Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness Preview SPOILERS

    Welcome back to HLS Entertainment! Today we are going to be discussing the newest upcoming MCU title, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. We are doing a deep dive into absolutely EVERYTHING you need to know before watching the film, and some things you don't NEED to know but will add to the hype. We will be doing location, character and plot breakdowns, letting you know what to expect about all three.

    Now, why should you care about what I have to say? Well, let us look at my track record and let it speak for itself. I will provide links to each Phase 4 MCU breakdown I have done, read them or scan through, whatever you like but the proof is there. I am pretty decent at this. Moon Knight, No Way Home, Hawkeye, Eternals, Shang-Chi, What If...?, Black Widow, Loki, TFATWS, and WandaVision

Okay, are we back? I will not claim any of them to be perfect, nobody is, but I know my stuff. So, SPOILERS I will get things right and I will get things wrong. But treat this as SPOILERS for all MCU properties that have been released. Personally, I want to get everything right because I have an ego and it makes me feel good to have predictions come true but I also ADORE when I get surprised by Marvel Studios. This is all for good fun, I love the discussion these movies and shows rile up. If you want to send me your theories for this movie or any MCU property (or any movie) hit me up on Twitter @HaroldLStokes !

On to the breakdown! Fair warning Doctor Strange is my favorite Marvel comic character so I might go overboard with certain things.

Locations to Expect

New York City

    

    Home to Doctor Strange and his New York Sanctum Sanctorum. On Earth, aside from our next location, I imagine this would be a primary location for this film but it might not just be our MCU NYC it could be NYC of different realities.

Kamar-Taj

    

    Formerly the home of the Ancient One and currently the (assumed) home of Sorcerer Supreme Wong, with Master Hamir being the protector of the Sanctum. That little detail is something we have not specifically been told but we have only been shown very few things about the Masters of each Sanctum, but we have a safe assumption that Hamir is in charge of the Kamar-Taj Sanctum reporting to Wong. This assumed information includes Doctor Strange taking over as the Master of the New York Sanctum ever since the death of Daniel Drumm in the first Doctor Strange film. 

    

    Kamar-Taj should be a location we spend a decent amount of time at in this film.

Illuminati Headquarters

    Okay, so technically we have not been told they are the Illuminati but come on it has been rumored for years. It is either them or it is the Starlight Citadel, which honestly would fit so many things in this movie but make absolutely no sense for the set up and characters assumed to be involved. If we saw Captain Peggy Carter in Mordo's role in the trailers, we would be having an entirely different conversation. 

Wherever This Is

    

    This realm whatever it is, is where a book/relic of importance will be at in this film, we see Defender Strange and MCU Strange her in this location on what seems separate trips. I personally think this place will end up being revealed or referred to as either the Nexus of All Realities or even possibly Vishanti's dimension, but for the sake of this blog I will refer to it as the Nexus. I really want to piece this together being a destroyed Olympus (as seen in the Thor 4 trailer) but I doubt that would be the case. 

Many Different Non MCU Realities

    Yes, those are Dinosaurs. Just be open to it getting weird, wild, and wacky. Anything/anywhere 3D or 2D is on the table.

Characters We Know are Set to Appear

Doctor Stephen Strange aka Mister Doctor - Benedict Cumberbatch

    Doctor Stephen Strange has first appeared in the MCU in his solo film back in 2016 but was first referenced back in 2014's Captain America Winter Soldier. With appearances in Thor Ragnarok, Avengers Infinity War and Endgame, and Spider-Man No Way Home as well as his solo film this will be his sixth MCU film appearance.

    Quick catch up on him, formerly a world renown surgeon with a huge ego but he is trying to do better, probably doesn't text and drive anymore after a life altering car wreck where he shattered his hands and caused him permanent nerve damage ending his career as a surgeon. No longer able to fuel his ego through his work Stephen tried to find ANY way to fix his hands, blowing through his entire fortune on experimental surgeries. When he found out about a man named Jonathan Pangborn was miraculously able to walk after an injury that Stephen himself thought impossible to fix he searches him out and hears about Kamar-Taj. Strange spends his last dime in search of Kamar-Taj and is eventually found and saved by Mordo who brings him to the Ancient One. Long story short Stephen is a genius and learns magic very adeptly and quickly after first mocking it but was brought to his knees when the Ancient One showed him the truth of the mystical world.

