Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is the newest addition to the MCU set to be released May 6, 2022. The Multiverse of Madness is set after the events of Spider-man: No Way Home and focuses on the consequences of Doctor Strange opening up a portal to the multiverse and the new threat that emerges as a result of Strange’s spell. This highly anticipated sequel is creating a lot of buzz in the Marvel community as fans wonder what direction the film will take and what new aspects will be introduced. While the trailers have given us enough hints to know that the Illuminati will be introduced, it leaves us wondering what they are leaving out of the trailer to keep us interested in the new film.
Since the first Doctor Strange film revolved around the origins of Stephen Strange, following the storyline of one of the original comics, many Marvel fans have wondered if Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is also based on a comic book storyline — and, if so, which ones. While the MCU has begun to deviate from the comics quite a bit for the sake of continuity, like the recently revealed changes to Ms. Marvel's powers so that her origins better connect with Captain Marvel and The Marvels, it is always good to return to the roots. Based on the promotional material and official information about the movie, here's what we think about Multiverse of Madness's comic book origins.
The First Doctor Strange Film Was Stephen Strange’s Origin Story
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The first film tells the origin story of Doctor Strange whose life is changed forever after a car accident robs him of his ability to use his hands. Losing hope in traditional medicine, Stephen seeks to heal in a mysterious enclave that is in fact the frontline of a battle against dark forces that wish to destroy reality. Strange must choose between the life of leisure and luxury he leads and becoming one of the most powerful sorcerers in existence. The first Doctor Strange film was based on the first appearance of Stephen Strange in Strange Tales #115, which tells the story of how Doctor Strange earned his name as the Sorcerer Supreme. Being that the first film was indeed based on the events of a comic-book storyline, it is likely that The Multiverse of Madness will also be based on a comic storyline.
Multiverse of Madness is Based on Numerous Comic Books
In the trailer of Multiverse of Madness, we hear the mention of The Illuminati, a secret society made up of the Earth’s most powerful heroes within the MCU that holds a great deal of oversight and makes important decisions. The Illuminati and its adventures come from The New Avengers: Illuminati comic and it’s entirely possible that the film will explore more about this high council. On top of this, we have also been given a glimpse into the world of Wanda Maximoff and her children Billy and Tommy, who first appeared in the Young Avengers comics. While the boys made their first MCU appearance in WandaVision, they are not going to be left to the sideline and have now become a part of the bigger picture. Whether they will simply make an appearance to further Wanda’s part of the film or they actually introduce the Young Avengers into the MCU will only be revealed once the film is released.
Multiverse of Madness is Possibly Derived from the Secret Wars Comic
While the MCU is fantastic at keeping content from being leaked, the overall plot of The Multiverse of Madness revolves around the after effects of the events that occurred in No Way Home. When Doctor Strange casts a spell that opens up the multiverse, an unexpected threat emerges. The Secret Wars was a comic released in 2015, which, according to Frankie's Comics, continued to cover the destruction of the multiverse. As the multiverse is torn apart, each reality is being reformed into the planet known as Battleworld, led by Doctor Doom and Doctor Strange. Responsible for the destruction of the multiverse, Strange must reckon with his own conscience throughout Multiverse of Madness. This can also be seen in The Secret Wars comics as, per Games Radar, Strange struggles to manage his own morality. While it’s unclear where exactly the storyline of the film will come from at this point, it’s likely that a great deal of Doctor Strange’s personal struggle with his powers may be derived from The Secret Wars.