Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a 2022 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Doctor Strange. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel to Doctor Strange and the 28th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film was directed by Sam Raimi, written by Michael Waldron, and stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange, alongside Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Rachel McAdams. In the film, Strange must protect America Chavez, a teenager capable of traveling the multiverse, from the Scarlet Witch.
Doctor Strange director and co-writer Scott Derrickson had plans for a sequel by October 2016. He signed to return as director in December 2018, when Cumberbatch was confirmed to return. The film's title was announced in July 2019 along with Olsen's involvement, while Jade Halley Bartlett was hired to write the film that October. Derrickson stepped down as director in January 2020, citing creative differences. Waldron and Raimi joined the following month and started over, adding elements of the horror genre that Raimi had worked with previously and making Wanda the villain of the film, continuing her story from the Disney+ miniseries WandaVision. Filming began in November 2020 in London but was put on hold in January 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Production resumed by March 2021 and concluded in mid-April in Somerset. Shooting also occurred in Surrey and Los Angeles. With a production budget of $350.6 million, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is one of the most expensive films ever made.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on May 2, 2022, and was released in the United States on May 6, as part of Phase Four of the MCU. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and grossed $955.8 million worldwide, making it the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2022.

Plot

A demon chases America Chavez and a version of Stephen Strange in the space between universes while searching for the Book of Vishanti. Strange is killed and Chavez accidentally creates a portal that transports herself and Strange's corpse to Earth-616, where that universe's version of Stephen Strange rescues Chavez from another demon with help from Wong, the Sorcerer Supreme. Chavez explains that the beings are hunting her because she has the power to travel through the multiverse.
Recognizing witchcraft runes on the demon, Strange consults Wanda Maximoff but soon realizes that she is responsible for the attacks. After acquiring the Darkhold and becoming the Scarlet Witch, Wanda believes that taking Chavez's powers and traveling through the multiverse will allow her to reunite with Billy and Tommy, the children she created during her time in Westview. When Strange refuses to surrender Chavez, Wanda attacks Kamar-Taj and kills many sorcerers. Chavez accidentally transports herself and Strange to Earth-838. Wanda uses the Darkhold to "dreamwalk", taking control of her Earth-838 counterpart who lives a suburban life with her own Billy and Tommy. After a surviving sorceress, Sara, sacrifices herself to destroy the Darkhold and break the dreamwalk, an enraged Wanda forces Wong to lead her to Mount Wundagore, the source of the Darkhold power, to reestablish the dreamwalk.
While searching for help, Strange and Chavez are apprehended by Earth-838's Sorcerer Supreme, Karl Mordo, and brought before the Illuminati, a group consisting of Mordo, Peggy Carter, Blackagar Boltagon, Maria Rambeau, Reed Richards, and Charles Xavier. They explain that through reckless use of their universe's Darkhold in an attempt to defeat Thanos, Earth-838's Strange triggered a universe-destroying "incursion". After defeating Thanos, the Illuminati executed their Strange to prevent him from causing more harm. Mordo believes that Earth-616's Strange is similarly dangerous, but Wanda reestablishes her dreamwalk at Mount Wundagore and arrives in her Earth-838 counterpart's body before the Illuminati can pass judgment. She brutally kills all the Illuminati except Mordo, whom Strange subdues before fleeing with Chavez. The two escape with help from the Earth-838 version of Strange's ex-fiancé, Christine Palmer, a scientist working with the Illuminati.
Strange, Chavez, and Palmer enter the space between universes to find the Book of Vishanti, which is the antithesis of the Darkhold, but Wanda appears and destroys it. She then takes over Chavez's mind and uses her powers to send Strange and Palmer to an incursion-destroyed universe. Strange defeats the destroyed universe's Strange, who has been corrupted by his Darkhold, and then uses that Darkhold to dreamwalk into the body of his deceased counterpart on Earth-616. With Wong's help, Strange saves Chavez from Wanda and encourages Chavez to use her abilities. Chavez transports Wanda to Earth-838, where she sees Billy and Tommy fearfully recoiling from her while crying for their real mother. Realizing her errors, Wanda relents and uses her powers to bring down Mount Wundagore, simultaneously destroying all copies of the Darkhold throughout the multiverse and sacrificing herself in the process. Chavez returns Strange and Palmer to their respective universes.
Some time later, Kamar-Taj is under repair and the surviving sorcerers, joined by Chavez, continue training. Strange develops a third eye as a result of using the Darkhold and dreamwalking into a corpse. In a mid-credits scene, Strange is approached by a sorceress who warns that his actions have triggered an incursion that he must help repair. Strange follows her into the Dark Dimension.

Cast

Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange:

A neurosurgeon who became a Master of the Mystic Arts following a career-ending car accident. Writer Michael Waldron said Strange was "at the height of his powers" in the film, and compared the character to Indiana Jones as a hero who can "take a punch", but with the intellect of chef Anthony Bourdain. He saw Strange as a "great adventure hero you just like to watch kick ass". Director Sam Raimi explained that Strange begins the film believing that he should be making all decisions, and must learn to "let go a little bit" and trust in others. Cumberbatch also portrays three alternate versions of the character: the Earth-617 version who dies at the beginning of the film and wears a costume inspired by Matt Fraction's 2011 Defenders comic book series; the former Sorcerer Supreme of Earth-838 who founded the Illuminati; and a version who has been corrupted by the Darkhold.

