Benedict Cumberbatch Confirms Return as Doctor Strange in Avengers: Doomsday

Benedict Cumberbatch has officially backtracked on his previous statement and confirmed that he will reprise his role as Doctor Strange in Avengers: Doomsday. Speaking at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, Cumberbatch admitted to Business Insider, “I got that wrong, I am in the next one… Don’t ever believe anything I say.”

Image Credit: ComicBookCom

This reversal comes just a week after he told Variety that while he wouldn’t be in Doomsday, he would play a significant role in Avengers: Secret Wars, hinting that Strange is central to the MCU’s future. His initial claim seemed surprising, especially given the major connections between Doctor Strange and Doomsday's confirmed villain, Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr.

In Marvel Comics, Doom and Strange have a long history, often clashing and occasionally teaming up. The classic Triumph and Torment storyline sees the two sorcerers working together to save Doom’s mother from Mephisto, while Secret Wars (2015) features Strange as Doom’s closest confidant when he reshapes reality itself. With Secret Wars following Doomsday in the MCU’s roadmap, it’s clear that Strange’s presence is essential.

Now that Cumberbatch is officially on board, fans can look forward to seeing Strange and Doom’s dynamic unfold when Avengers: Doomsday arrives in 2026.