At least one key cast member won't be returning for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. We recently got word that Spider-Man and The Evil Dead director is in talks to direct the sequel. This comes after original director Scott Derrickson parted ways with Marvel Studios on the project. However, another important bit of news came with the Raimi reveal, and it involves Rachel McAdams' Christine Palmer.

Buried within the report that Sam Raimi is in talks to direct Doctor Strange 2, it's stated that Rachel McAdams will not be reprising her role in the upcoming sequel. No reason was provided. Benedict Cumberbatch will be reprising his role as Stephen Strange after appearing in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. It is expected that Benedict Wong will return as Wong and that Chiwetel Ejiofor will be back as Mordo. It was also previously revealed that Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch will be joining in on the magical shenanigans. The question becomes, why won't Christine Palmer be back?

In the first Doctor Strange, Christine Palmer was a former love interest to Stephen Strange and one of his closest confidants. Palmer also helped Strange during a key battle and seemed poised to remain a part of his life moving forward. Rachel McAdams may be facing scheduling conflicts, but there are no confirmed projects she's attached to currently, per IMDB. She's only rumored for Sherlock Holmes 3. It's possible that they just couldn't find room for her in the script. Another possibility is that McAdams simply wasn't interested in coming back. Whatever the case, at least for Strange's second solo outing, Christine will not be around.

There have been unconfirmed rumors that Doctor Strange 2 will introduce Clea, an important character from Marvel Comics. She's the niece of Dormammu, who we met in the first movie and, more importantly, the eventual wife of Stephen Strange who, at one point, takes up the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme. It could be that Clea will end up taking center stage. But, for now, Marvel is mostly keeping quiet on the details. The only major detail that has made it out there is the main villain, who is expected to be Nightmare. We also know that the sequel will connect directly with the Disney+ series WandaVision, which is set to debut in December.

Doctor Strange, released in 2016, went on to become a hit, grossing $677 million worldwide. The character's popularity has grown immensely in the years that followed thanks to his appearances in other MCU movies. Before Scott Derrickson departed the director's chair on Doctor Stranger 2, he said that he intended to make the first scary MCU movie. Given the hiring of Sam Raimi, one has to expect that will remain true, at least to some degree. We'll be sure to keep you posted as any further details are made available. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to hit theaters on May 7, 2021. This news comes to us via Variety.