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch:

A former Avenger gone rogue who can harness chaos magic, engage in telepathy and telekinesis, and alter reality. The film continues Wanda's "ownership of what makes her unique and the accountability of her life experience" that began in the Disney+ series WandaVision, including using an accent that is more true to her Sokovian heritage after some of the previous MCU projects had seen her use a more Americanized accent. Olsen wanted to ensure Wanda's role in the film honored the events of the series, requesting some adjustments to the film to ensure that it evolved the character rather than repeating moments from WandaVision. She felt the film's portrayal showed a new confidence for the character that was "really empowering", and said it was "okay to play characters that people get frustrated with sometimes". Olsen also portrays the character's Earth-838 counterpart.

Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo:

The Sorcerer Supreme of Earth-838 and a member of the Illuminati. He is an alternate version from the Mordo seen in the first film, which set him up as a future antagonist. That version does not appear in the sequel because he did not fit into the story, with Waldron explaining that they were focused on the Earth-838 version of the character and felt it was more exciting to leave the Earth-616 version for "another day". An early version of the script included the Earth-616 version of Mordo in an opening sequence in which he would have been killed by Wanda.

Benedict Wong as Wong:

The Sorcerer Supreme of Earth-616 and Strange's mentor and friend. The actor was happy to hear that his character would be the Sorcerer Supreme and stand "toe-to-toe with Doctor Strange", serving as the voice of reason for Strange who ultimately faces consequences for ignoring Wong's advice. The actor had more action scenes in this film and prepared by training with former rugby league player Shannon Hegarty.

Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez:

A teenager who can travel between dimensions by punching open doorways. She originates from another universe known as the Utopian Parallel. Gomez wanted to remain faithful to the source material despite playing a younger version of the character than is seen in the comics, and said her journey in the film begins with the character having been alone for a long time and "running away from her uniqueness". Chavez has to embrace her abilities and learn to trust others by the film's end. Marvel Studios had been looking for the right film to introduce the character in for a long time before settling on Multiverse of Madness.

Michael Stuhlbarg as Nicodemus West:

A surgeon and former colleague of Strange. Stuhlbarg was also planned to portray his Earth-838 counterpart but could only film one scene, as the Earth-616 version, due to scheduling conflicts. The Earth-838 version would have worked for the Illuminati, and the protagonists would have found his head in an elevator after he was killed by Wanda off-screen, similar to the death of Samuel L. Jackson's character Ray Arnold in the film Jurassic Park.

Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer:

An emergency surgeon who was a colleague and lover of Strange. The film explores Strange's decision at the end of the film Doctor Strange to protect the New York Sanctum and not be with Palmer, despite still having feelings for her and possibly regretting that decision, with Palmer marrying someone else in this film. McAdams also portrays the character's Earth-838 counterpart, who is an employee of the Baxter Foundation and the former lover of that reality's Strange. McAdams described this version of the character as a "Multiversal expert" who allowed her to have more action scenes compared to the first film. She has "a lot more baggage" than the original version of the character due to the Earth-838 version of Strange being corrupted, but her storyline with the Earth-616 Strange helps resolve his love story with his own version of Palmer.
The Illuminati of Earth-838 also includes Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier, portraying a different version of the character that he previously played in 20th Century Fox's X-Men film series; Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter / Captain Carter, after voicing another version in the Disney+ animated series What If...? ; Lashana Lynch as Maria Rambeau / Captain Marvel, an alternate version of her character from the film Captain Marvel ; Anson Mount as Blackagar Boltagon / Black Bolt, an alternate version of his role from Marvel's ABC television series Inhumans ; and John Krasinski as Reed Richards, a member of the Fantastic Four.
Julian Hilliard and Jett Klyne portray the Earth-838 versions of Wanda's sons Billy and Tommy, reprising their respective roles from WandaVision, while Topo Wresniwiro reprises his role from the first film as Hamir, a Master of the Mystic Arts. Also appearing in the film are Sheila Atim as Sara, a Master of the Mystic Arts, and Adam Hugill as the voice of Rintrah, a minotaur-like being from R'Vaal who is a student at Kamar-Taj. Ross Marquand voices the Ultron drones that appear on Earth-838. Marquand previously voiced a different version of Ultron in What If...?, replacing James Spader, who portrayed the Earth-616 Ultron in the film Avengers: Age of Ultron. The character Clea is introduced in the mid-credits scene, portrayed by Charlize Theron, and Waldron makes a cameo appearance as a guest at Palmer's wedding. Bruce Campbell, a frequent collaborator with Raimi, briefly appears in both the main film and post-credits scene as the vendor of an Earth-838 food stall called Pizza Poppa. Scott Spiegel, another frequent collaborator with Raimi, voices one of the Souls of the Damned that attack Strange when he possesses a corpse. Co-producer Richie Palmer also voices one of the Souls of the Damned.