While Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will break it wide open and change the landscape of the MCU forever. The heroes of this universe will soon learn He Who Remains isn't the only one who has "less pure of heart" variants. Stephen Strange and Wanda Maximoff will come face to face with their own variants in the Doctor Strange sequel and take on a whole new meaning of self-discovery. However, even this prospect is far from the film's most chaotic.
The events of Loki and Spider-Man: No Way Home combined with whatever shenanigans Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Movies like the next Fantastic Four reboot or future projects involving mutants could take a similar approach and be set in a universe adjacent to the original MCU timeline, and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
The trailers and poster for Doctor Strange 2 hint at the debut of the Illuminati, mutants, and multiversal characters Doctor Strange Supreme and series. Furthermore, without the Time Variance Authority around, what Doctor Strange (or Wanda) does to cause such multiversal chaos could have far-reaching consequences. Consequences that He Who Remains's variants would be more than happy to exploit. Here's how the events of Doctor Strange 2 could have lasting effects on the MCU's Phase 4 and beyond.
Doctor Strange 2 Can Replace The Avengers
A new all-powerful team is on the horizon. It's suspected Doctor Strange is being led to the Illuminati during the Doctor Strange 2 trailer. In the comics, the Illuminati is a secret organization that carries out deeds in the name of the greater good, even when their tactics are less than morally sound. It consists of characters such as Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Black Bolt, Namor, Reed Richards, and Professor X. This has fanned rumors surrounding Tom Cruise's Superior Iron Man, and John Krasinski's Reed Richards. Could this be a version of a multiversal Illuminati? The limitless potential of the Illuminati existing in the MCU could take the sting away from losing almost all of the original Avengers.
Doctor Strange 2 Can Introduce Mutants To The MCU
Patrick Stewart's voice can be heard in the trailer saying "We should tell him the truth," as Doctor Strange is being led to what is assumed to be the Illuminati. The actor has since been confirmed to be in the movie, possibly playing a variant of his role of Charles Xavier/Professor X from the 20th Century Fox X-Men movies. Ever since the acquisition of Fox by Disney, everyone has wondered when Marvel Studios would introduce the MCU's mutants and, more importantly, how they would do it organically. Mutants randomly popping up now would create a pretty sizeable plothole. It's unlikely that a group of supers would feel the need to hide in a world where people with superpowers are idolized and called heroes. Doctor Strange 2 has the potential to not only introduce mutants and the X-Men to the MCU but answer that question once in for all.
Doctor Strange 2 Can Help Establish Thanos's Real MCU Replacement
The Loki season 1 finale revealed that He Who Remains created the Time Variance Authority to protect his timeline and stop other, more evil, variants of himself from ever existing. "Without me, without the TVA… everything burns." Thanks to Sylvie killing him, that which He Who Remains warned against will surely come to : "You plunge your blade into my chest, and an infinite amount of me start another Multiversal War." A concept that could prove to be even more terrifying than Thanos's snap. As powerful and deadly as Thanos was, he at least was contained to one universe. He Who Remains's variants, like Kang the Conqueror, have far more ambition and far less pure of heart motivations. With the TVA gone, the consequences of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness could have a rippling effect on the future of the MCU.
