Doctor Strange 3’s Release Before Avengers: Secret Wars Just Became Impossible

by

It’s looking increasingly unlikely that a separate Doctor Strange 3 will come out before Avengers: Secret Wars. Although Marvel Studios hasn’t officially announced another solo movie for Doctor Strange, the huge success of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the intriguing scene after the credits made fans expect a continuation. While there was a lot of hope for a new film, the chances of it happening are getting smaller and smaller.

It’s now confirmed: Avengers: Secret Wars is the sole Marvel Studios movie currently scheduled for 2027. This means a Doctor Strange 3 film won’t be coming out before the planned “reset” of the MCU following Avengers 6.

Currently, Marvel Studios has officially announced that only Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Avengers: Doomsday, and Avengers: Secret Wars will be released in theaters in the coming years. However, there’s a lot of talk about other projects potentially being approved, including a reboot of the X-Men, Shang-Chi 2, Black Panther 3, and a final film to complete the Doctor Strange trilogy.

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch has shared that he’s been talking with Marvel Studios about a potential Doctor Strange 3, emphasizing that his character will likely continue to be important in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He mentioned that Marvel has sought his thoughts on who could write, direct, and shape the story, describing Strange as a “rich” and “complex” character who has a lot of potential for further development.

Although Doctor Strange 3 will likely be released after Avengers: Secret Wars, Benedict Cumberbatch is still anticipated to appear in the next two major Marvel Cinematic Universe team-up films.

Many fans were taken aback when Benedict Cumberbatch wasn’t included in the cast announcement for Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday in March 2025, particularly since the livestream event featured confirmation of more than 60 actors.

Cumberbatch playfully addressed his lack of presence, suggesting “maybe they just didn’t have enough chairs,” but the reality is his participation hasn’t been formally announced. Even so, it seems highly likely that Strange will be featured in Doomsday and Secret Wars.

The conclusion of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness launched Doctor Strange and Clea (Charlize Theron) into a journey to tackle dangers across the multiverse – things like incursions and other threats. This is precisely the type of conflict Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) will also be facing in Doomsday.

Considering Doctor Strange is one of the few MCU heroes with firsthand experience traveling the Multiverse, his expertise would be extremely valuable in the upcoming battle alongside the Avengers, Wakandans, Fantastic Four, and the original X-Men. His knowledge could prove invaluable to the team.

There’s talk that Marvel is holding back on officially revealing his name to coincide with a later announcement of cast members. This would essentially confirm what many fans believe: Doctor Strange plays a crucial role in the final stages of the Multiverse Saga and won’t be excluded.

Will Doctor Strange 3 Ever Happen?

Despite Marvel Studios planning to make fewer movies in the future, a Doctor Strange 3 seems like a very likely project. The first two Doctor Strange films did very well in theaters, bringing in a total of $1.6 billion around the world.

Fans are used to waiting for new content; there was a six-year wait between the first Doctor Strange movie in 2016 and its sequel. During that time, Doctor Strange appeared in Infinity War, Endgame, and No Way Home. A similar pattern could repeat itself, with Strange potentially appearing in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars before getting another movie of his own.

The question of who will direct future films is still unanswered. Sam Raimi took over from Scott Derrickson for Multiverse of Madness, and while Raimi is known for his work on the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy, the film received a divided response from fans.

The more significant question might be what plot Doctor Strange 3 will explore. It’s anticipated that Doctor Strange’s third eye and his adventures across the multiverse with Clea will be featured in future Avengers movies. This leaves the storyline for his next individual film somewhat uncertain.

Sometime around 2028 or later, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will probably be starting to focus on the X-Men. This means the next story for Doctor Strange could take place in a very different Marvel world.

Read More

2025-10-02 18:05