Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness reshoots wrap this week, possibly with new characters and cameos added. Doctor Strange was introduced into the MCU with 2016's Doctor Strange, directed by Scott Derrickson and starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the Master of the Mystic Arts. Stephen Strange, a former physician turned sorcerer, has since been a staple in the MCU, appearing in multiple films thus far, including Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and currently in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Spider-Man director Sam Raimi took on directing duties for the sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which will see the Sorcerer Supreme dealing with the after effects of the fractured multiverse, enlisting the help of Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) to help find a solution to the mess he created. Along with Cumberbatch, original stars Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, and Chiwetal Ejiofor are back, with Xochitl Gomez joining the film as America Chavez, a.k.a. Miss America, an inter-dimensional superhero well-versed in the multiverse.

Related: Doctor Strange 2 Trailer Breakdown: 13 Reveals From Spider-Man Credits

It was reported earlier that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was undergoing significant reshoots, and now, according to THR, those reshoots are set to wrap up this week. However, more details are being revealed as to the content of those reshoots, with THR saying that part of the reshoots were done as a result of the events that transpired in the Disney+ series, Loki, as well as Spider-Man: No Way Home, both of which deal significantly with the multiverse. Marvel was apparently excited about the actors crossing paths in No Way Home, as well as the alternate versions of characters in Loki, and decided to apply those concepts to Doctor Strange 2 to have "more fun with the multiverse," including "more cameos and character introductions" in the sequel. It's unclear which cameos or introductions they could have in mind, although the inclusion of Kang The Conquerer (Jonathan Majors) is at least one possibility, as he's being teed up to be the next big bad for the MCU.

Jonathan Majors as He Who Remains Kang in Loki and Doctor Strange in What if

The multiverse was first mentioned and teased in Avengers: Endgame and was expanded upon in Spider-Man: Far From Home. The concept went even deeper with Loki, exploring corners of the MCU that have remained unseen until then. Loki also introduced Majors' Kang The Conquerer, a classic time-traveling villain from the comics who has been a constant threat since his introduction in the pages of Fantastic Four in 1963.

With the inclusion of characters from other film universes now being implemented, not only in MCU films, but soon within the DCEU with next year's The Flash, the multiverse is set to change how franchise films operate entirely. While some of the films could certainly remain more grounded, the multiverse opens up the doors of creativity to explore all manner of interactions with characters, environments, and storylines if the need were there. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness could cull characters from various universes and timelines, be it from franchises like Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, etc., which could greatly increase the narrative and general excitement of the sequel. Plus, the ability to pull in already established characters from other franchises (namely the old Fox-owned ones) makes for an easier transition to the MCU as audiences will already have an established connection to them, like they did for the characters in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Next: Marvel’s Phase 4 Multiverse Is Already A Mess

Source: THR

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