    Strange was unwillingly enlisted into fighting their magical war against zealots, but when the Ancient One is fatally injured she tells him about his possibility for greatness, how he needs to do his best to work with Mordo how they can help one another, but most importantly trying to impart a single truth to him that his ego holds him back from, "it isn't about you". The Ancient One gives Strange a call to action to become the greatest version of himself, set his ego aside but his willingness to do whatever it takes is what will save them. A lesson Stephen continues to this day in the MCU, he does his best to curtail his ego, but his willingness to bend the rules to do what is for the greater good is part of  his strength.  

Wanda Maximoff aka The Scarlet Witch - Elizabeth Olsen

    

    Wanda Maximoff first appearance in the MCU was also the movie where Strange was first mentioned. She appeared alongside her twin brother Pietro Maximoff in the post credit scene of Captain America The Winter Soldier (2014). This scene showed off their powers and set up their role as minor antagonists in Avengers Age of Ultron. As we all know they end up turning on Ultron once they discover his true plan and joined the Avengers. She has appeared in five MCU films including the two just listed she also appeared in Captain America Civil War, and Avengers Infinity War and Endgame before going on to kick off MCU Phase 4 with her very own show WandaVision.

    So, a not so quick recap on her story so far, there is a lot of information needed to inform her character and her choices in this film. As a child Wanda's home was bombed killing her parents but she and her brother survived. The missile was a Stark missile which caused the pair to grow up hating Tony Stark this fueled their desire to join Hydra letting them experiment on them using Loki's Scepter (which contained the Mind Stone). During these experiments her power was unlocked, and she saw a vision of herself in the future as the Scarlet Witch. The Avengers show up, they fight them, Ultron is made, they join Ultron, they fight the Avengers again, Ultron tries to build himself a new synthetic body (Vision) to be the new version of himself with the Mind Stone in the forehead, Wanda reads his mind as it is uploaded to Vision, she finds out his true plan to wipe out humanity. This is where Wanda turns from someone who only wants revenge, into trying to do what is right. She and her brother join the Avengers fight to stop Ultron, and TRY to stop Tony from finishing Vision uploading Jarvis into the body but fail. This is where the love of her life Vision was "born". Vision joins the Avengers they fight and beat Ultron, but Pietro sacrifices himself saving Hawkeye and a child from being mowed down by Ultron. When Pietro is killed, we see Wanda's first snap to violence as she finds a defeated Ultron and uses her power to rip his "heart" out, but Vision shows up to save her from the falling city.

    

    Moving on Wanda joins the Avengers full time alongside Vision and they become close. On a mission Cap and Natasha are trying to train and teach Wanda before things get rolling, but during the fight Wanda saves Cap but accidentally redirects an explosion into a building filled with people killing many. This seemingly is a final straw for the Avengers as the world governments come together calling for them to be held accountable. Skipping ahead, Civil War happens, and Wanda is a wanted criminal across the world alongside all of Team Cap. In Infinity War we see how her flirtations with Vision has developed into a full-blown relationship as they escape off just to be alone with one another, but the film ends with Wanda heartbreakingly having to destroy the Mind Stone killing Vision to save everyone only to have Thanos reverse it and she has to watch him kill Vision again. Wanda was shortly snapped away by Thanos and was gone for 5 years but when she returned Vision's body was gone. Vision's body was in the possession of S.W.O.R.D. as they were breaking it down to, unbeknownst to Wanda, rebuild a new White Vision they could use as their own weapon.

    

     Wanda, thinking she had seen the last of Vision, goes to the unfinished home he had bought for them to grow old together in and in her grief her power erupts altering the reality around her building the home around her and rebirthing Vision from the part of the Mind Stone within her. She expands this Hex to surround the town around her and we get the events of WandaVision. During this Wanda manifested and gave birth to twin boys, Billy and Tommy. A witch named Agatha shows up to investigate this incredible work of magic Wanda has done and finds out that Wanda is actually the Scarlet Witch. The Scarlet Witch is a sorcerer who needs no spells or incantations they can alter reality at will, Agatha knows this because it is written in the dark magic book she has the Darkhold. Also in this book it supposedly says Wanda's power exceeds that of the sorcerer supreme and that she is destined to destroy the world. Wanda eventually has to give up this fake sitcom life she created for herself because she has unknowingly(ehhhh) enslaved the town around her. She says goodbye to the twins and her husband in heartbreaking fashion. The last we see of Wanda, she flies off to an undefined location (but assumed to be at or near Wundagore, an important comic location) where she has split herself between her own body and her astral form reading from the Darkhold until she hears the voices of her children crying out for help.

