The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to be a wildly popular franchise, with new releases hitting theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have seen a ton of heroes introduced, starting off with Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark in Iron Man. While Jon Favreau's 2008 movie was a huge gamble, the Oscar-winning actor recently shouted out two of his Avengers co-stars for playing two heroes that were especially difficult to pull off.

Moviegoers can't wait to see RDJ as Doctor Doom in the next Avengers movie, but the 61-year-old actor is also looking back on what came before. During an interview with CBR, Downey spoke to the two actors he thinks had the hardest job when bringing their heroes to life on the big screen. In his words:

Honestly, I get his perspective. On paper, both Captain America and Doctor Strange are two Marvel heroes who might be challenging to play, and could potentially end up coming off pretty goofy. Luckily, the studio had stellar actors like Chris Evans and Benedict Cumberbatch playing those roles, respectively. And Robert Downey Jr. is (rightfully) giving flowers to his co-stars for making Cap and Strange into beloved figures in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I can definitely see RDJ's point, especially when it comes to Benedict Cumberbatch in particular. When Doctor Strange arrived in theaters 2016, it was the first time the MCU brought magic into the shared universe (aside from Loki's abilities). The Sherlock actor had an uphill battle in pulling this off, as well as making Stephen Strange feel like a real person. He balanced humor and heart in the movie, while casting spells and bringing trippy visuals into the universe. Fans really responded to it, and he's become an important presence in the MCU as a whole. As for Chris Evans, he succeeded in making Steve Rogers the heart of the entire franchise.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, but both Chris Evans and Benedict Cumberbatch are expected to reprise their roles in the mysterious blockbuster. Fans are eager to see how the mysterious story will go down, and how the Avengers will react when meeting Doctor Doom... especially since he'll be having the same face as their dead friend Tony Stark.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. And with the press tour coming up, hopefully Robert Downey Jr. will grace us with more of his Marvel hot takes.

Channing Tatum is an actor who has put together quite a career with everything from dramatic roles like Foxcatcher to comedies like 21 Jump Street. With recent successes including playing Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine to his newest film, Roofman, and of course, his most well-known role in Magic Mike, one might think there’s little Tatum can’t do on screen, but he certainly didn’t always feel like he had the same chops other actors did.

Channing Tatum actually spoke out recently, revealing that early in his career, he didn’t have much confidence in his own abilities. This led him to have a conversation with somebody that he thought had an incredible ability to inhabit any role, Benedict Cumberbatch. Tatum told Deadline about the encounter and the "huge gift" his fellow actor gave him.

Channing Tatum felt at the time that Cumberbatch, and many other British actors, showed a level of control that he clearly felt he didn’t have onscreen. Cumberbatch did indicate that some of what Tatum saw came from real, formal training he had received. However, he also indicated that it wasn’t all that mattered when it came to acting.

Channing Tatum recently discussed turning down the lead in Blue Valentine, a role that would eventually go to Ryan Gosling. Tatum said he was simply scared at the time, and now he's admitted this other story, I feel like this may be an example of the confidence he was lacking at the time.

It’s interesting Benedict Cumberbatch apparently didn’t discuss specifically what he thought Channing Tatum could do that he couldn’t, but it didn’t really matter. The fact that somebody like Cumberbatch, whom Channing Tatum clearly respected, indicated that there was anything that Tatum could do better was enough to give him some of that confidence he was missing.

Channing Tatum was able to achieve something of a dream when he got to play Gambit on the big screen in the last Deadpool movie. He will reprise that role in Avengers: Doomsday, and while Benedict Cumberbatch’s name isn’t part of the official Doomsday cast, the actor has said he’s in the film. Maybe these two will reunite on the big screen and can have another chat about just how far both of them have come. And maybe Cumberbatch can elaborate on what he meant all those years ago.

We’re just about a year away from the release of Avengers: Doomsday, and beyond the fact that Doctor Doom, as played by Robert Downey Jr, will be the film’s main antagonist, we know very little about what the film will be about or what various characters will be doing. However, a new rumor is indicating how Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange will fit into the story. I, for one, hope it’s true, as it means the return of a Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness character that we need to see again.

Doctor Strange’s Doomsday Status Has Been Unclear

Exactly how, or even if, Doctor Strange would appear in Avengers: Doomsday has been a topic of some confusion. Initially, when asked, Benedict Cumberbatch stated he wouldn’t be in the new film, before going back on that and claiming that yes, he would be in Doomsday after all. However, when the big Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal took place, Cumberbatch’s name wasn’t included.

While we know there will still be some surprises in the cast, not including Cumberbatch when he’s already said he would be in the film seems like an odd “surprise.” Now, a new rumor from The Cosmic Circus states that yes, Strange will be in the movie, and he’s bringing a friend.

Doctor Strange Could Appear In Doomsday Alongside Clea

The last we saw of Doctor Strange, in the mid-credits scene of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, he was approached by a woman who insisted on his help in sealing the multiversal incursion he had created. She then tore a hole in reality for the two of them to jump through.

