DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS - Breaking Down The Biggest Mind-Bending Reveals In New Trailer!

DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS - Breaking Down The Biggest Mind-Bending Reveals In New Trailer!

Marvel Studios dropped a new trailer (and TV spot) for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness during last night's Super Bowl, and this feature breaks down the biggest reveals, surprises, and shockers!

Feature Opinion
By HamiltonParker - Feb 16, 2022 10:02 AM EST

You don't need us to tell you that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is shaping up to be a bonkers film, but the new trailer and TV spot released during the Super Bowl drove that point home in a major way. Marvel Studios is clearly letting Sam Raimi run wild, and the sequel promises to take us to a lot of wonderfully weird places.

The latest sneak peeks revealed a whole host of Variants, some unexpected plot twists, and the introduction - and return - of some characters who will be instantly familiar to fans of the Marvel Universe.

In this feature, we take a deep dive into the latest footage to bring you details on what the deal is with the Scarlet Witch, the worlds we could be visiting, the Illuminardi's big screen debut, and intel on that mysterious glowing figure (is it Iron Man or a new Captain Marvel?). We also single out some Easter Eggs that could have major ramifications for the wider MCU!

Be warned that there are some potential spoilers for the film that follow from this point on...
 

10. An Animated Reality And The Savage Land

Marvel-Studios-Doctor-Strange-in-the-Multiverse-of-Madness-Official-Trailer-1-25-screenshot

As Doctor Strange and America Chavez fall through the Multiverse, we get a glimpse at what appears to be a whole host of different worlds. One of them is quite clearly animated; it's too brief a shot to say whether the animation style matches What If...?, though we'd argue it looks more akin to the Spider-Man series from the late 1960s.

We also see dinosaurs roaming in a jungle-like landscape, leaving us to wonder whether that might be the Savage Land!

A hidden prehistoric land in Antarctica, the Savage Land is closely associated with the X-Men. Spider-Man, The Avengers, and heaps of other heroes have had adventures there, however, and there's a good chance Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be our live-action introduction to that iconic location.

We hope that it's not just a throwaway Easter Egg!
 

9. Iron Legion

Marvel-Studios-Doctor-Strange-in-the-Multiverse-of-Madness-Official-Trailer-1-13-screenshot

In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Tony Stark created an Iron Legion in a bid to protect the world. Unfortunately, his plan went horribly wrong when Ultron was "born."

Part-Iron Man, part-Ultron, these robots are incredibly advanced and formidable enough to have put Doctor Strange in handcuffs and march him through a headquarters that doesn't look too different to somewhere the TVA (Time Variance Authority) might call home. This shot matches a leaked pre-vis image showing the hero arrested by the drones and brought before...

...well, we'll get to that. 

It appears this sequence follows Strange's meeting with Mordo, a character we're assuming is a Variant and a member of the group that arrests the former Sorcerer Supreme (presumably for the damage he's caused and is causing to the Multiverse).
 

8. Scarlet Witch Breaks Bad

Marvel-Studios-Doctor-Strange-in-the-Multiverse-of-Madness-Official-Trailer-1-48-screenshot

If you weren't already convinced that the Scarlet Witch is Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' big bad, then this trailer should do the trick.

Whether it's the twisted reflection of her first conversation in that orchard where Wanda Maximoff wonders why she's perceived as the villain while Strange is not or her fighting pretty much everyone, the Scarlet Witch appears to be totally unhinged. This lines up with plot spoilers suggesting she uses the Darkhold to travel through the Multiverse, taking control of her Variants. 

Wanda is hunting America Chavez as she needs her to "rescue" her children, Billy and Tommy, and we can't help but wonder what role her Variants will ultimately play here. 

Is the Scarlet Witch past the point of no return? That remains to be seen. 
 

7. Spider-Man: No Way Home Fallout?

Marvel-Studios-Doctor-Strange-in-the-Multiverse-of-Madness-Official-Trailer-0-40-screenshot

Why is the Multiverse only now descending into madness? We're betting it's for a number of reasons.

It started with Avengers: Endgame, when alternate timelines were used to fix the universe and restore those Thanos wiped from existence. Those time-travel shenanigans resulted in Loki escaping 2012 and creating a branched reality ultimately erased by the TVA. However, brought into that organisation, the God of Mischief played a role in the eventual death of He Who Remains.

With that Kang the Conqueror Variant dead and gone, the Multiverse was reborn, and a spell gone wrong in Spider-Man: No Way Home cracked that open and started bringing beings from other worlds into the MCU. The problem was eventually fixed...or so we thought.

