There's no doubt that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness promises to be one of the most exciting and inventive entries in the MCU so far, following on from the shocking conclusions of both Spider-Man: No Way Home and WandaVision. It follows Doctor Strange as he attempts to undo the dangerous effects of his multiverse-bending spell that opened a widening rift between realities.
The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen in the lead roles, but it also promises a surprising number of guest appearances and cameos that have been kept secret from audiences. There are a few characters that the trailers have revealed to be returning, but there's surely still plenty more that we don't know.
Jett Klyne - Skyscraper (2018)
Rent On Vudu
There have been plenty of exciting action movies headed by Dwayne Johnson in the past few years, but Skyscraper is definitely one of his most unconventional and entertaining to date. It follows the story of a former FBI agent who must save his family from a deadly fire in the world's tallest building.
In WandaVision, Klyne was introduced as one of the titular couple's children, Tommy Maximoff. Although the character seemingly departed from the MCU at the end of the show, a post-credit scene confirmed that Wanda was still using her powers to search for her two missing children.
Julian Hilliard - The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)
Stream On HBO Max
The third entry into the iconic The Conjuring franchise was met with fairly mixed reception, but it's safe to say that fans of the original still found plenty to love in its unique story. It features a terrifying real-life story from the Warrens, alongside lots of great horror filmmaking.
In the MCU, Hilliard plays Wanda and Vision's other son, Billy Maximoff. Like his brother, the character was lost at the end of WandaVision. But if Wanda gets her own way, it seems highly likely that the pair will be found again in Multiverse of Madness.
Hayley Atwell - Christopher Robin (2018)
Stream On Disney+
Outside of the MCU, Hayley Atwell is probably most recognizable for her role as Evelyn Robin in Christopher Robin. The film takes place in the wholesome universe of Winnie the Pooh, with Ewan McGregor playing the titular role of Pooh's best friend.
Although Peggy Carter's story seemingly ended when Steve Rogers traveled back in time to spend the rest of his life with her at the end of Avengers: Endgame, trailers for Multiverse of Madness have revealed that Atwell will return as Captain Carter, a variant that of the character that was first introduced in What If..?
Patrick Stewart - Dune (1984)
Stream On Starz
Although Stewart is definitely best known for the role of Charles Xavier, his most famous movie outside of the superhero genre or Star Trek is most likely David Lynch's cinematic adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune. He plays Gurney Halleck, the character played by Josh Brolin in Denis Villeneuve's recent adaptation.
However, it's Charles Xavier that really takes up most of Stewart's filmography. Whether that's in the X-Men movies themselves, the stand-alone Wolverine epic Logan, or now the MCU's mind-bending Multiverse of Madness, according to the trailers.
Rachel McAdams - Spotlight (2015)
Rent On Apple TV
2015's Best Picture-winning Spotlight is one of the most gripping and compelling investigative dramas of the past decade, with McAdams' supporting performance being one of the film's strongest assets. It explores the Boston Globe's investigation of the Catholic Church's exploitation of young children.
In Doctor Strange, Rachel McAdams plays Strange's love interest, Christine Palmer, though the pair haven't been seen together since that film's conclusion in 2016. There's plenty to explore with their relationship, though Strange might be a little too busy with fixing the multiverse these days.
Michael Stuhlbarg - The Shape of Water (2017)
Stream On Hulu & FXNow
2017's The Shape of Water is a hypnotic fairytale directed by Guillermo del Toro that chronicles the unconventional romance between a young woman and a genetically mutated fish-like creature. Despite its odd premise, the film is an extremely compelling and thought-provoking one that deserves its position as one of the greatest Best Picture winners of the 2010s.
Stuhlbarg also appeared in Doctor Strange as Nicodemus West, a surgeon that worked alongside Strange before his life-changing accident. He was mostly used as a tool to display Strange's arrogance and self-centered work ethic, though his appearance in Multiverse of Madness may shed a little more light on his character.
Benedict Wong - The Martian (2015)
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2015's The Martian is a science-fiction thriller directed by Ridley Scott, starring Matt Damon as a scientist who becomes stranded on Mars and is forced to survive until NASA can return to rescue him. It's one of the most interesting and entertaining modern sci-fis that focuses on humanity rather than aliens.
In the MCU, Benedict Wong plays Wong, the current Sorcerer Supreme. He has always been the more level-headed counterpart to Stephen Strange, and he even warned Strange against casting the spell that tore the multiverse apart. This could lead to some conflict between them in Multiverse of Madness, which would undoubtedly be thrilling to watch.
Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years A Slave (2013)
Stream On HBO Max
In 12 Years A Slave, Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Solomon Northrup, a free African-American who falls victim to an elaborate hoax that sees him sold into slavery. The film follows Northrup throughout his journey, exploring his relationships with the others that he meets along the way.
There's a lot of time that has passed by unrecorded between Strange's introduction in 2016 and Multiverse of Madness (which seemingly takes place in 2024 or 2025), so it stands to reason that the conflict between Mordo and Strange/Wong has also developed a lot since audiences last saw him. Multiverse of Madness could definitely play off of this in an interesting way.
Elizabeth Olsen - Wind River (2017)
Stream On Netflix, The Roku Channel, Tubi, & Vudu
2017's Wind River tells the exciting story of a wildlife officer and an FBI agent who team up in order to solve a murder and work through their own problems in their personal lives. It stars both Elizabeth Olsen and Jeremy Renner, who have a thrilling chemistry on-screen that brings Taylor Sheridan's script to life.
Despite starting off as a secondary antagonist in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Wanda Maximoff has quickly become one of the most important and powerful characters in the entire MCU. Her relationship with Vision characterized much of the MCU's Phase 3, and her grief for him has already been a huge part of Phase 4.
Benedict Cumberbatch - The Power Of The Dog (2021)
Stream On Netflix
Benedict Cumberbatch recently secured his second Oscar nomination for his work in Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog, despite narrowly missing out on the victory to King Richard's Will Smith. Campion's film tells the story of a domineering rancher who begins to psychologically torture his brother's new wife and her effeminate son.
Cumberbatch also plays Stephen Strange, the protagonist of both Doctor Strange and Multiverse of Madness. He's quickly turned into one of the MCU's wisest and most reliable figures, even if his recent actions in No Way Home have caused more chaos than they should have. Doctor Strange's unmistakable traits and signature charms are sure to be a huge part of Multiverse of Madness, bolstered by Cumberbatch's performance.