The character was played by Charlize Theron, and while her name was never given, the credits confirmed that she was playing Clea, a popular companion of Doctor Strange in the comics. The rumor claims that when we meet Doctor Strange again in Avengers: Doomsday, he will still be working with Clea, investigating incursions and attempting to repair them in order to keep the multiverse from collapsing.

While we have to take any rumor with a grain of salt, I’m certainly hopeful this one turns out to be on the level. While many comic fans were excited to see Clea on screen, I was mostly excited to see Charlize Theron join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I would love to see more of her in the new Avengers movie.

Even if this information is accurate, it’s still unclear how big a role Doctor Strange or Clea would have in Avengers: Doomsday. There are expectations that the first trailer for the film will be hitting soon, likely attached to the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash next week. Perhaps that will give us some of the answers we’re waiting on.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is cruising toward its big Multiverse Saga finale with Avengers: Doomsday being released next year and Avengers: Secret Wars following that. There are a lot of questions about what’s going to happen after that, but a new rumor claims that one of those projects will be Doctor Strange 3.

A report from Nexus Point News claims Doctor Strange 3 is in early development at Marvel Studios, with plans to start production sometime after Secret Wars. While this is only a rumor and should be taken with as many magically produced grains of salt as you have to muster, the rumor does have some interesting elements, especially as in regards to the director Benedict Cumberbatch is allegedly interested in.

Benedict Cumberbatch Reportedly Wants An Oscar-Winning Filmmaker For Doctor Strange 3

According to the rumor, Doctor Strange himself, Benedict Cumberbatch, is interested in bringing Sam Mendes on board to helm the third installment of the franchise. It would be an interesting choice to say the least. Mendes has never done a big blockbuster comic book movie, but who wouldn't want to see his take on it?

Mendes would be a great choice, and I'd love to see it happen if this is at all true. As he's proven, Mendes can certainly jump into an existing franchise and make magic. To that point, he directed Skyfall, one of the best James Bond movies ever. The director -- who won an Academy Award for American Beauty -- also got a real creative flair that would be fitting for a Doctor Strange movie, as he showed off in his "one take" movie, 1917.

The biggest hurdle to getting Mendes for Doctor Strange 3 would be the schedule. Mendes is currently involved in his massive four-film Beatles biopic project, which is expected to start shooting soon, and won’t be hitting theaters until 2028. So Mendes is going to be pretty busy and, if Strange 3 is planned to be an early Phase 7 (my god, are we really talking about Phase 7) project, the British director may simply not be available in the right window.

If Sam Mendes were to actually be hired, he would also be something of a break from tradition, as the two previous directors for Doctor Strange movies, Scott Derrickson and Sam Raimi, have been known for their horror movie skills. Horror is one genre Mendes has never really dealt with. This could indicate a planned change in tone for the franchise.

The Future Of Doctor Strange In The MCU Is Murky

Of course, another big question is in what state the MCU will find Doctor Strange after the Multiverse Saga ends. At this point, we don’t even know if or when we’ll see Cumberbatch’s character in the Avengers projects. Initially, the actor was implying he wouldn’t be in Doomsday. Then he was saying he would be, but his name was not among those revealed in the big Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement.

The other key elements of this rumor that are important, assuming any of it is actually true, are to indicate there will even be a Doctor Strange 3, and that Cumberbatch plans to continue with the character. There are expectations that many Marvel roles will be recast following Avengers: Secret Wars, so we'll have to wait and see what happens moving forward.

In the meantime, stream the first two films in the Doctor Strange franchise, along with other MCU films, using a Disney+ subscription.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for constantly expanding, thanks to new titles arriving in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Without a doubt the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie is Avengers: Doomsday, which featured a huge cast and the return of Robert Downey Jr.. Benedict Cumberbatch won't stop confirming he's got a role as Doctor Strange, so why is Marvel being so weird about it?

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is very limited, but fans are hyped to see entire teams of heroes interact. The Doomsday cast announcement confirmed a ton of actors, but not the Sherlock star. Back in January Cumberbatch confirmed he had a role, which is why fans were shocked when he wasn't given his own chair in the live stream announcement. While speaking with the Brazilian outlet Omelete, he joked about now being included in the cast list, offering:

Well, at least he's got a good sense of humor about it. While Kevin Feige confirmed that Doomsday will feature more actors than were listed, it's wild that Cumberbatch keeps confirming that he's going to appear in The Russo Brothers' blockbuster. After all, Marvel security is notoriously tight.

The discourse surrounding Doctor Strange's possible inclusion in the next two Avengers movies have last months. Originally Cumberbatch claimed he was only in Secret Wars, but later when back and claimed he was mistaken and would in fact appear in Doomsday. Hey, at least the 49 year-old actor is communicating with fans at all.

I have to wonder if these continued comments about his role in Avengers: Doomsday landed him in hot water with the studio. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will recall that actors are typically tasked with guarding the secrets of the shared universe. Although some stars like Tom Holland have accidentally revealed spoilers before.

Doomsday has been shooting since back in April, with The Russo Brothers balancing its large ensemble cast for the months-long production. While Cumberbatch has confirmed multiple times that he's got a role, only time will tell how much the former Sorcerer Supreme factors into the mysterious story.

