Marvel Studios is well known for keeping its spoilers well under wraps. So, imagine our surprise when Doctor Strange actor Benedict Cumberbatch not only outlined the one-time Sorcerer Supreme's upcoming Marvel plans in a new interview, but also revealed his surprise absence from the next Avengers movie.
Speaking to Variety, Cumberbatch revealed that he won't appear as Doctor Strange in 2026's Avengers: Doomsday.
"Is that a spoiler? Fuck it," a loose-lipped Cumberbatch mused, before saying the reason behind the MCU no-show is because Doctor Strange is "not aligning with this part of the story."
Strange, however, is "in a lot" of 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars and is "quite central to where things might go" in the MCU according to Cumberbatch – which could include a third Doctor Strange film.
Doomsday and Secret Wars are set to cap off Marvel Studios' 'Multiverse Saga', with the crown in the jewel being the return of Robert Downey Jr. to the MCU but, this time, as Doctor Doom instead of reprising his iconic role as Iron Man.
As announced as 2024's San Diego Comic-Con, the casts of Thunderbolts* (no, we still don't know what the asterisk means) and The Fantastic Four will be involved in the upcoming one-two punch of Avengers features.
Elsewhere, 2025 is set to be one of Marvel's busiest calendar years yet. Daredevil: Born Again, Ironheart, and Wonder Man are representing the television side of things on Disney Plus, while Captain America: Brave New World soars into cinemas alongside Thunderbolts* and Fantastic Four.
For more, check out our guide to upcoming Marvel movies and how to watch the Marvel movies in order.
