Doctor Strange star Benedict Cumberbatch has shared conflicting information about his MCU future. While he will return as the former Sorcerer Supreme, the actor previously said he'd appear in Avengers: Doomsday, only to backtrack on that in a later interview.
Stephen Strange will definitely be in Avengers: Secret Wars, though, and there have been lots of rumours about the character forming an uneasy alliance with Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.
That would follow 2015's Secret Wars series, and promises us a fascinating dynamic in one or both Avengers movies if that is indeed the plan for Stephen and Victor in the MCU.
IGN recently spoke with Cumberbatch about his role as the official Ambassador for the World of Tanks Holiday Ops 2026 event. The site says that the actor was "tightlipped on [the] possibility" of appearing in Avengers: Doomsday, but they did ask who the actor thinks would win in a fight between Doctor Doom and Doctor Strange.
"I hope Dr Strange!" the actor told them, perhaps hinting at a clash between the two doctors when they eventually share the screen in 2026 and/or 2027. It's not much, we know, but until that Avengers: Doomsday trailer gets here, these breadcrumbs will have to sustain us.
Cumberbatch, who has lent his voice to games like The Nightjar, Sherlock: The Network, LEGO The Hobbit, and Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff, later told the site about his unexpected love of the medium.
"It all started with a little Nintendo Donkey Kong Jr., which I was obsessed with, and then Mario Brothers of course. I had an Atari console which I used to remember playing very basic ping-pong with my dad and a rather scary end of days nuclear strike game where you had to intercept intercontinental ballistic missile(s)! I remember how stiff the control sticks were but (they were) all very fond memories and despite the simplicity a great deal of fun."
"I had a SEGA Game Gear a little later on, but apart from that now the console and gaming world kind of left me behind with adult life. At moments like this I wish I could find some time to while away the hours either with a shoot ’em up or strategy-heavy game. Everything that happened (with World of Tanks) was a completely new experience for me - engaging with the video gaming world and its creative side in such an intense way. It’s been fascinating, and I’m excited to see how players will receive it."
Avengers: Doomsday officially stars 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, Florence Pugh, Danny Ramirez, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Lewis Pullman all make their Avengers franchise debuts in the movie.
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.
The Russo Brothers direct the movie from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Avengers and Captain America franchises. Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness's Michael Waldron is also working on the script.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive on December 17, 2027.