Back in 2022, Doctor Strange came back to our screens with a rather strange yet kind of horror flick, The Multiverse of Madness. Now this movie was rather unique if we compare it to the other Marvel movies because Marvel doesn’t usually include the theme of horror in a lot of its theatrical releases, but I for one, am glad that it did. Doctor Strange 2 brought certain new characters and cast members we haven’t seen in a long time.
For instance, who would have thought to see Professor Charles Xavier, the leader of the X-Men as a member of the Illuminati? I didn’t see that one coming. So, in this article, I’m going to talk about the cast of Doctor Strange 2 and all the characters in the Multiverse of Madness. So, create a time loop with the time stone, or make sure no one disturbs you by using a magical cloak as we dive into the mystical world of Doctor Strange!
1. Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange)
Doctor Stephen Strange played by Benedict Cumberbatch is one of the finest casting decisions ever made in the history of Marvel Studios. For some “strange” reason, even if you have never read the comic version of Doctor Strange, you’ll instantly just feel right seeing him play the all-powerful sorcerer. For those who have read the comics, you know exactly what I am talking about.
Multiverse of Madness explores the unhealed side of Doctor Strange, the pain he feels when he loses the love of his life and still convinces himself that he indeed is happy. The character development of Dr Strange from the first movie has been absolutely immaculate to witness, and in Doctor Strange 2, it is just as good as it gets.
2. Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda/Scarlet Witch)
If we are talking about terrific performances, no one matches Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda. Well, she is terrific in the role, both literally and figuratively. She has been an integral part of the Avengers and one of the most powerful Avengers too, but gradually lost it when she had to kill Vision in Wanda Vision.
After that, she took the Darkhold and was corrupted by it. The whole movie revolves around Wanda trying to use America Chavez’s powers to travel to another universe where another version of her has the children she sees in her dreams.
Although her cause is not bad and rather purely out of maternal instinct, however, the way she carries it out is as evil as it gets. Honestly, to me, the corrupted version of Wanda is more fun to watch in Doctor Strange 2 as compared to her Avengers version. Seeing her use the full extent of her powers just tells you how much she has been holding back all this time and it’s rather fascinating.
3. Xochitl Gomez (America Chavez)
For those of you who don’t know, America Chavez is one of those characters who were a part of the Young Avengers in the comics. I don’t know what’s cooking in the MCU, but they have teased a lot of characters from the Young Avengers and I won’t mind seeing something nice and fresh from the studio. So yeah, make it happen, Marvel.
However, in Doctor Strange 2, Chavez is being hunted by Wanda for her powers to travel the Multiverse. Wanda plans to drain America of her powers so she can use them to go to her kids in an alternate timeline, killing Chavez in the process. Initially in the movie, Chavez cannot control her powers but later on, in the need of the hour, she figures out how to do so saving everyone from Wanda’s wrath.
4. Benedict Wong (Wong)
One of the most loved characters in the Doctor Strange universe has to be Wong. He is one of those characters who keeps reappearing whenever there is an event regarding Doctor Strange, and I’m not at all complaining about it. Wong not only plays an integral part in the movies he’s a part of but also provides good comic relief in serious conditions.
In Doctor Strange 2, Wong is the Sorcerer Supreme and is helping Doctor Strange to protect America Chavez from falling into the hands of Wanda who wants to kill Chavez by draining her of her powers.
5. Chiwetel Ejiofor (Baron Mordo)
Chiwetel Ejiofor last appeared in the first Doctor Strange movie and after that, he made an appearance in Multiverse of Madness as a member of the Illuminati in an alternate reality called Earth-838. In this universe, Doctor Strange used the Darkhold and caused some serious damage because of which he had to be executed.
After his execution, Mordo was given the charge of the Sanctum taking Strange’s place. In Doctor Strange 2, he was responsible for capturing Strange and Chavez to be presented before the Illuminati.
6. Rachel McAdams (Dr. Christine Palmer)
Rachel McAdams plays the role of Doctor Strange’s love interest, Christine Palmer who is getting married. Throughout this movie, we see Strange saying that he is happy, but we, as the audience, can clearly see that he isn’t; he is just pretending. By the end of Doctor Strange 2, he confesses his feelings to the Christine he met on Earth-838. That scene is quite symbolic as well since you can clearly see that Strange has finally let go of his feelings and is finally at peace with them.
7. Hayley Atwell (Captain Carter)
Marvel fans got to see Captain Carter in action for the first time in What…if? an animated series based on alternative timelines of the infinite Marvel universe. The only complaint people had was that they didn’t get to see her in live-action and Marvel pulled off a rare W when they decided to bring her to the big screen as part of the Doctor Strange 2 cast.
In this movie, when Doctor Strange traveled to Earth-838, instead of the Avengers, the Illuminati was the protector of Earth, and instead of Captain America, they had Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter. Although her screen time wasn’t too much, it was good to see her in live-action.
8. John Krasinski (Reed Richards)
Okay but, what Marvel pulled off here was truly unexpected. They brought to our screens the leader of the Fantastic 4, a team that has been completely unheard of since 2015. Reed Richards has the ability to stretch himself to unbelievable extents and is deemed to be the smartest man on the planet. For some reason, John Krasinski’s appearance as Reed Richards didn’t feel out of place at all, as if we’ve been seeing him play the character for years.
My only complaint here is Marvel didn’t have to kill him off almost instantly after his appearance. His death means that the upcoming Marvel movie, The Fantastic Four, will recast Reed Richards, or maybe they won’t simply because this is an alternate timeline, and on Earth-616, he may still become Mr. Fantastic. Who knows?
9. Patrick Stewart (Professor Charles Xavier)
If showing us our beloved Professor X wasn’t enough for Marvel to make us emotional at his appearance, they had to throw in him saying his ever-famous quote “Just because someone stumbles and loses their way doesn’t mean they’re lost forever.” And when even that wasn’t enough, they had to kill him off, not fair Marvel.
Professor Charles Xavier is one of those characters from X-Men whom we saw on screen as kids making us set a benchmark in our mind for superhero movies. Professor X’s appearance could point toward the inclusion of mutants in future MCU projects. But hey, we don’t have to be sad about Professor’s death since it was on Earth-838, and the one on Earth-616 might still be around.
10. Anson Mount (Black Bolt)
If we talk about the most disrespectful death of any superhero, it has to be Black Bolt from Doctor Strange 2. His superpower was his voice and Wanda shut him up, quite literally. She, using her magic, sealed shut his mouth, and then proceeded to crush his skull. Marvel did not have to do him so dirty because he indeed was powerful, he was the one who killed Doctor Strange in this universe. I think Black Bolt was very much nerfed in this movie, what do you guys think?
11. Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel)
On Earth-838, Lashana Lynch plays the role of Captain Marvel, but in this universe, instead of Carol Danvers, Maria Rambeau is Captain Marvel. I have to say that she played the part quite well and was the only one among the whole of the Illuminati who actually overpowered Wanda for a brief period of time. However, Wanda was too strong even for a superhero possessing cosmic powers ultimately overpowering Captain Marvel and killing her off as well.