Wong aka the Sorcerer Supreme - Benedict Wong

    Wong was first introduced in the MCU in Doctor Strange (2016) and has since appeared in four more films, Avengers Infinity War and Endgame, Shang-Chi and No Way Home. Wong was introduced as the newest librarian and caretaker of the magical books and artifacts in Kamar-Taj. He goes on to seemingly be Doctor Strange's close friend and ally in Infinity War but when Strange was snapped away he earned and took over the title of Sorcerer Supreme during the five years of the blip and continues to hold that title currently in the MCU. 

    We have seen Wong take on other roles working alongside the remaining Avengers such as Captain Marvel and Hulk in Shang-Chi. As well as seemingly training the Hulk villain Abomination. His ownership of the title Sorcerer Supreme seems to be a sticking point between he and Strange in No Way Home driving a wedge between them. Something I am curious about is if we get confirmation that his father is Master Hamir like it is in the comics, we have yet to see them interact in the MCU but we see them together in the trailer for this film so maybe.

America Chavez - Xochitl Gomez

    

    America Chavez is a brand-new character to the MCU as this is her first appearance. Her first appearance in Marvel comics was back in 2011, so not a classic character like Doctor Strange but one that has over a decade of history. That history is very important to something that has been very obviously set up throughout all of Phase 4, the Young Avengers. Chavez plays a big role being a key member of the team and she seems to be the first to make a big screen debut as a hero/powered individual (unless they make Yelena a Young Avenger after her interactions with Kate Bishop on Hawkeye). After I typed that out I realized Shuri might be the actual first if they make her a member of the team, and Cassie Lang has appeared multiple times but has yet to be close to being powered yet.

    America Chavez has the VERY unique ability of being able to create a star shaped portal in which she can teleport anywhere throughout the multiverse. We had heard reports that Chavez was initially going to show up in No Way Home in the role of Strange's apprentice which sounds weird, but if they turn her power into an innate magical ability similar to Wanda's hex magic it could be an interesting twist to the character. 

Dr. Christine Palmer - Rachel McAdams

    Dr. Palmer made her first MCU appearance, like a lot of people in this movie, in the 2016 Doctor Strange film but this will be our first time seeing her since then. She was introduced as one of the few people to be able to put up with Stephen Strange's personality, as well as his peer in the medical field who cared more to help those in need than fame or fortune unlike Strange. We have not had this confirmed but I believe it is most likely a safe bet she survived the blip and during those five years she seems to have moved on from any possible rekindling with our Strange Dr.

    I will point this out now, it would not shock me if this entire wedding we have seen in trailers is just a part of Doctor Strange's nightmares. And a reminder, it does seem like the Palmer we will see in big part of this film is the Dr. Palmer that works at the Illuminati not the MCU one. 

Karl Mordo aka Mordo - Chiwetel Ejiofor 

    Mordo was a pupil and Master of the mystic arts under the Ancient One in his one appearance in the MCU in the 2016 Doctor Strange film. Mordo was the one to take pity on Stephen and convince the Ancient One to train him. We really have not been told much of his backstory that is in the comics as they seem to be fine with ignoring it and using him as hardline character who is strict to the "rules" to a fault. But in this film, it does not seem to even be the MCU version of the character that we see at all. I will be curious to see if they pay off the first films post credit scene at all that ended with Mordo taking away Pangborn's ability to channel magic through his body to walk proclaiming there are too many sorcerers.   