Fans have definitely been waiting to see Cumberbatch's character return to the MCU, especially after Doctor Strange 2's ending. The credits scene for Multiverse of Madness showed him with a third eye and introduced Charlize Theron's Clea, but he hasn't been seen since. Hopefully some of our questions are answered if/when he pops back in up in Doomsday. Fingers crossed.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters December 18th of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. I'm just hoping that the studio officially confirms that Strange will be there when its released.

SPOILERS are ahead! Read with caution!

We’ve seen a lot of great romantic comedies over the years, but we’re not sure the release of The Roses counts as one after that ending. CinemaBlend spoke with the supporting cast of the latest of 2025 movie releases, and they had some diabolical thoughts about what happens next.

After we witness Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman’s Theo and Ivy Rose fall in love and then fall into hate with one another, we’re convinced we’re going to watch one of them murder the other before the impossible happens. The couple actually makes up! However, their rekindling is short-lived when they accidentally burn their own gorgeous house down and themselves.

During our interview with the cast (in video form above), the hilarious Jamie Demetriou told us what’s next for Rory after the Roses die with these words:

The wife of Demetriou’s Rory is played by Zoë Chao, who also didn’t think the couple would mourn long for the couple. As she said:

Yikes! Well, The Roses does expose the couple at the center of the black comedy to be rather mean, but it’s interesting to think about how they kind of had fake friends too. Kate McKinnon added this:

Throughout The Roses, McKinnon’s Amy is trying to show her interest in opening up her marriage with Samberg’s Barry, especially by doing a lot of flirting with Cumberbatch’s Theo. But with him dead, it sounds like she’d simply move on with a new target.

Sunita Mani, who plays Ivy’s sous chef, also had a pretty selfish look at her character when discussing the ending:

Ncuti Gatwa, who also talked to us in the same interview about his Doctor Who exit, suggested that Jane would probably make a massive mosaic inspired by the couple’s death. That has to be the sweetest of all the responses.

To round things out, Mani said this about how she thinks Gatwa’s Jeffrey, who plays the restaurant manager, might deal with the death, and Gatwa agreed. In Mani’s words:

It all definitely seems to check out after seeing the movie. Crazy how not one of them suggested raising the two children they would leave behind after their death, but that’s a black comedy for you!

The Roses is both a remake of the 1989 movie with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner and one of this year’s book adaptations, considering both movies are based on Warren Adler’s novel. You can check out our The Roses review now that you’ve experienced the funny relationship film.

It never ceases to amaze me when an actor is the spitting image of the real person they are selected to play. I do not think a historical portrayal necessarily lives or dies by the performer’s resemblance to the subject, but I think it is something to appreciate, especially when you consider the amount of biopics starring actors who bear absolutely no resemblance to their role. Here are a few notable examples of actors who were clearly hired for their talents above anything else.

Michael Shannon As Elvis Presley (Elvis & Nixon)

The most requested photo in the National Archives depicts Elvis Presley shaking hands with Richard Nixon in the Oval Office, and the events surrounding this historic meeting at the White House are dramatized in 2016's Elvis & Nixon. Kevin Spacey makes for a visually believable depiction of the 37th United States President, but the otherwise wonderfully talented Michael Shannon simply does not cut it as the one many call the King of Rock 'n Roll, even with a decent jumpsuit and wig.

John Wayne As Genghis Khan (The Conqueror)

Oh, boy, where do we begin with this one? The only visual evidence we have of what Genghis Khan looked like is artist renderings, but it does not take an expert to notice that John Wayne was not Asian. Still, the legendary Western movie star was cast as the Mongol chief in 1956's The Conqueror, which has since been regarded as one of the worst films ever made.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson As John Lennon (Nowhere Boy)

Director Sam Taylor-Johnson's 2009 music biopic Nowhere Boy focuses on the pre-Beatles life of John Lennon, as portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. If you ask me, the Golden Globe-winning actor might have been a better fit to play, perhaps, Paul McCartney or, better yet, George Harrison.

Tom Cruise As Barry Seal (American Made)

If more people knew about Barry Seal and what he looked like, I believe Tom Cruise's portrayal in 2017's American Made would have been criticized as one of the most egregious miscastings in Hollywood history. The otherwise talented movie star did absolutely nothing to alter his appearance and pass for the ill-fated, heavy-set CIA smuggler, save what I regard as an embarrassing Southern accent.

Julia Roberts As Erin Brockovich (Erin Brockovich)

Julia Roberts gives, arguably, the finest performance of her career as a single mother and paralegal who uncovers a small town pollution scandal in Steven Soderbergh's Erin Brockovich from 2000. However, if a resemblance to the person an actor is portraying were part of the Academy's voting criteria, she might not have won the Oscar.

