Warning: spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness takes the audience through different universes and meets the characters living in them, which made way for a number of rumors on Marvel characters that could appear in this multiversal adventure, but sadly, most of them didn’t happen. The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 4 is introducing new characters and exploring new events and concepts, the main one so far being the multiverse. The mysteries and dangers of it were teased in Loki and addressed in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and it was explored a bit deeper in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Directed by Sam Raimi, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set a couple of months after the chaotic events of Spider-Man: No Way Home and sees the title sorcerer (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) going on a journey through the multiverse alongside America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez). Strange and America were running away from Scarlet Witch’s (Elizabeth Olsen) dangerous powers that, thanks to the Darkhold, could reach other universes, which took them to different worlds with their own rules and their own superheroes.
As such, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness had the potential of bringing some highly-anticipated characters to the MCU, mostly those from Fox’s universe, and while it did so with some members of the Illuminati, there were many others that were just rumored to show up. Some characters were even believed to have been hidden in the official posters, while the appearance of others was based on their last MCU appearance and their connection to the main characters of this adventure, but unfortunately, they never showed up. Here’s every rumored Marvel cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness that turned out to be fake.
Was Tom Cruise's Iron Man Supposed To Be In Doctor Strange 2?
One of the biggest rumors around Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was about Tom Cruise’s appearance as none other than Iron Man. Tony Stark sacrificed himself at the end of Avengers: Endgame, and while there are variants in the MCU that can look exactly like their mainstream counterpart, the rumored appearance of Iron Man didn’t include Robert Downey Jr. Iron Man was thought to appear in Doctor Strange 2 thanks to the Illuminati, as Stark was one of the original members along with Professor X, Strange, Black Bolt, Reed Richards, and Namor, and the reason why Tom Cruise was rumored to play the billionaire hero is that he was Marvel’s top choice to play the character in Jon Favreau’s Iron Man. In the end, the Illuminati didn't include Iron Man, and the character didn't appear in any other universe.
Where's Kang During Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness?
The MCU’s Phase 4 is covering movies and TV shows, with the latter connecting to the former, and in the case of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it’s linked to WandaVision and Loki. Its strongest and most obvious connection is to WandaVision thanks to Scarlet Witch, the movie’s villain, but when it comes to Loki, there weren’t any characters showing up that could link the movie and the TV show. Some theories even suggested Kang (Jonathan Majors) would be Doctor Strange 2’s villain, but he was nowhere to be found. Kang is most likely overseeing the TVA during the events of Doctor Strange 2, though Strange’s actions will surely raise some flags at the TVA.
Why Vision & White Vision Aren't In Doctor Strange 2
WandaVision saw the return of Vision (Paul Bettany) after his death in Avengers: Infinity War, but he was a projection of Wanda’s mind. However, the series also revealed that S.W.O.R.D. created White Vision from the remains of the original Vision, but with destructive purposes. At the end of WandaVision, Westview Vision restored White Vision’s memories, stopping him from destroying him and more, and White Vision left while Westview Vision disappeared along with his children and the rest of Westview. Thanks to Scarlet Witch’s role in Doctor Strange 2, it was believed that White Vision could return to help Strange stop Wanda, but the truth is that White Vision had no place in the story.
Loki, Sylvie & Mobius Aren't In Doctor Strange 2 (Despite Multiverse Links)
Given its links to Loki, the God of Mischief himself (Tom Hiddleston), along with his variant, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino), was also rumored to appear in Doctor Strange 2, which would have made a lot of sense after they pretty much broke the multiverse at the end of Loki season 1 – however, it’s also understandable that they didn’t show up. The last time the audience saw Loki and Sylvie, the former was trapped in the TVA in a different timeline as Mobius (Owen Wilson) didn’t recognize him and Kang the Conqueror was now overseeing the organization, while Sylvie was in the Citadel at the End of Time, where she killed He Who Remains, and it’s unknown if and how she got out of there.
Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, Cyclops & Other X-Men Are Missing
The appearance of Sir Patrick Stewart’s Professor X in Doctor Strange 2 was revealed in one of the trailers, and naturally, it made way for a lot of rumors about the potential appearances of other members of the X-Men, most notably fan-favorite Wolverine (Hugh Jackman's version, of course) and Cyclops, the latter as he’s one of Professor X’s most trusted confidantes. Sadly for X-Men fans, the only mutant they got to see was Professor X, and only briefly, as Wanda killed him minutes later. That doesn’t mean, of course, that Wolverine, Cyclops, and the rest don’t exist in the MCU’s multiverse, as Professor X’s presence implies that the X-Men are definitely present, but they weren’t members of Earth-838’s Illuminati.
Deadpool's MCU Debut Didn't Happen In Doctor Strange 2
One of the most popular and funny rumors about Doctor Strange 2 was about it being Deadpool’s MCU debut. The rumor began with the belief of the Merc with a Mouth being “hidden” in one of Doctor Strange 2’s posters and Ryan Reynolds insisting he wasn’t part of the movie, which was reminiscent of Andrew Garfield denying his involvement in Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, and unlike Garfield, Reynolds was right and he truly wasn’t part of Doctor Strange 2, which was for the best, as the tone of the Deadpool movies and that of Doctor Strange 2 are very different, and Deadpool's MCU debut would have been disappointing had he appeared in this movie.
Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man Didn't Return In Doctor Strange 2
Sam Raimi’s return to the world of superheroes with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness made way for a lot of speculation around Spider-Man 4 and Tobey Maguire’s future MCU appearances. After his return as Spider-Man in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Maguire was believed to be among the surprise cameos planned for Doctor Strange 2, but once more, this was nothing more than a rumor. It’s unclear if Maguire will play Spider-Man again as part of the MCU or if No Way Home was his final appearance as the web-slinger, but just like Deadpool, it was for the best that he didn’t show up in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as that would have shifted the attention to him and raised a number of questions after what happened at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
