Jonathan Majors’ conviction for reckless assault and his subsequent exit from Marvel Cinematic Universe has left the franchise’s plans in jeopardy. Majors’ Kang the Conqueror was being built up to be the next Thanos-like figure that multiple Marvel superheroes would’ve battled in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
After the development, the storyline of Avengers 5 may be reworked. However, replacing the supervillain may not be Marvel writers’ only plan. The future appears to be far from certain for Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange as well.
Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange Unlikely to Feature in Avengers 5
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty has been in the works since 2022, with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirming the title as the first crossover project in the MCU since Avengers: Endgame (2019).
Nearly two years later there’s little idea about the direction the fifth installment of Avengers would travel in after multiple production delays and creative changes, including the arrival of Loki’s Michael Waldron as writer.
The Avengers’ fight against Thanos was chiefly led by Iron Man and Captain America. However, Benedict Cumberbatch‘s Doctor Strange also played an important role and in the end, it was the Sorcerer Supreme’s speech in Avengers 4 that rallied all the heroes to join hands to take on the genocidal warlord.
However, the heroes might’ve to do it all without him in Avengers 5 if a claim from Warren Thompson (via MCU News and Updates) is to be believed.
It’s said that Doctor Strange will not appear in the film as Marvel Studios wants to shift focus from Earth’s foremost protector against magical and mystical threats and give the Avengers a reason to lose so they can come up big in the next film. The Kang Dynasty is expected to be quickly followed by Avengers: Secret Wars.
What Benedict Cumberbatch Said About the Future of Doctor Strange in MCU
However, this doesn’t mean fans have seen the last of Dr. Stephen Strange and his sorcery in the MCU.
The English actor, who most recently led Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, hinted at this return to the franchise in a July 2023 interview.
“There are some Marvel capers in the making next year,” the Sherlock star said while being a guest in the JW3 Speaker Series.
Whether the actor was talking about another standalone Doctor Strange movie or appearing in another MCU film remains unclear.
In a separate interview (via The Direct), Cumberbatch also suggested the Multiverse Saga sets his character up for a really exciting future in the universe.
