In the last few years, Marvel Studios have elevated the cinematic experience of watching these MCU movies unfold on the big screen, with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness the latest to be in theaters. The incredible spectacle of Multiverse of Madness ranges from stylistic horror-esque visuals to breathtaking, maddening action. Of course, a big part of this latest MCU addition has been the surprise cameos that have blown fans' minds.
Leading up to Multiverse of Madness, fans suspected several cameos that could be game-changers for the MCU. Indeed, the MCU film did not hold back on the biggest surprise cameos, some of which left subtle implications for the Fantastic Four and X-Men.
Blackagar Boltagon/Black Bolt (Anson Mount)
Much of the cameo reveals come from the sequences related to the Illuminati. One of the first members introduced is Black Bolt, and many Marvel fans recognize him from the 2017 critically panned series Inhumans. Anson Mount reprises the Inhuman leader, Blackagar Boltagon/ Black Bolt, donning a new comic-accurate costume.
Nevertheless, the Doctor Strange sequel presents a refreshing take on Black Bolt. Unfortunately, like most Illuminati members, he meets his demise with perhaps the most violent death of his head blown off after Wanda took away his mouth. Of course, the appearance of Black Bolt raises curiosity about the existence of the Inhumans, which the MCU has rarely ever acknowledged, and even with his appearance, their fate remains obscure.
Maria Rambeau/Captain Marvel (Lashana Lynch)
Another Illuminati member was a variant of Maria Rambeau, taking the mantle of Captain Marvel. This assertive variant likely took on the mission with Wendy Lawson rather than Carol Danvers and eventually became Captain Marvel.
Even before Multiverse of Madness dropped in theaters, the trailers had hinted a Captain Marvel figure was to appear. However, this clue led to speculation about which variant was playing Captain Marvel, with many fans suspecting Maria Rambeau. Of course, these suspicions turned into reality. Unfortunately, a fallen statue fired by Wanda crushed Captain Marvel to death, but not without putting up a good fight.
Pizza Poppa Vendor (Bruce Campbell)
Given the full-fledge stakes, the film eases the tension with Earth-838's Pizza Poppa vendor, who berates America Chavez for not paying the pizza balls and accuses Doctor Strange-616 of stealing the cloak. Of course, playing the Pizza Poppa vendor was none other than Bruce Campbell.
Campbell is a frequent collaborator of Sam Raimi, so he was bound to show up as a cameo in Multiverse of Multiverse. His role is not the most significant, but it does add a sense of comic relief, which carries on into the post-credit scene.
Peggy Carter/Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell)
Captain Carter was another hinted cameo, radiating the Great Britain flag into her costume and shield in trailers and TV spots. Of course, this iteration likely stems from the pilot episode of What If...? that presents a universe where Peggy Carter underwent the super-soldier experiment instead of Steve Rogers. However, it is unclear if the origin story from the animated version resonates with Captain Carter in the MCU movie. It was one of the improved characters from their MCU versions.
Hayley Atwell reprises her role as Peggy Carter and follows through with her portrayal of Captain Carter, whom she also voiced in the animated series. She exudes the best qualities of even Earth-616's Captain America and delivers the iconic quote, "I can do this all day." Sadly, like her colleagues, she does not survive and endures one of the most brutal deaths in the movie, with Wanda severing her body in half with the shield.
Charles Xavier/Professor X (Patrick Stewart)
The Multiverse of Madness also formally presented the leader of the Illuminati, Charles Xavier/Professor X, who Marvel fans know from the X-Men. Of course, his appearance is not too much of a surprise considering the trailers have subtly confirmed his existence in the MCU movie.
Nevertheless, Patrick Stewart reprises the remarkable telepath. His return brings a sense of nostalgia while also revitalizing his entrance with the famous yellow hoverchair from the comics. However, Professor X does not last long after attempting to free Wanda-838 from The Scarlet Witch's possessions. Eventually, The Scarlet Witch catches up to him in his mind, cracking his conscious and physical forms' necks. Considering Professor X is a mutant, the question remains about mutants since the Multiverse of Madness never references the mutants or officially utters their existence. While this has yet to be confirmed, Professor X's appearance may be one step closer to turning this pipe dream into reality.
Clea (Charlize Theron)
While most cameos were reserved for the Illuminati sequences, the mid-credit scene had one last surprise cameo for the audience. An unexpected Charlize Theron shows up in a purplish getup, presenting herself as a sorceress from a different dimension. Furthermore, she faults Doctor Strange for causing an incursion and instructs him to fix it. Before learning more about this strange individual, the scene goes straight into credits.
Luckily, given the hints from the suit and credits, the mysterious sorceress is likely Clea, who is the niece of Dormammu in the comics. Considering that the universe she warps looks eerily like the Dark Dimension, the mid-credit scene implies that the MCU will further explore the cosmology, meaning that the multiverse is only beginning to unfold. Furthermore, since Doctor Strange looks to have finally moved on from Dr. Christine Palmer, the Multiverse of Madness ending implicates that Doctor Strange may have a new love interest.
Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (John Krasinski)
Finally, perhaps the most jaw-dropping and exciting surprise cameo was the genius Reed Richards, a.k.a Mister Fantastic. However, it was not just anyone playing the plasticity-powered superhero. Portraying Mister Fantastic was none other than John Krasinski, who has been the top fan choice to play the stretchy character. Of all the surprise cameos, Marvel fans were most astonished by the character's appearance and the casting of Mister Fantastic. Despite his limited screen time, Krasinski fully embodies the smartest man on Earth, from his leadership to intelligence, which only supports fans' intuition of his perfect casting. Of course, he was the second Illuminati member to meet his demise after Wanda shredded him in pieces.
Nevertheless, some speculation has risen if his appearance in the film confirms his casting for the upcoming Fantastic Four movie. Marvel Studios have already announced that the Fantastic Four is coming, and Krasinski's appearance as Mister Fantastic just gave a taste of what to anticipate. However, it is unclear if Krasinski's casting is permanent or simply a one-off, but the version that dies is from Earth-838, which means the Earth-616 variant has yet to emerge. This opens the door for the Fantastic Four team to mark their formal debut on Earth-616, and Multiverse of Madness would not be the last of Mister Fantastic.