Coming in hot during the 2022 Super Bowl event, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness just got a brand- new trailer packed with exciting new footage, from character moments to groundbreaking plot details. Check it out below:
With the film stitching together stories from its predecessor Spider-Man: No Way Home, as well as WandaVision and Loki, this new trailer gives us a glimpse at the many worlds, characters, and classic Marvel concepts that collide to result in one hell of a summer blockbuster.
‘The Nightmare Begins’
The trailer kicks off with a dark ominous tone that’s right up the alley of director Sam Raimi’s experience with the horror genre. In it, we see a torn-apart sanctum sanctorum, surrounded by human remains.
Later in the trailer, we see New York City itself being torn apart by a dark, ominous force—perhaps all that remains is this version of the sanctum. Comparing color grading and backgrounds from older trailer shots gives us a fair guess that Strange Supreme is lurking within, meaning that the film’s possible second antagonist isn’t behind NYC’s destruction, which brings us to…
‘Become the Enemy’
While this was certainly teased in WandaVision last year, Wanda Maximoff aka The Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) seems to be not entirely on Stephen Strange’s side. In the trailer, she tells Strange that while him breaking the rules of reality made him a hero, she was, on the contrary, villainized because of her actions in her 2021 series.
This draws a parallel between Maximoff and Strange Supreme, as both characters have, in WandaVision and What If?… respectively, gone down a path of immorality as a result of not accepting the death of a close loved one. Would she be willing to cross that line once again?
Also, we see a brief glimpse of what looks like Captain Marvel duking it out against the Witch; both characters duelling at the peak of their respective powers.
The Return of Professor X
In tandem with the events of New Avengers #7—a comic book arc was set in motion that brought together a secret society long connected to both conspiracy theories and supernatural myths. Marvel writer Brian Michael Bendis brought this to life back in the 2005 series by creating the ‘Illuminati’—a secret superhero group that brought together characters such as Namor—King of Atlantis, the Fantastic Four’s Dr Reed Richards, and most importantly, for this film, Tony Stark, Dr. Strange, and Professor Charles Xavier.
While Stark was the group’s original founder, and may not have much to say in this film (since he died about six movies ago), the Illuminati HQ does feature some Ultron-esque drones, complete with elements resembling Stark’s Iron Man tech. They lead cuffed Strange into a chamber with six high chairs, as someone curiously resembling Prof. X (Patrick Stewart) tells his fellow Illuminati that the truth should be revealed to Strange.
Naturally, this is the film’s most exciting prospect yet—apart from previous cameo rumors of Tom Cruise playing Iron Man and John Krasinski playing Reed Richards—Stewart’s long-running stint as Charles Xavier is one of the most beloved superhero roles in cinematic history. It’s no surprise that the creators understood that fans would instantly recall his iconic, softspoken voice.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premieres on May 6th, 2022.
(Featured Image Credits: Marvel Studios)