Dr. Nicodemus West - Michael Stuhlbarg (picture from first Doctor Strange film)

    This is the character from the first film who called brain death incorrectly causing Dr. Palmer to go get Strange for a second opinion to come save the patient's life. In the very popular Doctor Strange comic "The Oath", SPOILERS for a 15-year-old comic, Dr. West after being embarrassed by Strange learns magic himself to try to kill/ruin Strange. Now I do not think personally this will be a part of this story it is just worth noting because I did not expect him to even be in the movie and he was given casting credit in the trailer. A later trailer shows him with Strange at Palmer's wedding so maybe that is his one scene. It is just odd because I thought he was just a fun Easter egg for the first movie.

Billy and Tommy aka Wiccan and Speed - Julian Hilliard and Jett Klyne

    We discussed the twins' origins in Wanda's section so let us focus on who they are more here. William "Billy" Maximoff grows up to go by Wiccan as he has special magical powers like his mother. Tommy Maximoff aka Speed takes after his uncle Pietro and is a speedster. Assumingly Wanda's driving force in this movie will be trying to get her to sons back*. *Is it getting them back if you kind of just created them?

Bruce Campbell aka Bruce Campbell - Bruce Campbell

    Sam Raimi's good friend and good luck charm, Bruce Campbell has appeared in nearly every single film Sam Raimi has directed and has been confirmed to be in this movie in a secret role. This does not mean it is an important role to the plot, but if you get a chance to have an actor with a cult following like Bruce Campbell you might want to cast him as someone that can come back over and over. Famously in Raimi's Spider-Man films he played a "different" character in each movie all having interactions with Peter Parker, but he was supposed to be revealed as Quinten Beck aka Mysterio in Spider-Man 4. It would be a great Easter egg to have him be a fanboy of the "multiversal hero" Mysterio and be dressed up as him.

Characters that have been rumored to appear (a lot)

Charles Xiaver aka Professor X - Sir Patrick Stewart

    

    I mean this is everything but confirmed. We see a bald head and hear Sir Patrick Stewart's voice, but of course he has denied involvement publicly thus far even going so far to ask, "who is Doctor Strange?". Essentially we know he will be in the film but here is the question, is he playing the Fox X-Men version? Or could he just be playing an entirely new version of the character? I am holding out hope that he is actually going to be playing the version from the old cartoon show, since we know Disney+ is bringing the show back!

Chthon - Chthon (I DO NOT THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY CHTHON)

    This is going to be a name that you hear in regard to this movie over and over. This is a character from Marvel comics whose role has changed here and there but is most popularly known for being the author of the Darkhold and granted Wanda some of her power. I personally think Marvel Studios is doing what they have constantly done in mixing characters to fit the story they want to tell. I think they are mixing Chthon with Nightmare. The first is an elder god (with some relations to some of the gods in Moon Knight) who as the author of the Darkhold in the comics, and the second Nightmare is the ruler of the Nightmare dimension where he feeds off the bad dreams of everyone in the normal world. Nightmare was heavily hinted at to be the villain of a second Doctor Strange film back when Scott Derrickson was still the director. Scott Derrickson is gone but some of his ideas could still be there and mixed in with Wanda's story involving Chthon.

    Little fun thing in this photo that is only one of two of the same creatures we see in the trailer as it pans over. I think this shot has SO much more meaning, but I will cover that in the plot breakdown.

    As we will discuss in detail in the plot breakdown, this movie is set up to have multitudes of potential cameos of variants of Marvel characters. This potential revolving door of cameos include tons of former Fox Marvel actors, some almost castings, normal one-off variants, and possibly setting up new established MCU characters keep your eyes on the ready and try to count how many we get!

Yes I will be the boy who cried wolf still thinking Deadpool will show up in this. But here are a few STRONG possible surprises.

Clea - Charlize Theron

    We do not have any proof of this, but this has been a very big rumor for a while now that Charlize Theron was secretly cast and in this film. She would be playing the Clea who first appeared in Marvel comics back in 1964, is a Faltine which is just an extra-dimensional energy being whose uncle is Dormammu. Yes the giant flaming head villain in the first Doctor Strange film. Clea has been a love interest and ally of Doctor Strange for a very long time and have been married for quite awhile.

White Vision - Paul Bettany

    I mean it feels like it would be weird to continue the WandaVision story in this without also continuing Vision's story. I think it could be a smart option to bring in Paul Bettany to play an Ultron Vision that is a member of the Illuminati. Also in this same vein having some version of her brother Pietro also showing up makes sense too.

