The second trailer of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Vietnamese title: The Ultimate Witch in the Chaos Multiverse) has created a worldwide fever when introducing a series of new episodes and characters. Many details appear only briefly in the trailer, but promise to play a key role in the movie, or even open a new path for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
America Chavez is the key to the movie?
A new superhero who will join the MCU through Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez). In the original manga, she comes from a parallel reality and has the ability to travel through multiple universes. Therefore, America Chavez is the key for the villain in the film to conquer parallel time lines. Through the trailer, the child heroine is captured by a monster.
It is highly likely that this is the true body of Shuma Gorath – a monster with multi-dimensional power that appeared in the What If…? series. America Chavez is forced to flee to the reality of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) through a crack in the spell in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). Here, they continue to be attacked by Shuma Gorath’s henchman, Gargantos, at the wedding of Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams).
Doctor Strange discovers Wanda disturbing the multiverse?
In the MCU, Doctor Strange’s magic is shown in yellow or green when using the Time Stone. But in the beginning of the trailer, he uses Wanda’s signature red energy. Did Doctor Strange sense the change of the multiverse related to Scarlet Witch?
Christine Palmer not “flying color” in Avengers: Infinity War (2018)?
In the trailer, Christine Palmer is about to get married, but the groom is not Stephen Strange. If you watch What If…?, fans will know the deep love the two have for each other. Thus, it is highly likely that this female doctor was not affected by the snap of Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Avengers: Infinity War. After 5 years, she thought Strange was dead and moved on with another guy.
Appearance of Rintrah
In the scene where Kamar-Taj is attacked by a mysterious force, the audience can see the appearance of a bull. This is Rintrah – Doctor Strange’s student in the original comic book. The character is also from another dimension like America Chavez, so he will probably play an important role in the movie.
The Illuminati steps onto the big screen?
Doctor Strange is captured by an army of cyborgs to “pay the price” for his crimes in destroying the flow of space-time in Doctor Strange (2016) and Spider-Man: No Way Home. It is not difficult for fans to recognize the robot army that resembles the Iron Legion of Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). They led Stephen to a room with six empty chairs.
Here, the voice of Professor X/Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) appears when referring to a certain “truth”. This is most likely the Illuminati – an organization of Marvel’s genius brains – in the comics. Original members include Professor X, Iron Man, Namor, Mr. Fantastic/Reed Richards, Black Bolt/Blackagar Boltagon and Doctor Strange.
The theory is that the movie version will have Superior Iron Man played by Tom Cruise – the owner of the Iron Legion, Mr. Fantastic by John Krasinski and Black Bolt (Anson Mount) from Marvel’s Inhumans series, Professor X, Monica Rambeau’s Captain Marvel (Teyonah Parris) variant and Defender Strange variant.
Doctor Strange and America Chavez travel across multiple universes
In the trailer, Doctor Strange and America Chavez seem to be pushing each other through multiple parallel universes at the same time. Audiences can recognize the Savage Lando region with countless dinosaurs or a moment when they transform into cartoon characters. This detail appeared in What If…? when Infinity Ultron (Ross Marquand) punches The Watcher (Jeffrey Wright) through a series of universes.
Superior Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Human Torch or Dark Phoenix?
In the trailer, a mysterious figure with a glowing body appears and attacks Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). Through the armor, many fans believe that this is Superior Iron Man with the power of 3 Infinity Stones. Interestingly, before filming Iron Man (2008), Marvel offered Tom Cruise the role of Tony Stark. However, the action star refused because she wanted to wear an open-faced outfit for the audience to see. Superior Iron Man’s armor shaping is just what Cruise asked for in the past.
However, the rest claim that the other character is Monica Rambeau’s Captain Marvel due to the similar yellow energy. Some of the “crazier” theories are that this character is Dark Phoenix/Jean Gray of the X-Men universe, superhero Nova or the Fantastic Four’s Human Torch/Johnny Storm.
Scarlet Witch is the villain in the movie?
According to the details in the trailer, Wanda is likely to be one of the villains in the movie due to being manipulated by the Darkhold. Details are shown in the mysterious superhero having a competition with Scarlet Witch at the headquarters of the Illuminati. However, whether she is the Wanda of the current universe or not is a different story.
Audiences easily recognize that there are two Scarlet Witches in the film, with one evil and one still suffering from the events of Westview. One of the two Wandas will probably control the other version to target America Chavez to find the two sons in the multiverse.
Villain Nightmare, Knull or Doctor Strange zombie version?
At the end of the trailer, another villain continues to appear with a deformed face, black outfit and the ability to use magic. Based on the TV-spot segment released during the Super Bowl event, fans guessed that this is Defender Strange who was enchanted and turned into a zombie.
However, another part believes that this character is Nightmare – the demon who controls the Dream Dimension and is behind Doctor Strange’s nightmares. It killed and took the body of Defender Strange. Besides, another theory leans towards the evil god Knull giving birth to the Symbiotes – creatures of Venom, Riot or Carnage.
Interestingly, Nightmare from the Everinnye dimension resembles the “cousin” Dweller-in-Darkness – the main villain of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021). Besides, it is also a minion of Shuma Gorath. Marvel Studios seems to have prepared everything for Nightmare to step onto the big screen.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Vietnamese title: The Ultimate Witch in the Chaos Multiverse) is expected to be released in May 2022.