Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is an entry to the Marvel Cinematic Universe unlike any other, following its titular Master of the Mystic Arts across parallel dimensions as he fights the rising power of the former Avenger Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch.
Like all other installments of the MCU, Multiverse of Madness builds up to many future projects in development, getting fans excited for what Marvel has up its sleeve. As such, there are a number of upcoming movies and series that the latest Doctor Strange film explicitly sets up.
Doctor Strange 3
While a third film in the Doctor Strange franchise has not yet been officially announced, the project's existence is an inevitability given the success of the original two installments. With several plotlines dangling from the ending of Multiverse of Madness, fans can rest assured that there will certainly be at least one follow-up to its cliffhanger ending.
This film may be the future installment of the MCU most directly set up by Multiverse of Madness. With the introduction of Charlize Theron's Clea in the film's post-credits scene, it would appear that Doctor Strange 3 will return to the Dark Dimension, perhaps even exploring a romantic relationship between the Master of the Mystic Arts and the honorable niece of Dorammamu himself.
Scarlet Witch Spinoff
Wanda Maximoff has quickly become the biggest scene-stealer of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's fourth phase, with her appearances in WandaVision and Multiverse of Madness cementing her as a fan-favorite character in the franchise. As such, many fans have begun to lobby for the character to receive her very own spinoff film.
With the Scarlet Witch's growing popularity, it would seem unwise of Marvel not to give the character her own spinoff film series. Even with her supposed death at the end of her latest appearance, one would be hard-pressed to find a fan who truly believes she is gone for good. As such, there are numerous possibilities for the MCU to explore with Wanda Maximoff in a solo film, including the ever-popular "House of M" storyline from the comics.
Fantastic Four
One of the most applause-worthy scenes of Multiverse of Madness is the introduction of Earth-838's Illuminati. Perhaps the most exciting member of this council was John Krasinski's Reed Richards, the leader of the Fantastic Four, who portends the arrival of the MCU's own rendition of the character and his iconic team.
Many fans will undoubtedly leave the theater after Multiverse of Madness wondering where Reed and the other Fantastic Four members will show up next in the MCU, after receiving just a taste of what their next live-action adaptation will look like. The floodgates have opened for Marvel's First Family, and it is only a matter of time before they make their first full appearance in the mega-franchise.
Secret Wars
Although Marvel Studios has not yet confirmed the plot of the forthcoming fifth installment of the Avengers franchise, Phase 4 has dropped numerous hints that the film would adapt the Secret Wars comic storyline, wherein an incursion forces the Avengers and their allies to fight for their universe's very existence on an interdimensional planet known only as Battleworld.
If there had been any doubt before, Multiverse of Madness seems to solidify all fan theories pointing toward Secret Wars being adapted for the MCU. Given that the film introduced the concept of incursions, it seems to directly point to this highly-anticipated storyline.
America Chavez Spinoff
Multiverse of Madness marks the live-action debut of America Chavez, the dimension-hopping being whom Wanda Maximioff seeks in order to steal her power. The character, portrayed by Xochitl Gomez, is certain to be a major cast member of the MCU moving forward, and has even been hinted at for her very own spinoff film or series.
The film ends with America Chavez training to become a sorcerer, under the tutelage of Doctor Strange and Wong, indicating that she will continue to appear in future installments of the franchise. However, screenwriter Michael Waldron has recently come forth indicating that her future may lie in solo films, as evidenced by the character's unfulfilled desire to find her missing parents.
Loki Season 2
Loki will be among the first of Marvel's Disney+ series to receive a second season, which is expected to explore the fallout of Sylvie's decision to kill He Who Remains. While Marvel Studios has yet to announce the season's release date, it can be expected to align with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, as both will feature the return of Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror.
While Loki and Sylvie did not directly appear in the events of the latest Doctor Strange film, the fallout of Strange's foray into the multiverse will undoubtedly have some effect on the gods of mischief as they continue their own adventures. There will almost certainly be some sort of ramifications to Wanda and Strange's actions experienced in the next season of Loki, though specifics regarding this matter will likely not be revealed until it premieres on Disney+.
Young Avengers
The Young Avengers seems to be one of several teams that the MCU is working toward in its next Phases. With several prominent members of the comic book team popping up in recent Phase 4 titles, it seems as though this underaged superhero squad is already well on its way to the big screen.
Multiverse of Madness propitiates the idea of a future Young Avengers lineup for the MCU by introducing one of its most prominent members from the comics: America Chavez. America joins the growing list of Young Avengers members to join the MCU, which now includes, but is not limited to, Kate Bishop, Cassie Lang, and the Maximoff twins.
Spider-Man 4
Spider-Man: No Way Home ended with several wild implications for the character's future, not the least of which being that the entire world has forgotten about the existence of Peter Parker. While nothing has yet been revealed in way of release dates, Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal have both confirmed that work is already underway in planning Spider-Man's next cinematic trilogy.
Given that Multiverse of Madness is a direct follow-up to No Way Home, it also acts as viewers' best insight into the fallout of the latest Spider-Man film's finale. From the conversation that Strange and Wong have with America in the diner at the beginning of the film, it would appear that they still remember the events of No Way Home, though their memory is hazy. This may hint at the true effect of Strange's final spell in the film in that it altered memories, not reality.
Inhumans Reboot
Many Marvel fans choose to forget about the live-action debut of Black Bolt, Medusa, and several other prominent Inhumans in their own self-titled series on ABC. The show received poor reactions from critics and fans, ending after eight episodes. However, the Inhumans may not be finished in the MCU after all.
Anson Mount surprised many fans by reprising his Inhumans role as King Blackagar Boltagon, Black Bolt, who serves as a member of Earth-838's Illuminati. While it may seem unlikely, this cameo could indicate that Marvel Studios is willing to take another crack at the Inhumans, though likely in a rebooted franchise as opposed to continuing the canceled series.
X-Men
Marvel fans have been anxiously awaiting the MCU debut of the X-Men ever since Disney acquired Fox in 2019. While the mutants have yet to officially appear in Earth-616, it is only a matter of time before they finally arrive, undoubtedly altering the course of the franchise forever.
While Multiverse of Madness didn't introduce the mutants to the MCU in the way that fans had hoped, it did feature the first confirmed appearance of a mutant in the franchise. Sir Patrick Stewart reprised his role as a variant of Professor Charles Xavier from Fox's X-Men films, indicating that, while they may not yet be in the MCU, the mutants are certainly on their way.