Jericho Drumm aka Doctor Voodoo 

    This one is primarily just wishful thinking. There has been no casting rumors, this would just be a continuation of a thread in the first Doctor Strange movie though there could definitely be a spot for him as the MCU expands further into more mystical/horror stuff with Blade, Moon Knight, the Halloween Werewolf by Midnight special and probable future Midnight Sons film/show. What was the thread? His brother Daniel Drumm was the Master of the New York Sanctum we see killed by in the first Doctor Strange film.

Plot Breakdown

I thought about doing different mini plot breakdowns because I think so much of this movie has been hidden from us, while at the same time I just do not trust the trailers to actually be portraying the film. This movie is VERY straight forward if we go purely off the trailers and tv spots

If we were to go by the trailers alone - reality is breaking, Strange meets Chavez because Gargantos is chasing her through the cracks of reality, Strange needs Wanda's help but lies to her cause he needs the Darkhold, Strange uses the Darkhold to help fix reality, it goes wrong letting loose Chthon, Strange is arrested by the TVA for messing with reality, Wanda helps break him out, they join forces to fight off the Illuminati then have to fight off Chthon and his creatures while trying to stay sane and not go mad. Darkhold is the key to the multiverse, Wanda wants to use it to get her kids, Strange uses it to fix reality, then they seal it  at the Nexus of all realities.

But here is how I see the full plot actually playing out piecing things together from trailers and rumors

    The film opens with a big set piece of America Chavez and Defender Strange in the Nexus of All Realities trying to reach a book at the center but are being protected by its "protector" Cyttorak. We are not told what the book is or why they are trying to get to it yet because they fail to reach it in time and as Defender Strange is holding off Cyttorak (giant ribbon monster) he is killed and his body falls through Chavez's star portal to MCU Earth. We really do not have an answer for what the book could actually be. It could be the book of the Vishanti, a book that has many uses but it is primarily used as a source of knowledge about white magic and the cosmos. Whatever it actually is it seems to be the key to either fixing the multiverse or even possibly sealing off the Darkhold.

    We cut to our MCU Strange waking up in a fright as if his nightmare was watching those events happen. He gets dressed and goes to Dr. Palmer's wedding, she met someone else because she was not blipped away. Once Strange arrives to the wedding we see him have a conversation with Dr. Nicodemus West about what could have been between Strange and Palmer. The wedding goes on until there is some sort of disturbance and we come to find out a giant monster is seemingly attacking NYC. Strange warps his suit into his wizard clothes (I imagine a new look we have not seen before, the classic Strange look in the trailer).

    Strange arrives to fight the giant one-eyed tentacle monster, Gargantos, only to discover it is chasing someone. We see Gargantos chasing Chavez through the street and Strange steps in to save her. While fighting Gargantos Strange gets stunned and Wong shows up and kills/gets rid of the monster. This will be used to set up further tension between Strange and Wong as Strange believes he should be Sorcerer Supreme. This is where Chavez will explain her situation to Strange about being chased down by these extradimensional monsters and how a different version of Strange died helping her. Strange says prove it and she takes him to where Defender Stranges body fell through with her.

    Knowing he needs help Strange goes to find and recruit Wanda to help. We more than likely get a scene here showing off Wanda's motivation in this movie, discussing her nightmare and desire to do whatever it takes to get her sons back. Strange asks her for help jokes about getting her back on a lunchbox. I think it could be possible that Strange is aware she has the Darkhold but the scene takes a turn as it is revealed Wanda is the one hunting Chavez through the Multiverse using it to summon monsters to trap her and bring her there. Strange possibly steals the Darkhold and barely escapes back to Kamar-Taj.

    Wong had taken Chavez to Kamar-Taj to meet with the masters there and they all are against her jumping throughout the multiverse because of the dangers it could bring. I hope we get a moment between Wong and Master Hamir because in the comics he is his father, and I am curious if that is true in the MCU as well. I imagine we get Wong lecturing Strange as soon as he arrives back to Kamar-Taj but Strange calls everyone to arms that they are about to be under attack from Wanda. Kamar-Taj goes code red everyone to battle stations as Wanda arrives. 