Denzel Washington As Frank Lucas (American Gangster)

Ridley Scott's 2007 biopic American Gangster dramatizes the career of mobster Frank Lucas, played by Denzel Washington, and also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Lucas' brother, Huey. Curiously, Ejiofor actually looks a whole lot more like the real Frank than the two-time Oscar winner. However, Washington was a good friend and frequent collaborator of the director's brother, Tony Scott, so he probably had the role in the bag for that, among other reasons.

Johnny Depp As J.M. Barrie (Finding Neverland)

Oddly enough, J.M. Barrie boasted a striking resemblance to another influential author, Edgar Allan Poe, with his tall forehead and small moustache. However, Johnny Depp, who played the Peter Pan author in 2004's Finding Neverland, does not boast a resemblance to either of them, if you ask me.

Hugh Jackman As P.T. Barnum (The Greatest Showman)

Let's not even bother talking about the many historical inaccuracies from The Greatest Showman, 2017's musical retelling of the origins of the circus, and even ignore the fact that P.T. Barnum was not the kindhearted man Hugh Jackman portrayed him as. All that matters to this list is whether or not the Wolverine star looked the part, and the famously attractive Australian actor most definitely was not a match for Barnum in that regard.

Michael Fassbender As Steve Jobs (Steve Jobs)

Michael Fassbender's Oscar-nominated performance in director Danny Boyle and writer Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs from 2015 is widely regarded as superior to Ashton Kutcher's portrayal in Jobs from two years earlier. However, at least the former That '70s Show cast member can say he resembled the tech pioneer more closely.

Jesse Eisenberg As Mark Zuckerberg (The Social Network)

Mark Zuckerberg once made a surprise SNL cameo, during which he stood right next to host Jesse Eisenberg on the Studio 8H stage, proving that they are certainly not a visual match. The actor does not even bother to imitate the Facebook founder's distinctly low voice when portraying him in 2010's The Social Network, but his Oscar nomination proves that that is not what really matters in the end.

Tom Hanks As Fred Rogers (A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood)

Casting a universally beloved actor such as Tom Hanks to play a universally beloved children's television personality like Fred Rogers, of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood fame, is brilliant in theory. However, even giving the Oscar winner the icon's signature haircut and sweaters is not quite enough to distract from the fact that you are still unmistakably watching Hanks on screen.

Leonardo DiCaprio As Howard Hughes (The Aviator)

A major inspiration for Marvel's Tony "Iron Man" Stark was Howard Hughes, whose resemblance is actually a striking match for both Robert Downey Jr. and Dominic Cooper, who plays Howard Stark in his early years in the MCU. In fact, I think either one of them would have been a better visual fit for the eccentric millionaire in The Aviator than Leonardo DiCaprio, even if his performance in the 2005 biopic makes it one of his best collaborations with the director, Martin Scorsese.

Warren Beatty And Faye Dunaway As Clyde Barrow And Bonnie Parker (Bonnie And Clyde)

From a performance standpoint, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway make a great onscreen duo portraying the titular notorious bank robbers in 1967's Bonnie and Clyde. However, the screen legends' casting does not earn the film any points for historical accuracy, considering Beatty does not have Clyde Barrow's jug ears, nor does Dunaway boast Bonnie Parker's sharp, thin face.

Taraji P. Henson As Katherine G. Johnson (Hidden Figures)

Taraji P. Henson gives an undeniably commanding performance in 2016's Hidden Figures as Katherine G. Johnson, a mathematician who was pivotal in helping NASA figure out space travel. Yet, when comparing the Empire star to photos of the real Johnson, it is clear the actor does not resemble her much at all.

Anthony Hopkins As Richard Nixon (Nixon)

Reportedly, Anthony Hopkins had some hesitation about taking on the lead role of Oliver Stone's 1995 biopic about Richard M. Nixon. Ultimately, I would say the Academy Award winner went on to give a great performance in Nixon, but I find myself distracted by his struggle to hide his accent and his obvious fake teeth and hairpiece that really do not help make him look any closer in resemblance to the disgraced U.S. president.

Margot Robbie As Queen Elizabeth I (Mary Queen Of Scots)

Cate Blanchett previously gave an Academy Award-nominated performance as the lead of 1998's Elizabeth, and even bore a strong resemblance to the royal based on artist renderings. I cannot say the same about Margot Robbie, even if the Australian actor's portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots was still worthy of praise.

Benedict Cumberbatch As Alan Turing (The Imitation Game)

Benedict Cumberbatch has such a distinct appearance, making it difficult for him to resemble anyone else without heavy alterations. However, nothing was done to make him look any closer to World War II-era computer scientist Alan Turing in The Imitation Game.

Javier Bardem As Desi Arnaz (Being The Ricardos)

Oscar winner Nicole Kidman went above and beyond to physically become Lucille Ball for writer and director Aaron Sorkin's dramatization of what went on behind the scenes of the beloved TV sitcom, I Love Lucy. However, playing her onscreen husband is Oscar winner Javier Bardem, who does not pass for Desi Arnaz in the slightest.

Ray Liotta As Shoeless Joe Jackson (Field Of Dreams)

Technically, Ray Liotta plays the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams, but even a person's spectral remnant should look something like them. The infamous MLB player had a much narrower face and wider ears, not to mention that he pitched left-handed, while the actor did the opposite in the beloved sports movie.

