Benedict Cumberbatch has confirmed that Doctor Strange will not be in the next Avengers movie.
The actor last appeared on screen as the Marvel superhero in 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and has let slip that his character isn't part of the Avengers franchise's fifth movie Doomsday.
"Is that a spoiler?" he asked Variety after the accidental announcement. "F**k it!"
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However, fans shouldn't fret, as the star also revealed that while "the character [is] not aligning with this part of the story", he will be "in a lot" of the sequel Secret Wars – and even teased the possibility of a third Doctor Strange movie.
"He’s quite central to where things might go," he shared. "They are very open to discussing where we go next. Who do you want to write and direct the next one? What part of the comic lore do you want to explore so that Strange can keep evolving?
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"He’s a very rich character to play. He’s a complex, contradictory, troubled human who’s got these extraordinary abilities, so there’s potent stuff to mess about with."
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During the interview, Cumberbatch further recalled his reaction to Iron Man co-star Robert Downey Jr's return to Avengers, this time as Doctor Doom, sharing a message he sent to Marvel boss Kevin Feige.
"I texted, 'What the f**k?' and then quickly added, 'Good what the f**k. I mean, good whatthe f**k'," he quipped.
As well as Downey Jr and (eventually) Cumberbatch, the Avengers franchise will also see the return of Chris Evans – though it's unclear whether he will be playing Steve Rogers.
Avengers directors Joe and Anthony Russo will be back to oversee the movies, and recently opened up about the secret talks they had with Marvel after ruling 2019's Endgame "the end of the road".
Avengers: Doomsday will be released in cinemas on May 1, 2026. All four Avengers movies are streaming on Disney+.
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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
