00:10It's been about 4 years since Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness hit theaters,
00:14and looking back, it had a pretty rocky road getting made.
00:18Originally, Marvel planned to bring back director Scott Derrickson, and the sequel was even
00:23being positioned as the MCU's first real horror-style movie.
00:27Early ideas leaned heavily into darker supernatural territory, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Wanda
00:33Maximoff sharing a major spotlight in what sounded like a very bold shift for Marvel.
00:38But things changed pretty quickly in 2020, when Derrickson left the project due to creative
00:44differences.
00:45After that, the movie started moving away from its full horror direction and went through
00:50a big rewrite phase.
00:51Sam Raimi came in to direct, with Michael Waldron helping reshape the script.
00:56On top of that, COVID caused more delays and forced the production to adjust even further.
01:02As Raimi and Waldron reworked everything, some cast members were reportedly surprised by last-minute
01:07story changes.
01:08For example, Elizabeth Olsen later said she only found out a few weeks before filming that
01:14Wanda would be the main villain, which wasn't exactly what she had expected based on her
01:19character's arc in WandaVision.
01:20When the movie finally came out, it got a mixed but still positive reception.
01:26A lot of people praised Raimi's style, the visuals, and the horror-inspired sequences, saying
01:32it gave the MCU a more unique feel than usual.
01:35But the writing and character development got some criticism, especially Wanda's turn into
01:40a villain, which some felt didn't fully match her earlier emotional journey, and Strange
01:45himself not getting as deep a storyline as fans hoped.
01:49Since then, Doctor Strange's future has felt a bit uncertain.
01:52The film ended with the introduction of Clea, played by Charlize Theron, teasing a direct continuation
01:58of his story.
01:59But with neither Cumberbatch nor Theron confirmed for Avengers Doomsday, fans started wondering
02:05where that storyline would actually continue.
02:08Now, there are early rumblings that Doctor Strange 3 is in active development.
02:14Nothing is officially confirmed yet, but reports suggest Benedict Cumberbatch is getting more
02:19involved behind the scenes this time, especially in helping look for a new writer and director.
02:24One name being floated is Sam Mendes, though that seems like a long shot since he's already
02:30tied up with multiple Beatles biopics.
02:32It's also believed that neither Raimi nor Waldron will be returning.
02:36On top of that, the current expectation is that the film won't even go into production until
02:42after Avengers Secret Wars wraps filming.
02:45Now there are still plenty of classic Doctor Strange villains the MCU hasn't touched yet,
02:50and it feels like a missed opportunity when the films keep leaning on turning existing
02:54characters into antagonists instead of building out his rogues gallery.
02:59If Doctor Strange 3 does happen, it would be the perfect chance to finally bring in some
03:04of these magical threats. A lot of them could push Stephen Strange into much darker, more mystical
03:10territory and really expand the supernatural side of the MCU.
03:14One example is Agamon, who first showed up in Strange Tales number 119 back in 1964.
03:21He's basically the tyrant of the Purple Dimension, a realm where he traps and enslaves others to
03:27defeat his own power. Strange originally crosses paths with him while trying to rescue a captive,
03:32which immediately sets him up as a serious magical threat.
03:36What makes Agamon interesting is that he's not just powerful, he's also a mirror of what Strange
03:41could become if he misused his abilities. Since he can drain energy from others,
03:46he represents a kind of corrupted sorcerer archetype. In a live-action setting, that could create a really
03:53compelling conflict where Strange is forced to confront the idea of power, control, and whether
03:58he's ever at risk of becoming something similar himself. Another great pick for a future Doctor Strange
04:043 villain is Nightmare. He first appeared in Strange Tales number 11 back in 1963 and rules over the
04:12Dream Dimension, where he has the ability to twist, control, and weaponize people's dreams.
04:18In the comics, he's one of Doctor Strange's most consistent enemies, often attacking him by trapping
04:24him inside psychological nightmares and using fear itself as a weapon. Even powerful sorcerers struggle
04:31against him because he doesn't just fight physically, he messes with the mind. There were even rumors that
04:37Nightmare was going to show up in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,
04:40but Marvel ultimately went in a different direction. What makes him such a strong candidate
04:46for a future film is how personal the threat would be. Instead of just throwing Strange into another
04:51multiversal crisis, Nightmare could target his fears, doubts, and guilt, forcing him to confront
04:58everything he's been trying to ignore. That kind of psychological pressure would push Strange
05:02further than we've really seen in the MCU so far. On top of that, the Dream Dimension also opens
05:09the door for some wild visual sequences, almost leaning into horror in a way that fits perfectly
05:14with Strange's world. It could easily give the next movie a darker, more surreal tone while still
05:20keeping the magical action front and center. Another solid villain pick for a future Doctor Strange 3
05:26is Satanish. He first showed up in Doctor Strange number 174 back in 1968 and is basically a powerful
05:34demon ruler from a hellish dimension. He's all about expanding his control, stealing souls, and trying
05:41to dominate Earth whenever he gets the chance, which naturally puts him on a collision course with Doctor
05:46Strange. In the comics, Satanish is also connected to Dormammu since he's one of his followers. That link alone
05:54makes him feel like a natural extension of Strange's past battles in the MCU, especially the ones involving
06:00the Dark Dimension. What makes him interesting for the MCU is how well he fits those darker, mystical
06:07themes. He's not just powerful, he's the kind of villain who represents full-on corruption and
06:12domination of souls and reality itself. That would raise the stakes a lot for Strange, especially if the
06:19story leans into more horror-style magic again. Plus, visually, he's the kind of massive, intimidating
06:26demon that could look insane on screen and would really push Strange to his limits in a way we
06:31haven't fully seen yet. Another underrated villain who could work really well in a future Doctor Strange
06:373 is Silver Dagger. He first appeared in Doctor Strange number 1 back in 1974 and is basically a former
06:45Catholic Cardinal who turns into a fanatical magic hunter. He believes anything related to sorcery
06:51is evil, so he sets out on a mission to cleanse the world. To do that, he wields a mystical
06:57silver
06:58dagger that's powerful enough to literally pierce the soul, making him extremely dangerous in close
07:03combat. What makes him stand out is that he isn't just another mystical villain. His motivation is rooted
07:10in extreme religious belief. That adds a very different layer to the conflict, since he genuinely
07:15sees himself as the hero, even though he's going after people like Doctor Strange. In the MCU, he could
07:23be a really interesting foil for Strange, because it wouldn't just be about stopping a threat, but also
07:28questioning what magic means in the first place. It would force Strange to deal with moral and
07:33philosophical issues around his powers instead of just battling cosmic enemies. Since Silver Dagger
07:40actually comes from the early days of Strange's comics, bringing him in would also feel like a nice
07:46callback to the character's roots, giving the story a more grounded and personal edge compared to the
07:51usual multiverse-level chaos. Lastly, there's Umar, who is basically the sister of Dormammu. She first appeared in
07:59Strange Tales number 150 back in 1966 and is an incredibly powerful sorceress from the dark
08:06dimension. Unlike Dormammu, who's more of a straight-up force of destruction, Umar is smarter and more
08:13strategic. She's constantly scheming, often trying to overthrow her brother so she can take control of
08:19the dark dimension herself. Even with her connection to Dormammu, she's dangerous in her own right because of
08:25how clever and manipulative she is. In a future Doctor Strange 3, she could fit in really well with the
08:31existing MCU.
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