The following article contains spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Marvel Studios’Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnesswas filled with plenty of surprises and exciting characters, but there was one that stood out during the film’s end credits when an exciting new character was introduced. Now, writer Michael Waldron shares what that character could mean moving forward in the MCU.
Following the events ofLokiandSpider-Man: No Way Home,Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessfollows Benedict Cumberbatch’s sorcerer hero through the alternate realities of the multiverse as he tries to protectteenager America Chavez(Xochitl Gomez) from those looking to steal her dimension-hopping powers. The long-awaited sequel came six years after its predecessors' release, making it the longest gap for an MCU character’s sequel.
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After putting an end to Scarlet Witch’s (Elizabeth Olsen) dark magic and helping repair Kamar-Taj, Strange is approached by a sorceress named Clea,played by Charlize Theron, who warns him that his actions have triggered an incursion that he must help fix. Strange then agrees to follow her into the Dark Dimension (the timeless dimension inhabited by Dormammu seen in the first film). Speaking with CinemaBlend, Waldron shared that the goal was to somehow include Clea in the film and that he feels the mid-credits scene was the perfect moment to execute that plan.
“… there’s always been discussions of having Clea in this movie. We wanted to close the loop on Christine Palmer, and once she tells Strange to face his fears and not be afraid of loving someone, it felt like he was finally positioned to meet Clea, who is the great love of his life in the comics,” Waldron said. The writer would also add that a big inspiration for that scene came fromRobert Zemeckis’Cast Away. “We talked about the last scene of Cast Away, where he meets that woman after delivering that package. So yeah, it was so cool. And then suddenly there’s Charlize [Theron] you’re like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe it happened.'”
In the comics,Clea is the sorcerer supreme of the Dark Dimension. While she eventually falls in love with Strange, she becomes torn between developing her relationship with the fellow sorcerer of Earth-616 and continuing to fight Dormammu in her own reality. While the MCU may take a different route, it’s likely that Waldron was implying that the reason she becomes such a crucial part of the MCU moving forward is due to her eventual relationship with Strange, as a big part of Strange’s arc inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessis finding closure in his relationship with former love interest Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams).
However things play out, it will be exciting to see the two sorcerers team up in future projects.Doctor Strange 2 received generally positive reviewsfrom critics and fans, with many praising Raimi’s injection of horror elements and the performances. The film also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Baron Mordo, Benedict Wong as Wong, and Michael Stuhlbarg as Nicodemus West.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessis now playing in theatres.
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