Doctor Strange 2 introduces a powerful mutant, but not the one you’re thinking of

Doctor Strange 2
(Image credit: Marvel)

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has a whole host of weird and wonderful cameos. Most, of course, arrive during the Illuminati scene involving Benedict Cumberbatch’s ex-Sorcerer Supreme – but there's one offhand reference that teases another mutant arrival.

Spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness follow. You have been warned!

During his showdown with Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch, Reed Richards (played by John Krasinski) reveals he has a wife and children. Those who might not be familiar with the Fantastic Four's recent comic book history might have missed out on one of the most exciting Doctor Strange 2 Easter eggs.

Enter Franklin Richards. He and his sister Valeria make a formidable team of precocious prodigies, but Franklin, in particular, is a comic book character of note. He's imbued with incredible mutant powers – including the ability to forge entire universes. Professor X, eat your heart out.

There may have been recent retcons to remove Franklin’s mutant X-Gene, but the fact remains that, somewhere out there in the multiverse, one of the most powerful heroes and mutants has just had their father turned into spaghetti. That's probably going to come back to bite the MCU.

Curiously enough, Franklin Richards also had a big part to play in 2015's Secret Wars, the comic book event that the Doctor Strange 2 post-credits scene might be setting up. There, talk of 'Incursions' has fans thinking that the MCU is building towards a 'Final Incursion' event – and Fantastic Four villain Doctor Doom picking up the pieces as 'God Emperor' of a new world.


For more on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, be sure to read our guides and explainers.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

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