This trailer suggests that the fallout from Strange's botched spell will be what causes everything to start going wrong in this film, and with the Scarlet Witch using the Darkhold to search for her children, that should only make matters worse.
 

6. The Illuminati

Marvel-Studios-Doctor-Strange-in-the-Multiverse-of-Madness-Official-Trailer-1-17-screenshot-1

No, that's not The Watcher or the TVA judging Stephen Strange for his apparent crimes against reality. It's the Illuminati. A group assembled of the Marvel Universe's greatest minds in the comic books, they manipulated events like the Kree/Skrull War to try and protect their world. 

This iteration, however, has taken it upon themselves to watch over the Multiverse. Of the members we see here, it appears we can expect an Iron Man Variant (who controls the Iron Legion), "Master Mordo" as he's been referred to in merchandise, Captain Carter, a Captain Marvel Variant who isn't Carol Danvers, and possibly even Mister Fantastic.

Their leader? Well, that looks to be Sir Patrick Stewart's Professor X!

Leaked pre-vis showed Strange being brought before the leader of the X-Men, while another early VFX shot highlighted a battle between Charles Xavier and the Scarlet Witch. What else could he bring to the table here, though?
 

5. Professor X

Marvel-Studios-Doctor-Strange-in-the-Multiverse-of-Madness-Official-Trailer-1-21-screenshot

It's a ballsy move by Marvel Studios to bring back such a beloved actor in a role he made famous right before they presumably reboot him and the rest of the X-Men for the MCU.

This Xavier will supposedly be in a wheelchair more along the lines of what the character used in the 90s and in X-Men: The Animated Series. With the plot of the latter said to revolve around Professor X's disappearance, perhaps they're meant to be one and the same? Either way, we don't anticipate this being the Charles we've previously spent time with on the big screen. 

As for that battle with Wanda, her making short work of the X-Men leader would be an effective way to drive home just how formidable she's become as the Scarlet Witch. If the Avenger is just possessing another Wanda's body as she rips through the Multiverse, perhaps that's how she'll learn about mutants?

Might Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness end with a reverse of the "No More Mutants" scene from the comic books?
 

4. "Sinister" Strange

Marvel-Studios-Doctor-Strange-in-the-Multiverse-of-Madness-Official-Trailer-1-35-screenshot

Ever since the first trailer for the Doctor Strange sequel was revealed at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, we've been convinced that the evil Strange was Doctor Strange Supreme from What If...? His words echo those said by the animated character, and he certainly looks similar.

Something didn't sit right, though, including the fact that his new Cloak of Levitation was M.I.A. and he appeared to have reverted to his villainous way despite appearing to find redemption in the show.

The closed captions for this new trailer name him "Sinister Strange," which may hinyt that this is yet another Variant. That would be a waste considering Captain Carter is seemingly set to appear, though we're definitely confused as to what's brought this Strange into the film. 

Perhaps Mordo is just looking to show the MCU's Strange the sort of damage he's capable of unleashing? Remember, Doctor Strange Supreme wiped out his entire reality! 
 

3. Maria Rambeau, Captain Marvel

Marvel-Studios-Doctor-Strange-in-the-Multiverse-of-Madness-Official-Trailer-1-36-screenshot

There's been a lot of speculation about this glowing character, with some wondering if it might be Tom Cruise suited up as the Superior Iron Man. 

It's a nice theory and all, but a closer look confirms this is a Captain Marvel Variant. That's not Carol Danvers in the suit, however, and it's not Monica Rambeau either. There had been rumours she would appear here as a Variant and member of the Illuminati, which made no sense as it would surely only serve to confuse fans.

Monica has only just made her MCU debut in WandaVision, so to introduce a superpowered Variant would likely leave a lot of people under the belief it's the same Spectrum who gained her powers in Westview.

Instead, her mom, Maria (played by Lashana Lynch), is Captain Marvel and quite a force to be reckoned with based on this clash with the Scarlet Witch. This is a fun way to show what sort of impact the Multiverse and alternate realities can have on familiar faces.
 

2. Return To Westview

Marvel-Studios-Doctor-Strange-in-the-Multiverse-of-Madness-Official-Trailer-1-50-screenshot

Your guess is as good as ours when it comes to what the heck is going on here, but Wanda Maximoff is back in Westview...observing herself? 

