat's out of the bag." Given Clea's costume (and signature eye makeup), many took this as a public acknowledgment of her introduction to the MCU.
A couple of days later, the Atomic Blonde star uploaded an up-close selfie that showcased Clea's dramatic eyeliner and a still from the film, that sees herself and Benedict Cumberbatch in full superhero mode.
Theron wasn't done there, either. A little while after that, she posted a behind-the-scenes look at her on set of Doctor Strange 2.
The second post-credits scene just features Bruce Campbell returning at the Pizza Poppa from the 'Red Means Go' universe. We see the effects of Strange's spell wearing off as Campbell’s character turns to the camera and shouts "It's over!"
Don't worry, no MCU setups or sequel teases here – even if we would like to see Pizza Poppa return. It just continues Campbell's working relationship with director Sam Raimi. The actor has appeared in several of Raimi’s movies, most notably the Evil Dead films. He’s even had bit-part roles in the Spider-Man trilogy.
Want more on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? Then check out our guides to:
- Our guide to Marvel Phase 4
- The rumored Doctor Strange cameos that never came true
- All the Doctor Strange 2 Easter eggs listed
- Where Doctor Strange 2 fits on the Marvel timeline
- Who is Hayley Atwell in Doctor Strange 2?
- Who plays Captain Marvel in Doctor Strange 2?
- Who is John Krasinski in Doctor Strange 2?
- Who is Black Bolt in Doctor Strange 2?
- Patrick Stewart is Professor X – but not the one you think
- Our full WandaVision recap
- The Marvel movies and shows to watch before Doctor Strange 2
- How to watch the Marvel movies in order
- Is Doctor Strange 2 too scary for children?