Beyoncé As Etta James (Cadillac Records)

No one could possibly deny that Beyoncé has the pipes to match Etta James, which had to have been the reason why she was cast in 2008's Cadillac Records. However, the "At Last" singer was short and round-faced, and the former Destiny's Child member is neither.

Dominic West As Prince Charles III (The Crown)

I mean no disrespect to Prince Charles III, but is it just me, or was The Wire star Dominic West just a little too handsome to play the Royal Family member on The Crown? Then again, any one cast member's portrayal on the historical Netflix series might pale in comparison to Elizabeth Debicki's striking resemblance to Princess Diana.

Kane Hodder As Ed Gein (Ed Gein: The Butcher Of Plainfield)

The most famous actor to wear Jason Voorhees' hockey mask in the Friday the 13th films must have seemed like an inspired choice to play one of the most notorious serial killers in history in 2007's Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield. However, the 6'2", broadly built Kane Hodder does not boast Gein's narrower face and small stature.

Clive Owen As Bill Clinton (Impeachment: American Crime Story)

In most cases, prosthetics can be very helpful in making an actor look more similar to the person they are portraying, such as when Charlize Theron became Megyn Kelly for Bombshell. Clive Owen adopted this method to play Bill Clinton on Impeachment: American Crime Story, but the makeup only caused the English actor to resemble the 1990s-era President even less.

Angelina Jolie As Christine Collins (Changeling)

Christine Collins is the subject of Clint Eastwood's 2008 period film, Changeling, which is based on the true story of when her missing son was replaced by an impostor. Had she been an even better-known historical figure, there might have been more criticism over casting Angelina Jolie, an actor known for her voluptuous lips, as the thin-lipped 1920s woman.

Fred Armisen As Barack Obama (Saturday Night Live)

Considering the fact that the otherwise extremely talented SNL star Fred Armisen is a white man with a subpar impersonation of the 44th. U.S. President, I'll just say that I am glad Jay Pharoah eventually took over as Barack Obama.

Tom Hulce As Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Amadeus)

Just based on artist renderings of the seminal composer, Tom Hulce was nowhere near a match to play the title role of director Milos Forman's Best Picture Oscar winner, Amadeus, from 1984. However, the actor is widely admired for his performance as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, which earned him a well-deserved Academy Award nomination.

Robert Redford As Harry Longabaugh (Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid)

I wonder how many others like me had no idea that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was based on a true story, which might be how the film was able to get away with casting actors who look nothing like the Western outlaws they play. For instance, Robert Redford's mustache works just fine for the role, but Harry Longabaugh, a.k.a. "The Sundance Kid," did not have long blonde locks.

Diana Ross As Billie Holiday (Lady Sings The Blues)

Most would agree that 1972's Lady Sings the Blues is the superior biopic about the trailblazing "Strange Fruit" singer over The United States vs. Billie Holiday from 2021. However, those same people might also agree that Andra Day was a better fit to play Holiday, physically speaking, than the otherwise wonderfully talented Diana Ross in the earlier film.

Robin Williams As Patch Adams (Patch Adams)

The real Patch Adams hates Tom Shadyac's biopic based on his life, which has nothing to do with the fact that Robin Williams looks nothing like the influential doctor. However, it's still impossible to ignore, especially with how they do not even bother to give the Oscar winner Adams' signature mustache.

Mel Gibson As William Wallace (Braveheart)

In the most well-known illustrations of William Wallace, the Scottish warrior is depicted as having short hair and a beard. Why director Mel Gibson opted against this look when he portrayed Wallace in Braveheart is beyond me.

Serena Scott Thomas As Princess Diana (Diana: Her True Story)

Many actors have portrayed Princess Diana to varying degrees of success, but most consider Serena Scott Thomas from the 1993 two-part miniseries, Diana: Her True Story, to be one of the weakest matches, purely in terms of her physical resemblance.

Zoe Saldaña As Nina Simone (Nina)

The 2016 biopic, Nina, sparked controversy when Zoe Saldaña donned skin-darkening makeup and a prosthetic nose to better resemble singer Nina Simone, which the actor would later admit she regretted.

Marvel is now gearing up for its next big crossover event. Last week we learned who will make up the massive cast of Avengers: Doomsday in an incredible five and a half hour livestream event. One thing we learned is that the movie will seemingly have a surprisingly few socerers. This is unfortunate if only because Kathryn Hahn wants to see Agatha Harkness go head to head with some of the best.

In a recent appearance on the Mythical Kitchen YouTube Channel, Kathryn Hahn was asked what other Marvel characters she’d like to see Agatha work with, and she dropped a couple of perfect names in fellow magic users Doctor Stranke and Loki. Hahn said…

“Mischevious Magic” sounds like the perfect name for a Disney+ Marvel series starring Hahn and Tom Hiddleston. I don’t know what they would do. I don’t know if they would be allies or adversaries. What I do know is that such a pairing would be absolutely incredible, and now I need to see it happen.

