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These are the 4 most ridiculous 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' fan theories
Marvel fans really outdid themselves here.
Ever since Marvel Studios announced Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been spitballing just how crazy that title might get. Especially when it comes to the potential of seeing alternative versions of existing and never-before-seen comic book characters in this movie. And when Spider-Man: No Way Home primed the pump on just what Marvel could do with a mystical arts-fueled take on the multiverse, fandom went into overdrive on what surprises Doctor Strange would bring them in his first sequel.
The movie's February Super Bowl spot, which revealed Sir Patrick Stewart's voice, also sent fans into a cumulative shriek of "Professor X!" in unison. We now have Reddit threads, trailer dissections looking for anything spoilery, and think pieces galore that rival any well-constructed conspiracy wall. None of it matters until the actual movie opens on May 6, but it's still fun to look at some of the strangest (yes, we did that) speculations about who might make a cameo. Rumors that very passionate corners of fandom spun into fact like Strange spins a spell. Now, with the movie about to be released, here are the four most headscratch-y of theories.
1. Tom Cruise as Iron Man
One of the earliest rumors to come out of Strange 2's shoot in London was this Cruise cameo. And that's because Tom Cruise was also in the UK shooting the next Mission: Impossible, so of course he must made himself available to appear as an alternative version of Tony Stark known as Superior Iron Man. The fact that Cruise was on a wish-list for a very early version of an Iron Man long before the days of Kevin Feige's Marvel Studios only further fueled this particular theory. Obviously, that never happened, but the Multiverse of Madness is certainly the infinite canvas in which that kind of casting choice could become real.
2. Hugh Jackman as Wolverine
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine helped make the X-Men movies one of the most successful cinematic superhero franchises ever. And Kevin Feige, the now President of Marvel Studios, was there from the start when he worked on the first X-Men movie. As such, he’s got a soft spot for the Wolverine character and Jackman’s embodiment of him. In fact, he was reportedly trying to get Logan to appear in Raimi's Spider-Man films, before Hollywood figured out that crossovers were good for big-screen business.
But fans instantly assumed that, with Fox's X-Men now owned by Disney, their favorite mutant would share significant screen time with an Avenger. However, from a practical standpoint, the work it takes for Jackman to look like Wolverine is well-known and brutal, so it’s hard to believe that the actor would get battle ready for just a cameo. Unless, some serious CGI gets involved.
3. Ben Affleck as Daredevil
Way back in 2003, Ben Affleck originated Daredevil on the big screen. That movie obviously didn't pan out as well as filmmakers and its star hoped and, in the years since, Affleck went over to DC to play Batman/Bruce Wayne in two movies. Bringing his version of Matt Murdock into the MCU (which they can do, since the character also reverted back to Marvel’s guidance) would be bonkers. And even more bonkers would be to see Affleck and Charlie Cox’s newly-minted MCU Matt Murdock in the same frame together.
4. Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider
Nicolas Cage’s comic book love is legendary. He even played Johnny Blaze in two Ghost Rider films for Sony, but both fell short creatively and financially, especially the second movie. Since the rights to the character are in-house again, Marvel Studios could certainly lean on nostalgia to give Cage one more ride as the flaming antihero. And he would certainly live up to the “madness” energy needed for that kind of appearance. However, the odds of getting the actor to return feels like a significant stretch. Sorry, Ghost Rider and Nic Cage fans. That cameo ain't in the cards for the MCU.
