With phase three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe now more than a year behind us, Marvel fans are turning their attention to the future.
The franchise giant has already announced a slate of forthcoming additions to the saga, including Black Widow and Eternals (both of which had their 2020 release dates pushed back until 2021 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic).
However, mystery still surrounds many of the forthcoming MCU projects, and fans have noted the absence of an official Avengers film on the Phase Four slate.
One of the most hotly anticipated forthcoming films is the Doctor Strange sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Many MCU fans have theorised that the film will use the concept of an inter-dimensional “multiverse” to incorporate actors and Marvel characters that were not previously part of MCU canon.
Now, a strange listing on a Google results page has prompted some to wonder whether the popular search ending has just given the game away.
A search for the cast of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will reveal a number of castmembers, including Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Dr Strange, Elizabeth Olsen, who plays Scarlett Witch, Benedict Wong, who plays Wong, and Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki.
However, also listed among the cast – without designated characters – are Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Ryan Reynolds.
Maguire and Garfield played iterations of Spider-Man in previous adaptations of the beloved comic book character. It has been rumoured that the pair could return alongside current Spidey Tom Holland in the third Spider-Man film or Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Reynolds, meanwhile, is best known for playing the irreverent Deadpool in Marvel’s R-rated Deadpool films.
Fans would be wise not to leap to too many conclusions about the search result; it’s entirely possible, if not entirely likely, that the listing is simply the result of a mistake in Google’s algorithm, that it has mistaken an internet rumour for a confirmed fact.
However, the prospect of an ambitious, Avengers-style crossover in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is nonetheless a hugely enticing one, and should be enough to have fans excited when the hit franchise returns next year.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is currently scheduled for release on 25 March, 2022.
