During the Multiverse Saga, Marvel Studios utilised post-credits scenes to add some major new players to the MCU. Unfortunately, we've seen almost none of them since, including Clea, who debuted in 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Played by Oscar-winner Charlize Theron, the stinger saw Clea confront the former Sorcerer Supreme, inviting him to join her on a trip into the Dark Dimension to help prevent an incursion his actions had caused.
There have since been rumours that both Doctor Strange and Clea will be allied with Doctor Doom in this December's Avengers: Doomsday. The thinking is that, with Strange corrupted by his third eye, he'll be amenable to Victor Von Doom's approach to "saving" the Multiverse.
In a new Elle interview for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, there's a paragraph that touches on Theron's MCU future and confirms she won't be returning for a sequel to 2017's Atomic Blonde.
"Despite her previous cameo as Clea Strange in the Marvel universe, Theron says she’s 'not the person to ask' about speculation she’ll appear in Avengers: Doomsday," the piece confirms. "Nor does it seem Atomic Blonde 2 is moving forward: 'I think we might’ve passed the moment.'"
"But she is booked and busy with other projects in development, including Alfonso Cuarón’s fantasy-drama Jane and Two for the Money, a heist movie that teams Theron with director Justin Lin, a fellow alum of the Fast & Furious franchise," it adds.
Theron not confirming her possible return in the movie is hardly surprising, and even Benedict Cumberbatch has gone back and forth on whether he's in it. If Clea is ultimately unmasked as one of Doom's acolytes, it may not be hugely impactful given her limited screentime before now.
Still, she'd make an exciting addition to an already impressive cast, and a cameo would set the stage for the long-rumoured Doctor Strange 3 in a big way.
In Avengers: Doomsday, beloved heroes from three distinct universes will be set on a deadly collision course and face an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered.
Avengers: Doomsday stars Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Winston Duke, Tom Hiddleston, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, and Robert Downey Jr. Wyatt Russell, Simu Liu, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, Mabel Cadena, Florence Pugh, Danny Ramirez, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Lewis Pullman, India Rose Hemsworth, and Wesley Holloway all make their Avengers franchise debuts.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps leads Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn join them, as do X-Men franchise stars Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, with Deadpool & Wolverine star Channing Tatum.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18.