Seeing Agatha Harkness go up against Doctor Strange would also be quite special. Considering that both Agatha and Strange have fought Scarlet Witch, seeing the two of them face off against each other would complete the circle. Of course, speaking of the Scarlet Witch, Kathryn Hahn indicates she’d also like a rematch. She added…

Unfortunately, anybody looking forward to any of these crossovers may have a while to wait. There’s been no indication of any future for Agatha, either in the form of a second season of Agatha All Along or a related spinoff. Also, of every name mentioned above, only Tom Hiddelston was among those listed to appear in the upcoming Marvel movie Avengers: Doomsday.

While it’s still possible others, and even Hahn herself, could end up part of the movie, it’s unlikely the cast revealed so far is complete, both Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olson had previously indicated they wouldn’t be in the film, so not seeing their names in the live stream only confirms what had already been known. Of course, Cumberbatch later reversed course and said he would be in Doomsday, so at this point, anything is possible.

Agatha All Along seemed to confirm that the Scarlet Witch is dead following the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. While death is certainly no barrier to a character making an on-screen appearance, when and if there are plans to see Wanda again, once expects her return would be a big deal. Perhaps that could be the focus of a new Disney+ series.

At the end of the day, the door is never closed on any popular MCU character, so seeing Agatha Harkness again certainly seems likely. Whether she'd get a chance to work alongside these other characters or not is another question.

Like millions of people around the world, I spent five hours watching Marvel slowly roll out all those Avengers: Doomsday names in March 2025, and like a lot of people, I was bummed a few of the biggest MCU stars, including Ryan Reynolds, didn’t have a chair. While it may be true that we will see more additions as we work toward the release of the upcoming Marvel movie, I was shocked by some of the names left out of the excruciatingly long cast announcement.

That said, here’s a list of some of those beloved MCU actors I really hope we see when the Russo Brothers’ Avengers: Doomsday opens on the big screen in May 2026. It’s a long list (no, not as long as that video), so let’s get started…

Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds, who has played Deadpool since the Fox days, has made a habit of teasing his return to the MCU ever since the release of Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024. I totally thought we’d see his name on one of those chairs in that seemingly endless lineup, which is why I’m so bummed the wise-cracking, R-rated, and lethal hero wasn’t included.

In an ideal world, Reynolds’ return would also include the likes of Dafne Keen, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Garner, and Leslie Uggams (you can’t have Deadpool without Blind Al).

Tom Holland

With the Spider-Man 4 release date so close to the Avengers: Doomsday rollout, it would be shocking if Tom Holland doesn’t show up in the massive crossover film a few months before his new Web-Slinger adventure. The highly in-demand actor seemed like a shoo-in to be included in the gargantuan list filled with all his MCU buddies. There are rumors that Holland won’t be in the next Avengers film, but I’m not totally convinced at this point.

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson has been a part of the MCU since he showed up in Tony Stark’s house and revealed himself as Nick Fury way back in Iron Man. Since then, he’s popped up in all of the Avengers movies, so I was a little saddened and surprised by his omission from the absurdly long cast list for Doomsday. I mean, Fury is still alive on the Marvel Cinematic timeline after the events of The Marvels.

Chris Evans

Even though his version of Captain America retired during the Avengers: Endgame ending, Chris Evans has reappeared in the MCU (Johnny Flame in Deadpool & Wolverine), so I wouldn’t be shocked if some character played by the franchise mainstay shows up by the time it’s all said and done. Evans has been cagey about a possible return in the past, but not seeing his name on the back of a chair is a little disheartening, if I’m being honest.

Mark Ruffalo

Mark Ruffalo has been one of my favorite MCU actors ever since he took on the role of Bruce Banner/The Hulk in 2012’s The Avengers. He’s been there for all the major moments in the franchise since then, but now I’m starting to think his iconic character won’t be saving the planet, galaxy, universe, or multiverse with his old buddies next summer. This can’t happen. I mean, who’s going to give Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man an extra taco?

Benedict Cumberbatch

Is Benedict Cumberbatch bringing back Doctor Strange (third eye and all) for Avengers: Doomsday? I don’t know because the longtime Marvel staple wasn’t included in the longest line of chairs I’ve ever seen. The actor’s comments about his return to the MCU have been all over the place, with his most recent comments to Business Insider in January 2025 making it sound like he could possibly return.

Don Cheadle

Though the Armor Wars project seems to be up in the air, I thought Don Cheadle would for sure be a part of the upcoming Avengers movie. James Rhodes has been a part of the franchise since the very beginning, and Cheadle’s version of the character has had a part in three of the four crossover films to date.

Brie Larson

Another big name missing from the “Infinity Scroll of Chairs” was Brie Larson, whose Captain Marvel has long been one of the strongest heroes in the entire MCU. We last saw her in The Marvels back in 2023, so she’s due for a return at this point. The same can be said about co-stars Teyonah Parris and Iman Vellani, who play Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan, respectively. I’d be shocked if they didn’t appear.

