Every Marvel Movie Doctor Strange 2 Can Make MCU Canon

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may be bringing some previously unrelated Marvel movies into the MCU. Considering Marvel Comics' history of exploring the multiverse and the surfacing reports of characters - played by the same actors from other Marvel cinematic franchises - making their way into the MCU canon, it appears as though Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios still have some tricks up their sleeves as they pivot away from the Infinity Saga and its Thanos-related threats.

Feige and his crew are surely looking for some big shakeups and appear to have already laid the groundwork for multiverse-inspired events. In Avengers: Infinity War, an entranced Doctor Strange is shown peeking into some 14,000,605 possible futures - with each future set in its own unique universe. In Avengers: Endgame, the heroes' "time heist" continued to expand upon the concept of alternate universes, as emphasized with the Ancient One's assertion that taking the Infinity Stones from various timelines would result in a series of splinter realities. Since the recently released WandaVision trailer was dropped, rumors that the Scarlet Witch's reality-bending powers will contribute to the opening of the multiverse have run rampant, and the developments from the series are rumored play into the character's role in the Doctor Strange sequel. And based on a handful of reported casting sessions and rumors for the series as it enters into its fourth phase, titles once thought out-of-bounds for the MCU may actually be the a part of its mysterious multiverse.

That is not to say that all Marvel related films will find themselves represented in the MCU's depiction of the multiverse. After all, licensing agreements are sure to complicate the proceedings, as with all Hulk-related content (the character's rights, as they pertain to his solo outings, are owned by Universal). There have also been a handful of underperforming films that the studio might be more apt to forget than to revisit. The Fantastic Four films have been notorious for their negative critical response and other non-MCU Marvel titles - like that of Wesley Snipes' Blade, Ben Affleck's Daredevil, and Nicolas Cage's Ghost Rider - simply haven't been at the center of the public consciousness for some time, making them unlikely contenders. But here are the films most likely to find themselves represented in one way or another thanks to Doctor Strange's tampering with the multiverse.

Original X-Men & Wolverine Films

Professor Xavier about to enter Cerebro in 2000's X-Men

Often credited for its contributions to the onslaught of comic book films in the following years, Fox's original X-Men film made its way to the silver screen in 2000. Embracing a grounded and Ultimate Universe-inspired aesthetic, the film starred Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen as Charles Xavier and Magneto, respectively, and is responsible for Hugh Jackman's ascension to movie stardom with his visceral interpretation of Wolverine. Easily one of the most recognizable and long-lasting series to exist outside of the Disney-owned MCU, paying homage to the franchise that proved the viability of super heroes in cinema would be an obvious choice to explore while hopping around the multiverse - and with Disney's acquisition of Fox and their previously-owned mutant characters, it is all the more likely.

X-Men First Class Reboot Films

After ending the original trilogy, which culminated in the disappointing X-Men: The Last Stand, Fox announced that they would be kicking off a prequel series following the Professor X/Magneto origin story. Beginning with X-Men: First Class, the series continued on with X-Men: Days of Future Past (which also incorporated much of the cast from the original series), X-Men: Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix. Despite the reboot's unevenness and its critically maligned final entry, the string of films more fully embraces the MCU's colorful and bombastic aesthetic. While it is likely that most of the mutants will be recast for their primary MCU versions, it's possible Marvel could bring back the First Class iterations of the characters to play their alternate universe counterparts.

For decades, the X-Men's comic book lineup has been littered with universe-crossing imports like Rachel Summers and X-Man, a tradition that may come into play with the reported addition of Evan Peters to the WandaVision cast, perhaps as Quicksilver. Peters, known for his portrayal as Quicksilver in the Fox's X-Men franchise (a character who has already appeared in the MCU, but played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson), is rumored to reprise the role as his sister Wanda explores the multiverse in both the Disney+ series and 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Deadpool

Of all the characters to find their way into the MCU, Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool seems the most likely. Considering the actor's passion surrounding the role and the Merc with a Mouth's overwhelming popularity, it is unsurprising that reports of Marvel Studios preparing for a substantial multi-film deal with Reynolds began circulating months before the official closing of the Disney-Fox merger. Due to the irreverent and adult-oriented humor of Deadpool and Deadpool 2, it is possible that the House of Mouse will make some alterations to the series, but thanks to its self-referential and fourth-wall-breaking humor, creators will be able to acknowledge the absurdity of Reynolds' universe-spanning portrayal in ways not typically available to more "dramatic" properties. And if other characters' come from Fox's Marvel Universe to the MCU via Doctor Strange or Wanda messing with the multiverse, why not Wade Wilson?

Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy

Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst in Spider-Man 2

First bitten with a radioactive spider in 2002, Tobey Maguire's depiction of Peter Parker was directed by Sam Raimi - who is slated to lead the Doctor Strange sequel, as well. Because of his history with Maguire and the character, it is possible that Raimi may wish to revisit his old stomping ground and begin laying the groundwork for a future live-action Spider-Verse film. Since Spidey and his supporting characters (from all of the various Spider-series) are effectively "on loan" from Sony Pictures for their MCU appearances, all possibilities of this happening are dependent on the rights-holders playing ball with Disney. However, judging by J.K. Simmons' surprising reprisal of J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man: Far From Home, such an arrangement is not out of the question. Appearing in the film's mid-credit scene, Jameson was given a modern twist (he was repurposed as a conspiratorial Alex Jones-esque figure), but since Simmons continues to play him, there is further indication that Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy already shares some DNA with the MCU.

Amazing Spider-Man 1 & 2

Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker in Amazing Spider-Man

J.K. Simmons is not the only actor confirmed to be bringing a character from a pre-existing Spider-Man franchise into the MCU. Shocking fans, it's been confirmed that Jamie Foxx will reprise the role of Electro. the villain he played in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Despite the actor's Oscar-worthy talent, the depiction - which utilized extensive CGI and a blue character redesign - garnered a handful of negative reviews. In a since-deleted Instagram post, Foxx emphasized that this would play a different (and, thankfully, non-blue) version of Electro in Spider-Man Homecoming 3, lending additional credence to the idea that universe-spanning actors (like Foxx and Simmons) will continue to populate the MCU's multiverse.

These casting revelations may relate to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as they display an interest in revisiting older films as the MCU continues its inevitable expansion. If characters like Electro and J. Jonah Jameson make their way to the MCU's main timeline, is it possible that fans may see Maguire and Garfield return alongside Tom Holland in an Into the Spider-Verse-like crossover? Apparently, the idea was already toyed with during the writing process of the Academy Award-winning animated film, but the proposed Maguire, Garfield, and Holland cameos were eventually scrapped. But perhaps creators at Marvel Studios and Sony are angling for Doctor Strange's universe-hopping adventures to finally bring the actors together.

As all of the pieces continue to fall into place, anticipation surrounding Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and its implications for the wider MCU are palpable. Fans of the franchise have waited over a year for what comes next in the lives of their beloved heroes after the Infinity Saga. Should the inevitable opening of the multiverse signify past Marvel movies joining official canon, the series will surely continue to take giant swings going forward.

Next: Every Upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie