Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is only a few months away, and still very little is known about the film that promises to feature more multiversal mayhem than Marvel has ever showcased before. One of the movie's many mysteries continues to be the identity of its villain, which has yet to be confirmed by any of the trailers, merchandise, or by the executives at Marvel.
There are endless possibilities as to who might be the big bad behind Doctor Strange's second solo outing, ranging from power-hungry demons to mislead Avengers. Given what has been revealed about the film so far, some of these candidates from the comics appear more likely than the vast majority.
Chthon
Chthon is one of the Marvel Universe's demonic characters, known as "The Elder God" and "The Archdemon of Chaos." Though he is not Marvel's only figure to be rendered such, the character is equated with the devil himself. In the comics, he is eventually revealed to have been the source of Wanda Maximoff's powers, having "blessed" her as a child.
While Chthon may be a deep cut for many casual viewers of the MCU, his presence seems to become more and more likely as the franchise expands into supernatural territory. The demon is responsible for the creation of vampires and werewolves in the Marvel Universe, both of which are expected to be arriving in the MCU shortly. He is also the author of the Darkhold, a book that promises to play a significant role in the Doctor Strange sequel.
Dormammu
Dormammu is the interdimensional ruler of the Dark Dimension and one of Doctor Strange's most frequent antagonists. He served as the Big Bad behind Mads Mikkelsen's Kaesilius in the first Doctor Strange film, which saw him and his followers banished from the regular world.
While the first film seemed to alleviate this reality from Dormammu's designs, the supervillainous entity remains very much alive and is likely unpleased with his defeat at the hands of a mortal being such as Dr. Stephen Strange. It is not outside the realm of possibility that the mighty Dormammu may return for revenge in the upcoming film.
Gargantos
Gargantos is an extremely obscure Marvel character, depicted as a giant sea monster with a singular eye. The beast has only made two appearances in comic books, once in battle against Namor the Sub-Mariner and once more as an antagonist to the mutant team X-Factor.
While Gargantos would not otherwise be a matter of discussion for the soon-coming film, the character has actually already been confirmed to make an appearance. The film's trailer depicts the sea monster hurling a bus down a busy New York City street, with little else seen of the creature in ensuing shots. Though it seems unlikely that Gargantos will be the film's primary antagonist, it will certainly cause plenty of problems for Strange and company along the way.
Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom is one of the Marvel Universe's most fearsome villains and a frequent antagonist to the Fantastic Four. The tyrannical leader of the Eastern European nation of Latveria, the comic version of Doom has strong ties to the Mystic Arts, which could put him in the sights of the current Sorcerer Supreme.
Doom is a character that Marvel audiences are already fancasting, with the knowledge that his arrival in the MCU is imminent. While Marvel Studios may opt to introduce the earth-shaking villain in their forthcoming Fantastic Four film, fans would no doubt appreciate seeing one iconic Doctor go head-to-head with another.
Mephisto
Mephisto is one of Marvel Comics' most powerful demons, one that is frequently associated with the Christian depiction of the devil. The character is known for his antagonistic relationship with characters like Spider-Man, Silver Surfer, Thanos, and Doctor Strange himself.
Marvel fans may have been disappointed when their theories regarding Mephisto's role in the events of Wandavision proved to be incorrect, but the character may still be on the docket for Marvel Studios. If so, Doctor Strange 2 would prove the perfect place to introduce Marvel's devil, given the film's supernatural horror aesthetic. He may even prove to be the mastermind behind many recent events in the MCU that have lead to this tear in the multiverse.
Nightmare
Nightmare is a frequent enemy of Doctor Strange and the Ghost Rider, who torments unconscious souls in his dimension, known as the Nightmare Realm. He is one of the Marvel Universe's most powerful characters, shown to be nearly indestructible.
Prior to the film's shift in story and tone after original director Scott Derrickson left the project, Nightmare was strongly rumored to be the main antagonist in Doctor Strange 2. With Sam Raimi now at the helm and the film taking the form of a multiversal event film rather than the extreme horror tone that Derrickson initially marketed, Nightmare's introduction has become uncertain.
Shuma-Gorath
Shuma-Gorath is a bizarre Marvel character that hails from an entirely different dimension. The one-eyed monster is part of a group known as the Many-Angled Ones and is himself a sorcerer. The gargantuan monster is actually ruler over hundreds of dimensions in the comics, with his sights set on that of Doctor Strange for his next acquisition.
Shuma-Gorath has long been rumored to make an appearance in Doctor Strange 2, with many fans even excitedly mistaking Gargantos's appearance in the trailer for the Many-Angled One himself. While nothing has yet confirmed the introduction of this iconic villain, his presence in the film remains incredibly possible, especially considering its multiversal nature.
Baron Mordo
Bardon Mordo is one of the strongest magic users in the entire MCU, who is dwarfed in power by his comic book counterpart. The comics feature Mordo as one of Doctor Strange's most powerful mortal enemies, whose magical abilities rival those of the Sorcerer Supreme himself.
The character is confirmed to appear in the upcoming film, with Chiwetel Ejiofor returning after portraying Mordo in the original Doctor Strange. Though the extent of Mordo's villainy has yet to be revealed, it is more than likely that he will in some way antagonize Strange, though the filmmakers may decide to save his ultimate heel turn for the third installment of the franchise.
Evil Doctor Strange
Perhaps the most buzz-worthy reveal of the Multiverse of Madness trailer was that of the evil Doctor Strange. While many fans were quick to identify this variant as Strange Supreme from What If...?, Marvel Studios has yet to confirm that these two variants are one and the same.
Regardless of the evil Strange's identity, it is very possible that he will become the primary antagonist of the film. Given the rumors that he may be just one of the many Marvel variants seen in Multiverse of Madness, perhaps he will even lead a "Dark Avengers" team against the MCU's Doctor Strange in an all-out multiversal war.
Scarlet Witch
Wanda Maximoff has been a member of the Avengers since their battle with Ultron in Sokovia, but only recently adopted her comic book moniker of the Scarlet Witch during her limited series WandaVision. She is set to make her first appearance since the "Westview Anomaly" in Multiverse of Madness, promising fans plenty more of her grief-driven arc following the loss of her children and husband.
Many fans have fallen in love with Elizabeth Olsen's character over the years, but that does not excuse her unsavory actions - especially those of mind-controlling and tormenting an entire town for weeks. Several rumors have speculated that she may indeed prove to be the ultimate villain of the film, going toe-to-toe with Doctor Strange in what is sure to be a battle of monumental proportions. Should these rumors prove true, fans are certainly in for a heart-wrenching ride as they watch one of their favorite Avengers descend into the madness that the film's title so ominously portends.