Doctor Strange 2 leak: How a huge X-Men debut could change the MCU forever
At this point, the multiverse is getting crowded.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a Wild West when it comes to fan speculation.
The Marvel sequel will tackle the introduction of the multiverse to the Marvel Cinematic Universe head-on, and there’s no way to tell what that will look like.
Luckily, the unstoppable MCU rumor mill has generated all sorts of leaks and rumors about who could possibly appear in the sequel — making for a long list.
While it’s confirmed Wanda Maximoff will appear, there are still rumors her twin sons Billy and Tommy will be reunited with her after a heartfelt goodbye in WandaVision. Then, there are rumors Loki and Sylvie will appear after accidentally creating the multiverse in Loki.
But the most exciting cameo of all may be a massive X-Men player.
The antagonists of Multiverse of Madness will be a group of villains known as the Illuminati, and Professor X would be part of this team-up. That’s at least what leaker @ViewerAnon tweeted in August.
Like all unconfirmed leaks, this was met with careful skepticism; but, recently, the account followed up with a second tweet, clarifying that they’re nearly positive the Professor X who appears in Multiverse of Madness will in fact be Patrick Stewart’s version of the character.
@ViewerAnon’s claim about Multiverse of Madness.
This may at first seem like a “well, duh” situation, but Stewart’s involvement would actually be a huge deal. Given the multiverse element of this film, Professor X could appear as a variant we’ve never seen before — but Stewart playing the character would suggest efforts to merge the recognizable X-Men franchise with the MCU are underway.
If this leak is to be believed, Stewart will be in Multiverse of Madness. But the question remains: how major will his role be? Given all the previous characters rumored to appear, the sequel could quickly become a clown car of cameos.
Within the comics, Charles Xavier and Stephen Strange don’t have many interactions, but one is in a storyline very near and dear to MCU fans: House of M. In that story, Professor X worries over Wanda’s delicate mental state as Doctor Strange attempts to keep her sedated.
Professor X and Doctor Strange discuss Wanda’s care with the X-Men and Avengers in House of M #1, published in 2005.
Could Wanda be the key connection between these two universes? Seeing as WandaVision pulled from House of M as well, perhaps Multiverse of Madness will adapt what the Disney+ series left on the cutting room floor — including Professor X.
How large a role will Charles Xavier play in Multiverse of Madness? Well, if this leak is to be believed, he’s in it enough to establish the X-Men as part of the MCU, and not just a sitcom recasting gag. It may be time to reread House of M.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will premiere in theaters May 6, 2022.
