Benedict Cumberbatch Quietly Confirms His MCU Future as Doctor Strange (2024)

During his time as Marvel’s Doctor Strange, Benedict Cumberbatch spent many interviews attempting to make sure that Tom Holland did not spoil the latest MCU blockbuster. In a new career retrospect for Netflix, the former Sorcerer Supreme has done a tiny bit of spoiling himself, revealed that Avengers 5 will see him return to the franchise, and the filming start date for the project looks to be set for 2025.

The next Avengers movie is currently transitioning into a new form, seemingly dropping its original title of The Kang Dynasty and simply being known as Avengers 5 since the departure of Jonathan Majors from the role of Kang the Conqueror. Although Kang is still expected to play a role in the final acts of the Multiverse Saga, it is unclear who will play the role, and indeed how big the role will be.

Avengers 5

Superhero

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Release Date

May 1, 2025

Main Genre

Superhero

Studio

Marvel Studios

In the meantime, Cumberbatch has become the first actor to confirm his appearance in the upcoming movie. In his appearance on the recent episode of Still Watching Netflix, Cumberbatch noted:

With Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars expected to bring together even more characters that Avengers: Endgame put on screen in 2019, it was probably never in doubt that the Sherlock star would be in that number. With the new team-up movie currently set to be released in 2026, it was anticipated that cameras could possibly start rolling as soon as the end of this year, but it now looks like next year is the year the Avengers come together in their new iteration.

How Will The Avengers Come Together in Avengers 5?

Since the events of Avengers: Endgame, the Avengers have been pretty much disbanded, with the main members of the team all going off to deal with the aftermath in their own way across several Phase 4 projects. According to several rumors, the path to the new Avengers team, which will be without the departed Tony Stark, Natasha Romanof, and Steve Rogers, begins in Captain America: Brave New World.

Those rumors have suggested that the film will see the new Captain America, Sam Wilson, stepping up to form his Avengers team, who will be responsible for dealing with the many multiversal threats heading to the MCU in the next few years. With 2024’s slate being practically cleared out, there are not many movies before the arrival of Avengers 5. That means that Marvel Studios will be looking to emulate Phase 3 and push the franchise to new heights, while also attempting to bring fans back to the franchise after a dismal recent run of box office results.

When it comes to who will lead the new Avengers team, Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange has been a name tossed into the ring a number of times. Multiverse of Madness ended with Strange being sought out by Clea (Charlize Theron) to help deal with a new incursion. With no Doctor Strange movie currently on Marvel’s slate – although there are several Phase 6 spaces to be filled – many believe that this incursion could be one that is important enough to instigate the assembly of the Avengers to deal with it.

Currently, Avengers 5 does not have a title, a director, or a known plot. Earlier this month, it was reported that the film would feature “more than 60 MCU characters," making it the biggest movie since Avengers: Endgame shattered box office records. The same reports also claimed that this Avengers movie will not actually see one or two characters leading the group, but will find many characters carrying out their roles as an ensemble of equals.