Doctor Strange 2 is more ambitious than Spider-Man: No Way Home, according to Benedict Cumberbatch

still from Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Doctor Strange 2 star Benedict Cumberbatch has hinted that his movie will be more ambitious than Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Speaking on Variety's Award Circuit podcast, Cumberbatch responded to Tom Holland's previous comment about the Spidey threequel – which Holland suggested is "the most ambitious standalone superhero movie ever made" – with "until Doctor Strange 2 comes out."

He then added: "No seriously, [No Way Home] has got great ambition. I haven't seen it, but by all accounts I think it's achieved it... I'm pretty certain it'll be a hit."

No Way Home is shaping up to be a multiversal extravaganza. The first trailer alone showed off Alfred Molina's return as Doc Ock, as well as hinting at Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin, Jamie Foxx's Electro, Rhys Ifans' Lizard, and Thomas Haden Church's Sandman. An unconfirmed report also says Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will be back as their respective versions of the web-slinging superhero, along with Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, and Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy. Cumberbatch also reprises his Doctor Strange role in the threequel.

Since Doctor Strange 2 is officially titled Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it's definitely possible that the sequel will end up bigger and bolder than Spider-Man 3 (if Cumberbatch isn't just joking around here). We already know Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch will return in Doctor Strange 2, following her reality-warping outing in WandaVision, and a report suggests Tom Hiddleston's Loki will appear in the film, too. Considering these three characters are capable of performing some extraordinary magic, we could be in for an even wilder adventure than the one headed our way in Spider-Man 3.

Doctor Strange 2 lands March 25, 2022, while No Way Home arrives earlier this December 17. While you wait, check out our complete guide to Marvel Phase 4 for everything else the MCU has in store for us.

Molly Edwards
Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English. 

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