    Wanda goes full force assault on Kamar-Taj breaking through all of the magical barriers and defenses. Wanda is using the full force of new powers she has unlocked within the Darkhold's corrupting pages. We get a big magical battle until she eventually makes it inside to where Wong, Strange and Chavez are. It is either on purpose or on accident Chavez star portals herself out of there with Strange. We see Wanda entrap Wong and set up her seance we see in the trailers.

    Using the Darkhold, her seance is to mentally/astraly project herself through the multiverse. This is where I believe we see her go into a universe showing Billy and Tommy at home in her Westview home before having them possibly fade from her or run to their version of Wanda. She could have a battle with herself killing her then taking over that Wanda's body. During this time we will see Chavez and Strange hopping through universes looking for an escape or help before being mysteriously incapacitated. 

    We see our Strange wake up inside the glass prison cube we see in the trailers. It is revealed he is being held prisoner and we see a new version of Mordo and Dr. Palmer (I will put here I think she possibly could actually be Clea but looks like Palmer). Mordo informs him of his crimes endangering the multiverse and Ultron bots lead him throughout this giant mysterious building before it is revealed to be the home of the Illuminati as Strange is brought before them. 

    I think this is where we see the seven primary members of the Illuminati, Baron Mordo, Captain Peggy Carter, Maria Rambeau aka Captain Marvel, Mister Fantastic played by John Krasinski, some form of either Iron Man, Ultron or Vision, whoever Bruce Campbell will be cameoing as, and their leader Professor Charles Xiaver played by Sir Patrick Stewart. Secrets are revealed to our Strange but suddenly the Illuminati headquarters is under attack. Wanda arrives still puppetting this alternate variant Wanda's body slaughtering the Iron Legion/Ultron(/I guess they could be Doombots) robots and has a huge battle with Illuminati members. Illuminati Mordo trusts Doctor Strange to do what is right even though the path is difficult and frees him from the restraints negating his magic so he can escape and he tells him what the book really is and how to use it. Dr. Palmer lets Chavez out and meets up with our Strange as they fight to escape.

    This version of Doctor Palmer could have been married to her universe's Strange (Maybe the Supreme Strange we see the statue of) that is why she is willing to help them. Mordo told Strange how to reach the Nexus where the book is. Possibly it is required to use an object that is already there to unlock a doorway to it, because we see Strange's watch on the door used to open it, maybe Defender Strange's watch did not come through with his body. Could be a heartfelt moment where the watch they use is actually Palmer's because she wears her Stephen's watch now that he has passed.

    This could be where our Strange finally gets to show off holding off the Cyttorak monster as Chavez grabs the book. But as she gets to the book Strange is distracted fighting and Wanda arrives and seals them off there with no way out. Wanda takes Chavez back to Kamar-Taj and plans to use her power combined with the Darkhold and her own power to bring her Billy and Tommy back to this universe.

    I think this is where Strange and Palmer figure out a way to get to the Nightmare world we have seen in the trailers of the world crumbling. Here the pair go to the New York Sanctum and find let's call him Nightmare Strange. It would be a fun twist to have this be Supreme Strange from What If but I do not think that will be the case. Strange talks with Nightmare Strange but NM Strange wants to use the book for himself to escape this hellscape, they have a big battle and our Strange wins. 

    Our Strange uses the book to look through the Multiverse tracking Wanda's steps eventually finding their reality and copies what she did sending himself mentally or asterally through but into the dead body of Defender Strange. We cut back to Wanda who is using Chavez and the Darkhold to bring back her kids but we find out she is being tricked by Chthon/Nightmare and as Billy and Tommy come through they turn into the giant monstrous demons we see in the trailer. Realizing the deception Wanda attempts to hold back Chthon/Nightmare from crossing through the Star Portal, Wong and Chavez help her. I think we find out/see the goodness in Billy and Tommy beating out the demon and they take control of the form and fight alongside them.

    We see the group not being able to hold Chthon/Nightmare back until our Strange arrives in the zombified body of Defender Strange and he helps fight before eventually using his form to cover the entire Star Portal sacrificing himself to seal it. We think Strange is killing himself, but Wanda is able to separate him from the body of defender Strange at the last moment. 

