The Doomsday clock is continuing to count down for the heroes and villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but fans aren't thinking about December right now, as they were treated to their very first look at Avengers: Doomsday via the brand new teaser trailer. To say that it was worth the long wait would be an understatement of multiversally epic proportions.
From the return of the New Avengers and the Fantastic Four to the arrival of Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, the Avengers: Doomsday trailer featured a lot of epic moments. It also featured some surprising returnees, including Chris Evans' Steve Rogers. But there was one MCU staple that fans noticed wasn't in the trailer - and that could very well be for good reason.
Doctor Strange is currently in the Dark Dimension with Clea
Doctor Strange's most recent canon MCU appearance came in the post-credits scene of 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The former Sorcerer Supreme was confronted by a mysterious sorcerer named Clea (played by Charlize Theron) who demanded that he come with her into the Dark Dimension to fix an incursion that he was responsible for causing. Whether that was down to his actions in the 2022 movie or the previous year's Spider-Man: No Way Home (when he crafted a spell to make everyone across the multiverse forget that Peter Parker was Spider-Man) remains to be seen.
Considering that Strange was at the center of the Multiverse Saga's early multiversal moments, it would make sense that he be involved in the two-part finale of that very saga. That's why his apparent absence from Avengers: Doomsday is quite striking. And yet, considering where he currently is, that's probably not all that shocking at all. In fact, rumor has it that he will return from the dimension ahead of the film's conclusion, setting up that bigger role in 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars.
Benedict Cumberbatch is not listed as a part of the Avengers: Doomsday main cast
Marvel Studios announced the full cast for Avengers: Doomsday back in March 2025 in a five-hour livestream that very quickly broke the internet. It sounds ridiculous to say but, for five hours, Marvel fans around the world eagerly watched as the cast for the Marvel Cinematic Universe's next juggernaut adventure was revealed via a sequence of set chairs with each of the actors' names on them.
During that announcement, we saw names that we expected to see (Chris Hemsworth, Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, and Anthony Mackie), we saw names that surprised us (the majority of the cast of Fox's X-Men movie series) and we saw the headliner (Robert Downey Jr.). However, there were some notable absentees - with Benedict Cumberbatch's name being among the obvious omissions.
Now, it's also worth noting that Chris Evans' name was left off that announcement, but the MCU veteran has subsequently been confirmed to return as Steve Rogers in the upcoming film. There's no reason to think that won't be the case with Cumberbatch's former Sorcerer Supreme.
Benedict Cumberbatch's conflicting statements regarding Doctor Strange's return
Marvel stars have a history of throwing reporters off the scene when it comes to their involvement in future MCU projects, but Benedict Cumberbatch took that one step further last year when he repeatedly delivered conflicting information when asked about Doctor Strange's inevitable Avengers return.
He initially ruled out an Avengers: Doomsday return before then backtracking to reveal that he was actually in the movie (after suggesting that he had since spoken to Marvel Studios about it). However, shortly after that, his name was left off the casting announcement - which really confused audiences. Cumberbatch has since remained coy about whether he would be involved in the movie, although he has confirmed that he will be returning in at least one of the two upcoming flicks.
Reading between the lines, it sounds like the actor's initial comments may be correct; that Doctor Strange will have a more significant role in 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars. However, there's also a real possibility that his "corrective" comments were correct too and that Strange will have some involvement in Avengers: Doomsday, too. In Marvel talk, that likely means a post-credits scene.
So, don't be surprised if Doctor Strange doesn't show up throughout Avengers: Doomsday and then, when Doctor Doom likely wins in the closing moments, leaving no hope, the Master of the Mystic Arts surfaces in a post-credits scene to set the events of Avengers: Secret Wars in motion for the culmination of the Multiverse Saga.
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in movie theaters on December 18, 2026.
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