Jeremy Renner

Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye has had one of the craziest journeys in the MCU over the years. The underrated Avenger has been through it all, and I’ll be bummed if he’s not part of Doomsday next year. He famously wasn’t part of the Avengers: Infinity War cast, so maybe, just maybe, we’ll see him in Avengers: Secret Wars in a few years.

Charlie Cox

With Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdoch very much a part of the MCU again with the recent arrival of Daredevil: Born Again, I will be shocked if the actor doesn’t appear in Avengers: Doomsday. His name is on the rise (both the actor and character), so his absence could be felt a great deal.

Also, I would love to see Cox’s Defenders co-stars like Mike Colter, Finn Jones, and Krysten Ritter have some kind of role in what appears to be the biggest Marvel movie in years.

Halle Berry

Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and several other major players from the original X-Men movies were all announced for Avengers: Doomsday, but there was one actress whose absence really bummed me out: Halle Berry. Whenever the music would change and the camera would pan to the right, I kept hoping to see the Storm actress listed on a chair, but it never came.

The same can be said about Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, and Hugh Jackman, three other major names from the franchise who are oddly missing from the cast list.

The Guardians Of The Galaxy

Though Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff seem to be finished with the MCU after the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the rest of the actors should still be in play moving forward. With Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, and Vin Diesel being major parts of the last two Avengers movies, it will be odd not to see them in the upcoming Doomsday. I really hope that changes, as I’d love to see that ragtag group of space scoundrels save the day again.

The Eternals

After Captain America: Brave New World referenced Eternals earlier in the year, it felt like maybe this oft-forgotten MCU movie would be getting some attention again. However, none of the actors from the 2021 epic were included in the Avengers: Doomsday rollout. I guess we’ll have to wait longer to figure out what’s going on with the group played by Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, and Barry Keoghan.

Other Marvel Stars I Want To See In Avengers: Doomsday

On top of all these names and various groups, I would love to see even more actors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe show up in Avengers: Doomsday. From longtime staples like Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Hayley Atwell, and Scarlett Johansson (nobody stays dead forever, right?) to other fan favorites played by the likes of Benedict Wong, Dafne Keen, Lupita Nyong’o, Awkwafina, and Danai Guirara to actors introduced in post-credit scenes like Brett Goldstein and Charlize Theron, there are just so many familiar faces that could show up.

Will any or all of these actors show up in Avengers: Doomsday or its sequel? I really hope so.

There are a lot of upcoming Marvel movies to look forward to, but it’s safe to say that the biggest of the bunch currently scheduled are Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. These flicks are filling the same role for The Multiverse Saga that Infinity War and Endgame did for The Infinity Saga, so count on a lot of Marvel heroes teaming back up to vanquish a mighty threat; in this case, Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. Recently, though, Benedict Cumberbatch said he would not be appearing in Doomsday, but now it turns out that’s not the case after all. Still, that news now has me wondering I it has any implications for Doctor Strange 3.

Benedict Cumberbatch Confirms He Will Actually Be In Doomsday

After mentioning last week that Doctor Strange would be absent from Avengers: Doomsday due to "the character not aligning with this part of the story,” Cumberbatch has now revealed that he misspoke, telling Business Insider:

The Sherlock star later coyly responded, “Don’t ever believe anything I say” when the interviewer brought up how other Marvel actors have lied about their involvement in movies (we’re looking at you, Andrew Garfield). Still, I think if he took the time to walk back on his previous comment, then we can safely say that Cumberbatch will actually reprise Stephen Strange in Doomsday, as opposed to this just being an act of deception. Then again, this is the same actor who was said to be playing John Harrison in Star Trek Into Darkness, only for the character to actually be Khan Noonien Singh, so I wouldn’t put it past Cumberbatch to keep mum on what’s truly happening.

Does This News Mean Anything For Doctor Strange 3?

Just so we’re all on the same page, Doctor Strange is now confirmed for both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, and I’m so pleased about this. It’s one thing for Ant-Man and Hawkeye to be absent from Infinity War, but Strange has been a pretty important player in the Multiverse Saga so far thanks to the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. It would have been weird for him to absent from Part 1 of this epic event, although I guess that could have been explained away by having Doctor Doom somehow imprison him before Doomsday begins.

But now that this has been cleared up, I’m wondering if this any way impacts what’s being planned for Doctor Strange 3. When we last saw Stephen Strange in Multiverse of Madness’ ending, he’d developed a third eye as a result of using the Darkhold, and then Charlize Theron’s Clea persuaded him to follow her into the Dark Dimension in the Doctor Strange 2 mid-credits scene. Before today, I’d assumed that Strange not appearing in Avengers: Doomsday would be explained away by him being busy with whatever goes down in Doctor Strange 3. And just like Tom Holland’s Spider-Man 4, I assumed the threequel would be released between Doomsday and Secret Wars. Now I’m not so sure.

After The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ release in July, we’re done with MCU movies until February 13, 2026, a date Marvel Studios has blocked off. However, we don’t know what’s going in that spot yet, so is it possible that Doctor Strange 3 could slot in there? Maybe if it’s made a lot of progress behind the scenes that we don’t know about, but that would still need to be a ridiculously fast turnaround. Nevertheless, I like the idea of the next Doctor Strange movie directly paving the way for Doomsday.