    Chavez brings him back to his body and Dr. Palmer everyone goes back to where they should be, Chavez stays on MCU Earth, Wanda is imprisoned at Kamar-Taj but she is content because Billy and Tommy are now real in the MCU. I think post credit scenes/wrapping up this movie could show the absolute chaos of the multiverse that is going on because of Loki and the TVA and the Illuminati now not being there. Perfect time for a true Kang stinger.

Theories

Billy and Tommy are Demons

    Marvel Studios is absolutely amazing not at recreating but ADAPTING comic storylines and they love to mix them together to create something entirely new. I think they could be mixing the original origin of Billy and Tommy in the comics where they were pieces of Mephisto's soul into being parts of Chthon's and he could be trying to trick Wanda into summoning him using his book the Darkhold. His character could be mixed with Nightmare as well as they just keep dropping that word in every trailer. I feel like it would not be smart for me to at least think that is a possibility, even though it is most likely just a misdirect for Doctor Strange fans like myself.

This movie could give us the birth of Juggernaut via the Crimson Gem from Cyttorak

    Okay this one and the next are purely dumb fun but could technically happen. If we assume that this giant ribbon monster IS Cyttorak then if it is defeated and drops a gem/crystal/stone PAY ATTENTION. In Marvel Comics the infamous villain and sometimes good guy Juggernaut actually gets his power from the Crimson Gem and if it happened to fall out of this monster (or could be powering it) it would be very interesting to see where it ends up. 

This movie is going to introduce Man-Thing as the guardian of the Nexus of All Realities

    Now IF that place where the giant ribbon monster and the book are at is actually the Nexus of All Realities then it might need a new protector if the creature is destroyed. Who is the Nexus protector in the comics usually? Man-Thing. With Marvel Studios starting to tip toe into their more horror and mystical stuff I feel like Man-Thing has to be coming soon and this could be a perfect set up. Just keep an eye out if we are suddenly in the Florida Everglades.

The Illuminati agrees, there are too many sorcerers

    What if the Mordo we see in the trailers is actually the MCU Mordo and has essentially turned Strange into the Illuminati for his reckless sorcery. The Illuminati agrees that the more sorcerers there are the more likely they do something that breaks the multiverse, and that having them out there causes more risk and harm than good. This could be a retelling of the Jason Aaron Doctor Strange run where the Empirikul seek to destroy all of magic and its users.

This is an Endgame Reference NOT What If...

    I believe this is NOT like the black liquid goo we see reality turn into in the Doctor Strange What If.. episode but instead, this is what happens to a reality without the Infinity Stones. Remember in Avengers Endgame, they split up to get the Infinity Stones, and Smart Hulk goes to the Sanctum Sanctorum in search of Doctor Strange and the Time Stone. When Smart Hulk arrives he is greeted by the Ancient One defending the Sanctum from its rooftop and she tells him he is a few years too early to meet Stephen there. Bruce Banner is separated from the Hulk form and they discuss the dire situation the Eart is in in the future and why they need to burrow the Time Stone. Initially the Ancient One vehemently disagrees and explains how the Infinity Stones CREATE the flow of time "if I give up the Time Stone to help your reality I am dooming my own". This of course is paid off in Loki where him getting the Tesseract in the same movie, caused a branch and the TVA showed up and all that show plays out. 

    To fight the counter point to my own theory, yes that could solely be a set up for the TVA/Kang and we did not realize it but what if that is just the tip of the iceberg. Yes, He Who Remains allowed the Avengers to get the stones to continue their plan but snagged Loki because he thought he and Sylvie could be his successor because he was old and tired of ruling BUT that does not negate that reality could still be falling apart without the Infinity Stones. Thanos atomizing the Infinity Stones destroying them WOULD for sure have consequences to reality, remember the Ancient One says they CREATE the flow of time. So here goes the theory. Doctor Strange realizes reality is falling apart and uses the Darkhold to snag Infinity Stones from other realities to save the MCU reality and THAT is why he is arrested by the Illuminati. It is possible Strange gets Wanda to agree to let him use the Darkhold because he tells her he can help her get her children too, maybe this is a lie by Strange because he will do/say anything to save reality and that is why they are at odds.

Also speaking of the TVA, if they do not pop up in some compacity it will feel weird....

    Thank you so much for reading! Please like and share on social media! Hit me up on Twitter @HaroldLStokes and let me know your thoughts!