Looking at the plot leaks, we wonder if it's the moment the Scarlet Witch is rejected by Billy and Tommy Maximoff and gives control of this reality's Wanda body back to her Variant. Her doppelgänger likely shows sympathy for the grief she's facing, but if she's a mutant, the MCU's Scarlet Witch might find herself outmached and at the mercy of a far more powerful hero.

If so, this could be the moment we say goodbye to the one-time Avenger; broken after realising "her" children don't want her and the awful things she did to track them down, perhaps Wanda asks her Variant to put her down?

We're speculating now, but this feels like it could be an important exchange.
 

1. Marvel Zombies

Marvel-Studios-Doctor-Strange-in-the-Multiverse-of-Madness-Official-Trailer-2-5-screenshot

While we see the creepy Doctor Strange Variant above in the trailer, the Super Bowl TV spot seemingly confirms that the film will take us to the reality inhabited by Marvel Zombies. 

We see the undead Scarlet Witch and a Strange who has fallen to the zombie plague. We're assuming these are the same zombies introduced in What If...?, though it's hard to say how much importance that animated series is really going to have to what happens in the wider (live-action) MCU.

This feels a lot like Sam Raimi leaning into his horror sensibilities, and we'd bet on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness getting extremely creepy and even scary in these moments.

As for the undead Sorcerer Supreme, perhaps he's another example of what a danger Strange is to the MCU?
 

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GhostDog
GhostDog - 2/14/2022, 12:08 PM
If you zoom in on one of the Illuminati chairs it looks like whoever is sitting there has some sort of necklace on. Maybe a variant Black Panther.
Schme83
Schme83 - 2/14/2022, 4:42 PM
@BlackBeltJones - I saw that too. For those wondering it’s the person sitting on the far left.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/16/2022, 6:09 PM
@BlackBeltJones @Schme83 - I think I'm really the only one out here thinking it's either Mr. Fantastic (preferably Gruffurd's) or Black Bolt as it kinda looked like a white collar to me
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 2/14/2022, 12:16 PM
In Raimi I trust. That trailer won me over. I'm more excited for this than even The Batman now, all be it for different reasons.
Repian
Repian - 2/14/2022, 12:18 PM
I can imagine Superior Iron Man and Ultron as A.I. of the armor.
SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 2/14/2022, 4:37 PM
@Repian -
JonC
JonC - 2/15/2022, 12:41 PM
@SonOfAGif - Ultimate Iron Man... can't see it being CM or Rambeau
Juggernaut2021
Juggernaut2021 - 2/16/2022, 10:43 AM
@SonOfAGif - not buying it, looks like exactly the same to me with some shadows.
RitoRevolto
RitoRevolto - 2/16/2022, 12:27 PM
@SonOfAGif - Those are the same person...
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/16/2022, 6:04 PM
@Juggernaut2021 - same here. Just mostly looks like Maria Rambeau to me
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 2/14/2022, 12:21 PM
According to leaks (which this trailer proved right) movie goes something like this (POTENTIAL MASSIVE SPOILERS INCOMING):

The reason why Strange is on "trial" is because he [frick]ed up reality in Infinity War, Thanos was suppoused to win.
Since then, the MCU is trying to fix itself, and this is causing all the multiverse problems we saw in Loki, Wandavision, and NWH.
The "judges" are The Illuminati, and they are formed by Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd) from the Fox movies, Tony Stark (Tom Cruise) from a universe where Tony actually managed to create his "armor around the world" and the Avengers kicked Thanos's ass went he came to Earth, and according to one source, Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) from the Ang Lee movie (I think this is BS, because we see only three chairs in the trailer).
The children Wanda hears are the children of her Fox variant, the "twist" in the second act of the movie is the revelation that she used Strange to access that universe, she is the real antagonist of the film, so she goes to the Fox universe and fights the X-Men (the original cast, although no mention of Hugh Jackman), in the process she pretty much "breaks" that universe, and now both the MCU and the Fox universes are [frick]ed up.
Big third act fight with heroes from all the universes (the original X-Men, the 4F from the early '00s movies, Tobey's Spiderman, and some claim Chris Evans's Johnny Storm also appears) fighting an army of demonds unleashed by another variant of Strange.
Wanda realices the mess she caused, and sacrificed herself to merge both universes (only way to save them), so now mutants exists in the MCU, although there is no mention of the same actors playing the "new" variants created in this new universe.

