Marvel Studios continues to keep plot details for Avengers: Doomsday (2026) tightly under wraps, but a new report is drawing attention to one potential casting choice that could reshape expectations around the film’s multiverse narrative.
The upcoming Avengers installment has been positioned as a turning point for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, arriving after years of shifting strategy, delayed releases, and behind-the-scenes recalibration. Publicly, Marvel has emphasized scale and secrecy rather than story specifics.
The film’s most widely discussed element remains the return of Robert Downey Jr. to the MCU — not as Tony Stark, but as Doctor Doom. Downey Jr.’s casting marks his first Marvel appearance since Avengers: Endgame (2019), where Iron Man died defeating Thanos.
Marvel has offered no explanation for why Doctor Doom shares Stark’s face. Speculation has ranged from multiversal variants to more overt narrative manipulation. For now, the studio has declined to clarify how that choice fits into the broader storyline.
With Doomsday reportedly leaning heavily into multiverse concepts, the possibility of additional familiar faces appearing in unexpected forms has remained an open question. A new report suggests one such appearance may already be taking shape.
Reports Point to a Different Kind of Doctor Strange
According to industry insider Daniel Richtman, Doctor Doom will be accompanied by a “wizard sidekick” in Avengers: Doomsday who uses a Sling Ring — the signature tool associated with Doctor Strange.
The claim follows a separate report from scooper MyTimeToShineHello, who stated earlier this year that Benedict Cumberbatch would appear in the film as “Doom’s wizard sidekick.”
Doctor Doom reportedly has a wizard as his second-in-command in ‘AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY’.
The wizard is also said to use a Sling Ring.
(Source: @DanielRPK) pic.twitter.com/qzERab2DFZ
— MCU Film News (@MCUFilmNews) February 25, 2026
Marvel Studios has not commented on either report.
If accurate, the role would not necessarily mean the return of Doctor Strange as audiences know him. Instead, it could point to another variant of the character, something Cumberbatch has already explored onscreen.
In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), Cumberbatch portrayed multiple versions of Stephen Strange, including a corrupted variant influenced by the Darkhold and a former Sorcerer Supreme tied to the Illuminati on Earth-838.
That film established the idea that Strange variants could occupy vastly different moral and narrative positions within the multiverse. A version aligned with Doctor Doom would extend that precedent rather than contradict it.
At this stage, there is no clarity on where such a variant might originate or how he would become involved with Doom. The reports offer no information beyond the character’s apparent role and tools.
How Cumberbatch’s Comments Fit the Picture
Publicly, Benedict Cumberbatch has denied appearing in Avengers: Doomsday, which is projected to be the biggest film of the year. Speaking to Variety, the actor said Doctor Strange would not feature in the film following major rewrites that took place after Jonathan Majors’ exit as Kang.
According to Cumberbatch, the character did “not [align] with this part of the story.” He did, however, confirm that Doctor Strange will play a substantial role in Avengers: Secret Wars, the film expected to follow Doomsday.
“He’s quite central to where things might go,” Cumberbatch told Variety, referring to Strange’s role in the later Avengers installment.
Those comments have been interpreted narrowly, but they leave room for technical distinctions. A variant version of Strange would not necessarily contradict his statement about the primary MCU incarnation sitting out Doomsday.
The timing also aligns with Marvel’s broader storytelling arc. Multiverse of Madness positioned Strange as the only hero to directly witness an Incursion, a catastrophic collision between universes that threatens multiversal stability.
The film’s post-credits scene introduced Clea, played by Charlize Theron, who recruits Strange to address the damage he caused. Reports have suggested Clea will also appear in Avengers: Doomsday.
As noted by The Direct, Doctor Strange played a significant role in the 2015 Secret Wars comic storyline, working alongside Doctor Doom to create Battleworld and preserve what remained of reality following a multiversal collapse.
In that story, Strange served as Doom’s enforcer and confidant, fully aware of the truth behind the new reality. The dynamic is one Marvel could adapt without closely following the comics’ structure.
