Is Tom Cruise in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness?

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is expected to feature a host of major cameos but will Tom Cruise’s Iron Man be one of them?

Marvel Studios is no stranger to rumors. The juggernaut of cinema and TV has found itself at the center of a multitude of rumors since the inception of the Marvel Cinematic Universe but the rumors of this past year may have outnumbered the rest combined.

Yes, following on from the release of the global phenomenon Spider-Man: No Way Home is the much-anticipated Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and like its predecessor, that film is surrounded by rumors of potential Marvel multiverse cameos.

One name at the heart of those rumors is Tom Cruise. The Hollywood star’s name has come up many times, with fans believing that he will play a variant of Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man (otherwise known as Superior Iron Man).

This would be a nod to the fact that he was initially in the running to play the character in 2008’s Iron Man. But is there any truth to the rumors of the Iron Man variant?

Warning: Major Doctor Strange 2 spoilers ahead.

Is Tom Cruise’s Iron Man in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness?

UPDATE May 2022: Tom Cruise does not appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The character many thought was Superior Iron Man actually turned out to be indeed a variant of Captain Marvel.

Marvel had never actually confirmed if Tom Cruise would make an appearance in Doctor Strange 2 but there was some interesting evidence put forward to suggest that he might appear in some capacity.

After the initial rumors surfaced earlier this year, an apparent set photo found its way online that suggested he was shooting scenes for the movie (possibly during reshoots). In that photo, Cruise was seemingly wearing a motion-capture suit quite like the one that Robert Downey Jr. wore when filming as the MCU’s main version of Iron Man, and sporting Tony Stark-like facial hair.

Moreover, following the release of the film’s Super Bowl trailer, there was even more speculation that Cruise would be involved. A figure that many initially believed to be Captain Marvel was at the center of a lot of fan theories as people speculated that it may actually be the Tony Stark variant, as some eagle-eyed fans noticed similarities between that figure and the Superior Iron Man in the comics. Another reference? The silver Ultron bots that escort Doctor Strange to what appears to be the Illuminati could be a nod to the silver armor worn by that very Iron Man.

Would you have liked to see Tom Cruise in Doctor Strange 2? Let us know in the comments below!