Again, while the trailer proved some of these leaks, and we just saw how accurate the NWH leaks were, take this with a big grain of salt.
rebellion
rebellion - 2/14/2022, 12:51 PM
@TheHumanSpider2 - the last two paragraphs arent from the same leak and were tacked on by people making stuff up.
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 2/14/2022, 1:31 PM
@rebellion - The summary is from various sources, the last two paragraphs were "confirmed" by more than two, while only one talked about Eric Bana playing Bruce Banner, that is why I doubt its true.
Fogs
Fogs - 2/14/2022, 2:09 PM
@rebellion - yeah, I haven't read of the "demons unleashed by an Strange variant" yet.
Menks123
Menks123 - 2/14/2022, 2:39 PM
@TheHumanSpider2 - Yeah a lot of that sounds off and I will definitely point to Wanda sacrificing herself. Marvel ain't going to let the character die off with her popularity right now lol.

But I can see her doing some kind of realization and being the turning factor in the 3rd act.
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 2/14/2022, 3:16 PM
@Menks123 - Yeah, she is really popular, but she already had her own TV show, and might be the character with the biggest character development in the entire MCU, where do you go after this?

And if you asked me about the leaks 24 hours ago, I would've told you "you are insane if you think Tom Cruise is in the movie", but the Ultron Bots and Patrick Stewart pretty much confirms it, so these leaks might be true, just like they were for NWH.
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 2/14/2022, 12:37 PM


Welcome Professor.
IcePyke
IcePyke - 2/14/2022, 2:22 PM
@Doomsday8888 -
WaffeX
WaffeX - 2/14/2022, 12:50 PM
Is White Vision in this movie?
MyCoolYoung
MyCoolYoung - 2/14/2022, 1:35 PM
I'm kinda shocked they gave away as much as they did. I just hope all the cameos and things don't take away from strange, though after Civil War and Spider-Man, Marvel has earned the benefit of the doubt
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 2/14/2022, 3:02 PM
@MyCoolYoung - it makes me think we've only seen the tip of the iceberg.
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 2/14/2022, 3:21 PM
@MyCoolYoung - Makes you wonder if Profesor X is the smallest reveal.
I think it is.
MyCoolYoung
MyCoolYoung - 2/15/2022, 1:08 AM
@TheHumanSpider2 - it has to be. They promised a trippy foray into the multiverse so we shall see
DoubleD
DoubleD - 2/14/2022, 2:24 PM
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness looks like the Universes are in serious trouble because of Dr. Strange pass mistakes in Spider-Man.

Which also includes letting Thanos destroy the Time Stone.
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 2/14/2022, 3:23 PM
@DoubleD - If you believe in leaks, the events in NWH were a consequence, not a cause.
Dr Strange is responsable for thinking he could manipulate destiny/reality/time without consequences.
DoubleD
DoubleD - 2/14/2022, 3:25 PM
@TheHumanSpider2 - This trailer told me all that. The trailer had a lot of information in it.
DoubleD
DoubleD - 2/14/2022, 3:03 PM
Been confirmed who the main villain is and that is Dr. Strange mistakes. Disappointed if it is.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/16/2022, 6:07 PM
@DoubleD - I think that evil Strange might still be the final villain of the movie. Or maybe even the zombie Defender Strange.

Definitely something Strange had a hand in
Shivermetimbers
Shivermetimbers - 2/14/2022, 3:28 PM
Man, this trailer really cranked it up a notch from an anticipation perspective. Really pumped for this one. Seems like so much going on and so many possibilities, but it really seems like they might have nailed it here. Also, Elizabeth Olsen...such a damn fine looking woman.
DoubleD
DoubleD - 2/14/2022, 3:44 PM
After all of Dr. Stranges mistakes there is only one hero that can restore the Multi-Verse that's the Cosmic Hulk.

DartOfHarkness
DartOfHarkness - 2/14/2022, 4:58 PM
It looks pretty good. The one thing bothering me is the heroes from other universes. Not only do I wish they'd start fresh with characters we've seen before from the foxmwn and possibly others, but their mere existence,the fact they've been doing their thing long enough to have formed the Illuminati and not being in contact with anyone from the MCU, immediately puts the MCU at the kiddie table in the hierarchy of the multiverse. Now the MCU characters are running around the multiverse f'ing up things, it's almost like the Illuminati would almost have the right to say "We're better than you, you know it and you're proving it to everyone."
Knightrider
Knightrider - 2/14/2022, 6:49 PM
@DartOfHarkness - You could argue that the MCU is the kid at the table as these other universes started earlier. That doesn’t mean the MCU is weaker, just that it like stony Stark finding out he is part of a much bigger universe the MCU has found out it is part of a much bigger multiverse
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