The Marvel universe keeps on expanding to new heights and Doctor Strange: In The Multiverse of Madness is one of the many films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to do so. The hype has gradually increased with Doctor Strange: In The Multiverse of Madness and it’s one of the most anticipated comic book films of the year. It will dive deeper into the multiverse as Spider-Man: No Way Home gave MCU fans a quick glimpse at the possibilities the multiverse brings.

This film has gone through many changes as originally director Scott Derrickson, who directed Doctor Strange back in 2016, left the project due to creative differences and director Sam Raimi would later pick up the sequel. The film’s release date has also been shifted quite a few times with the original release date being May 7th, 2021, before being changed to November 5th, 2021, due to the pandemic. Then it was changed again to March 25th, 2021, then finally changed to May 6th, 2022, officially. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Stephen Strange, Benedict Wong as Wong, Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez, Adam Hugill as Rintrah, and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Baron Mordo.

The Marvel multiverse is a convoluting concept within itself because there are so many elements that make up the multiverse. To sum up the multiverse, the multiverse is the space to which universes accompany like a hallway with doors next to each other. Each universe is designated a numbered Earth, the main Marvel universe is referred to as Earth-616. In the Marvel universe, The One Above All created everything there is to know, originally representing the late Stan Lee and Jack Kirby to now the writers and artists of Marvel.

The One Above All also created The Living Tribunal who judges and makes sure balance is kept throughout the multiverse. In New Avengers Vol. 3 issue #30 written by Johnathan Hickman, Hank Pym discovered that The Living Tribunal was killed by the Beyonders who invaded the Marvel multiverse killing every cosmic abstract. Currently, an alternate universe Adam Warlock has taken the mantle of The Living Tribunal. Other cosmic abstracts like Lord Order and Master Chaos, Eternity, and Infinity also play a role in the multiverse as well.  

Where we left off with some of our characters is quite interesting. Doctor Strange was last seen tagging alongside Spider-Man in Spider-Man: No Way Home to erase the world’s knowledge of Peter Parker being Spider-Man, and Wong was last seen informing Shang-Chi on the mysterious energy the Ten Rings had radiated in Shang-Chi: The Legend of the Ten Rings. Baron Mordo was last seen in the post credit scene of Doctor Strange after being determined that there are too many sorcerers in the world and stripping them of their power. Wanda Maximoff was last seen in the middle of nowhere studying the Darkhold to which she later discovers that her children, Tommy and Billy Maximoff, are somehow alive, possibly through the multiverse.

A newcomer to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is America Chavez who will play a key role in the film. America Chavez was introduced in Vengeance issue #1 written by Joe Casey and America Chavez was born in the Utopian Parallel: a paradise dimension located in the multiverse where she obtained an unquantifiable amount of power from the Elder God Demiurge. America and her sister Catalina were taken to an island owned by Mr. Gales to be cured from a genetic disease.

This allowed America’s powers to manifest and Gales found his opportunity to manipulate America’s powers for his own good, only for America and Catalina to make their great escape. Helping in their escape were their mothers Amelia and Elena, though Elena is shot and killed by Gales. America Chavez is insanely powerful as she’s able to open star-portals that are gateways to the multiverse with a single punch.

Rintrah is another newcomer to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is an apprentice to Doctor Strange. Rintrah was introduced in Doctor Strange Vol. 2 issue #80 written by Peter Gillis and is a green minotaur from the R’Vaal race. Rintrah was the apprentice to The Weaver who is tasked with delivering a newly stitched Cloak of Levitation to Doctor Strange after it was torn in battle. After discovering an injured Doctor Strange who was battling a demonic entity known as Urthona, Rintrah gives his assistance to Strange to take down Urthona. Later, Rintrah becomes Strange’s apprentice and lived in the Sanctum Sanctorum. 

Nightmare has been reported to be the villain in this film and is one of Doctor Strange’s most powerful enemies in his rogue’s gallery. Nightmare was first introduced in Strange Tales issue #110 written by Stan Lee and he’s a fear lord who rules over the dream dimension. Many Marvel fans also spotted Shuma Gorath in the recent trailer, though a Lego set for the film suggests Shuma Gorath will have a name change to Gargantos.

Shuma Gorath is a classic and popular Doctor Strange villain that’s given the Sorcerer Supreme a rough time throughout the comics. Marvel fans know Shuma Gorath from the popular fighting game series Marvel vs. Capcom, but Shuma Gorath was first introduced in Marvel Premiere issue #10 written by Steve Englehart and he’s a “Many Angled One” who’d conquered Earth for millennia before being banished by sorcerer Sise-Neg. Centuries later, Shuma Gorath was met by Doctor Strange who had told him that he’d returned through The Ancient One’s mind and Strange was now forced to kill his mentor. After joining forces with sorcerer Kaluu, Strange was forced to use black magic and become a host for the Wings of Needless Sorrow to which he used against Shuma Gorath.

While being a host for the Wings of Needless Sorrow, Strange’s power was draining and Shuma Gorath taunted Strange by telling him he’d basically become Shuma Gorath no matter what he did. Instead, Doctor Strange kills himself, preventing Shuma Gorath from conquering Earth and Strange’s soul returned to his body. 

The film will also introduce MCU fans to the popular team the Illuminati. The Illuminati is one of Marvel’s most popular teams back in the mid 2000s during the era of the New Avengers. The Illuminati were first introduced in New Avengers issue #7 written by Brian Michael Bendis and it’s a secret organization formed by the world’s most powerful heroes: Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Mister Fantastic, Professor X, Namor the Submariner, and Black Bolt. The team may not look like their comic book counterpart, but the team will have similar members and be entirely multiverse based. Sir Patrick Stewert, who played Professor X in director Bryan Singer’s X-Men, will return as Professor X and Ioan Grufford, who played Mister Fantastic in director Tim Story’s Fantastic Four, could potentially return as well. No reports have shown Anson Mount, who played Black Bolt in the Inhumans series, will return.

We’re only two months away from Doctor Strange: In The Multiverse of Madness and it’s very exciting to see where the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe could go. Let’s see how chaotic the multiverse can be in Doctor Strange: In The Multiverse of Madness set for a release date of May 6th, 2022, exclusively in theaters.