The Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to be flipped on its head. Marvel Studios released a new trailer for the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness film, which will see Benedict Cumberbatch’s character taking on threats from the multiverse.
While the trailer showed off some incredible footage, including the voice of Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier, a TV Spot released during the Super Bowl revealed additional footage. This included a glimpse at the rumored Defender Strange and some connections to the What If..? Disney+ series.
However, the biggest reveal may have been the glimpses at undead variants of the two Avengers in the film. The TV Spot seemingly showcases both zombie Wanda and a decaying Doctor Strange, which both look similar to their appearances in What If…?.
Marvel Zombies Explained
Marvel Zombies has been a popular concept since the release of Robert Kirkman’s (The Walking Dead) 2005 five-issue limited series. In this comic series, the heroes retain their memories and powers after being infected but have to consume the living to keep their intelligence intact.
While this comic run would eventually spawn more sequels and was quite popular amongst fans, it was not until 2021’s What If…? that Marvel would bring the zombies into other media. The fifth episode of the MCU series brought forth a storyline different from the comics, where Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) accidentally brings the virus to Earth when he brings Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfieffer) home from the Quantum Realm.
This episode featured zombie Doctor Strange at the beginning and zombie Scarlet Witch (who was a formidable force) during the climax. The zombified Doctor Strange is killed by some of the surviving heroes at the beginning of the episode. Zombie Scarlet Witch survives the episode but is presumably destroyed by Infinity Ultron in the season finale.
Are Zombies Coming to Doctor Strange 2?
The TV Spot seemingly confirms that the undead, with the close-up view of a decaying Doctor Strange looking very undead. It would also be no surprise to see Marvel capitalize on the chance of bringing live-action zombies into the film.
Marvel is exploring the multiverse throughout this film and with the popularity of the What If…? zombie episode and the announcement of a Marvel Zombies animated series, it would not be surprising if these characters were undead variants.
Seeing Doctor Strange battle an army of zombies or just an undead variant would be terrifying. With Sam Raimi being the chosen director and the horror themes throughout the trailer, zombies would fit well in the madness of this film.
A post released yesterday seems to hint at zombies coming into the film, with fans spotting a zombie in the bottom left of the poster. This same poster also hints at Captain Carter, another character made famous by the What If…? series. It seems that the series will play a role in the film, with the universes explored in the show potentially being brought to live-action.
Fans will find out for certain what variants and characters appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness when it releases in cinemas on May 5th.
