Stephen Strange has been instrumental to the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever since his introduction back in 2016. He prevented Dormammu from taking over the world, used the Time Stone to plan out a way to beat Thanos, and stopped Wanda from tearing the multiverse apart. Is there something he can't do, aside from earning back Dr. Christine Palmer's love and not operating in morally grey areas?
There are still plenty more stories for Marvel to tell with the iconic character, as we last saw him depart with Charlize Theron's Clea on a mission to learn more about the upcoming incursions. More importantly, we haven't actually seen him become the Sorcerer Supreme in live-action. As such, fans were hopeful that Doctor Strange 3 could be one of the first projects to be released as part of the MCU's next saga, finally giving Stephen Strange the title he has fought to earn. Unfortunately, it seems that won't happen any time soon.
Doctor Strange 3 isn't a priority for Marvel according to a new report
Well, it appears there is something Strange can't do, and that is fast-track his trilogy-capper. According to reliable insider Alex Perez (via The Cosmic Circus), Doctor Strange 3 is on the back burner as Marvel prioritizes other titles for its upcoming saga, which is set to start after the release of Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027.
The movies actively being developed for the MCU's new chapter are Black Panther 3, Shang-Chi 2, Spider-Man 5, Blade, Midnight Sons, a Thunderbolts* sequel, and another Avengers crossover. Furthermore, an X-Men movie helmed by Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier has been officially confirmed, and it is expected to be released in 2028. Unfortunately, there isn't a single mention of Doctor Strange 3, but not everything is bad for the soon-to-be Sorcerer Supreme.
It has been reported that one of Marvel's key missions for its next saga will be to explore even more supernatural stories. That is backed up by the idea that films starring Blade and the Midnight Sons are being developed by the studio. Coupled with the rumors that Moon Knight and Werewolf by Night will both have sequels, it's easy to see that supernatural characters will have a key role going forward, and that's where Strange may come in.
Despite not having another solo movie (in the near future, at least), Doctor Strange could very well appear in the Midnight Sons crossover project. He could even be the one to bring the whole band together, as it happened in the comic book world. That way, the iconic hero could become the face of a new franchise without having to star in a third standalone adventure.
It is no secret that we'll see more of Doctor Strange in the years to come. Leaked Avengers: Doomsday concept art features the iconic neurosurgeon standing right next to Doctor Doom (possibly hinting that the two will have an alliance). Furthermore, the actor behind the hero, Benedict Cumberbatch, previously stated that he won't be part of Earth's Mightiest Heroes' upcoming adventure, only to backtrack, confirm he will indeed join the Avengers in their upcoming fight, and then decide to play coy about the whole situation.
It's all but confirmed that we will see Doctor Strange appear in some capacity either in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars. After all, we last saw him trying to fix the incursions that are about to be the catalysts for the end of the Multiverse Saga. And even when Doctor Doom is out of the picture, the MCU has already introduced Mephisto as a major force to be reckoned with.
If the tradeoff of not seeing Doctor Strange 3 in the near future is that Stephen will assemble some of Earth's most terrorizing heroes to rise against Mephisto, then fans could happily pay the price. Besides, it's not like the hero's trilogy-capper will never come our way. Perhaps it's just a matter of having to wait a little longer while the Midnight Sons take the spotlight for themselves.
Avengers: Doomsday will be released on Dec. 18, 2026.
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