DOCTOR STRANGE: Spider-Man to return in the Multiverse of Madness
Tom Holland’s makes an early MCU homecoming in the Doctor Strange sequel.
Shortly after Disney and Sony reached an agreement to have Spider-Man remain in the MCU, it looks like fans won't have to wait too long for the friendly neighborhood hero to return to the big screen. Details of the re-negotiated deal still remain unclear, but we now know that Tom Holland played an instrumental role in convincing Disney CEO Bob Iger. The character's future was left up in the air during the aftermath of Spider-Man: Far From Home when Mysterio, played by Jake Gyllenhal, shockingly revealed Spidey's true identity to the world. After having crossed paths in Avengers: Infinity War, Peter Parker will once again team up with Benedict Cumberbatch's Stephen Strange who reprises the titular role from Doctor Strange (2016). Spidey's involvement and how exactly Multiverse of Madness picks up from the events of Far From Home has yet to be confirmed.
Despite Scott Derrickson leaving the director's chair over creative differences, the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel is still expected to begin shooting this summer. Derrickson will be credited as an executive producer on the film while his replacement has yet to be named. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is expected to hit theaters on May 7th, 2021.
According to a new report by The Hollywood Reporter, Tom Holland is set to reprise his role as Peter Parker/Spiderman in the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The report states that the 23-year-old English actor has closed a deal for a supporting role in the film, which also co-stars Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch. Sources claim that Holland's current schedule will allow him to appear in the film in addition to shooting the third installment of the Spiderman trilogy, both of which are expected to begin production this summer.
In a surprising turn of events, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is shaping up to be a very ambitious film with the introduction of new characters and the multiverse. Rumored to be making their MCU debuts are America Chavez, Brother Voodoo, and sorceress Clea. Spider-Man's inclusion in the film would be unexpected, though not entirely surprising after reports claimed that Sony expressed interest in having Tom Holland to appear in their 'Spider-verse' cinematic universe. In a report published by Deadline on September 27th, 2019, upcoming projects produced by Sony could find themselves occurring adjacently to the MCU after the company renegotiated their partnership with Marvel Studios. If true, we may have already seen the fruits of Sony's labor as Michael Keaton's Adrian Toomes/Vulture, who also played the role in Spider-Man: Homecoming, makes a brief appearance in the upcoming Morbius film, set to debut on July 31st, 2020. While Kevin Feige has stated that there are 'no current plans' to have characters such as Venom in the MCU, the introduction of the multiverse and Spider-Man's reported involvement in the Doctor Strange sequel could find Tom Holland's Peter Parker bouncing back and forth between cinematic universes.
The exploration of the multiverse would have massive implications going forward as S.W.O.R.D.'s inevitable introduction in the MCU indicates that figures such as Nick Fury are aware of potential inter-dimensional threats. In the comics, S.W.O.R.D. (Sentient World Observation and Response Department) was established to monitor and respond to extraterrestrial threats. According to leaked set photos, the agency is also set to appear in the Disney+ series WandaVision as they may find themselves dealing with Scarlet Witch's reality-altering abilities. Nonetheless, establishing the concept of the multiverse would serve as a gateway for new, unexpected characters to appear down the line.
If Spider-Man does indeed appear and crosses over into the Sony ‘Spider-verse’, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness would serve as a pivotal film for the MCU. The multiverse could allow Marvel Studios to develop stories that don’t conflict with the main canon we were introduced to in the Infinity Saga, which might have been initially avoided due to continuity issues. This will also be a significant test for both the studio and Disney+ to gauge how well audiences respond to a movie that has direct ties to a streaming-exclusive show (in this case, WandaVision).