Alas, it’s much more plausible that Doctor Strange 3 will either be saved for between Doomsday and Secret Wars like I originally suspected or perhaps not arrive until sometime post-Secret Wars. It would be nice to get an official statement from Marvel Studios about what’s happening with the threequel, but for now, I’ll just enjoy knowing Doctor Strange will be in both of the next Avengers movies.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always treating fans to new content, either in theaters or streaming with a Disney+ subscription. There are countless questions about the upcoming Marvel movies, particularly the next big crossover events like Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Luckily, Benedict Cumberbatch confirmed his MCU return, and revealed which Avengers movies to expect Doctor Strange.

Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know that entire phases of the shared universe come to a head with the Avengers flicks. The Russo Brothers will one again be back to direct the next two, but those movies are shrouded in mystery. But during a conversation with Variety, Cumberbatch revealed that he'll be absent from Doomsday due to "the character not aligning with this part of the story." But fear now, he assured fans that Strange is " “in a lot” of its sequel Secret Wars.

In the same interview, Cumberbatch confirmed that plans for his signature Marvel character changed as a result of Jonathan Majors' firing as Kang. Doomsday was originally meant to be titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and that scrapped project would have brought Doctor Strange into the fold. Alas, he'll be noticeably absent before returning to the shared universe in Secret Wars.

Even though some fans might be bummed to be missing Strange in the next Avengers movie, I'm just relieved that he let slip some details about The Russo Brothers' pair of blockbusters. Marvel security is notoriously tight, and Kevin Feige and company have been keeping their cards close to the chest.

Fans have been wondering what's going to come next for Benedict Cumberbatch's title character ever since Doctor Strange 2's credits sequence seemingly opened new doors for the hero. In the film's final moments were were introduced to Charlize Theron's Clea, who seemingly ripped a hole in the multiverse right in front of him. But both of these magical characters have been missing ever since, and there's been no indication as to if/when a third Strange film will happen.

Fans might be bummed that Strange won't be in Doomsday, but The Russo Brothers split up the MCU's massive cast of heroes in their last two Avengers flicks as well. For example, Hawkeye and Ant-Man were noticeably missing from Infinity War. They both got meaty roles in Endgame, but the filmmakers aren't throwing every single named character into both of their upcoming blockbusters. Considering just how successful the Russos' tenure in the MCU has been, I definitely trust them to handle this correctly.

Some answers will come for fans when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1st, 2026, followed by Secret Wars on May 7, 2027. For now, check out the 2025 movie release dates.

All Saturday Night Live hosts have appeared "as themselves" in their monologue but things get really fun when they take allow themselves to be the butt of the joke in a sketch and appear as themselves. Not counting some of the jaw-dropping SNL cameos over the years, these are some of our favorite examples of a celebrity going meta at Studio 8H in a sketch from an episode that they headlined.

Brunch (Chris Hemsworth)

At first, in the Season 41 SNL sketch "Brunch," it seems that host Chris Hemsworth is playing a woman named Claire, who happens to be obsessed with the Thor actor until her friends begin to suspect that she is the Australian celebrity himself. They turn out to be correct when he reveals he wanted to make sure he was still one of the most desired Hollywood Chris' and the most desired Hemsworth.

Your Mom Talks To Megan Fox (Megan Fox)

One sketch from Megan Fox's sole hosting gig from SNL Season 35 sees the star of the Transformers movies appear as herself waiting for a friend of hers to get ready for a night out. During that time, she chats with Kristen Wiig as the friend's mother while she does laundry and has some eye-opening life advice to offer the actor.

I'm Just Pete (Pete Davidson)

For his return to Studio 8H as a host, Pete Davidson welcomed the opportunity to poke fun at his post-SNL career and personal life, most notably with a music video that quickly became one of the most popular sketches of Season 49. Set to the tune of the Oscar-nominated song "I'm Just Ken" from Barbie, the comedian channels Ryan Gosling's portrayal of the iconic doll (and dons his hairstyle) for a hilariously self-effacing ballad with blockbuster-level production design.

Little Focker Film Fan (Robert De Niro)

On his third appearance on SNL as a host, Robert De Niro stars in a sketch taking place on the set of 2010's Little Fockers, where meets a young boy named Keith (Bobby Moynihan) who is extremely excited by everything he sees, except for the two-time Academy Award winner. He even ribs De Niro for a few of his career misfires but, of course, goes crazy over receiving a page of the script, meeting a makeup artist, and when Ben Stiller, also playing himself, appears.

Why is Benedict Cumberbatch Hot? (Benedict Cumberbatch)

Everyone in this sketch, stars as themselves, including Beck Bennett, who sets up a game show in an attempt to understand why people find the night's host, Benedict Cumberbatch, attractive. It gives the Doctor Strange actor a chance to be self-effacing (comparing himself to the likes of a hammerhead shark and Sid the Sloth from the Ice Age movies) before his compliments toward Beck finally lead the SNL star to understand the English actor's appeal.

Meet The Family (Christopher Walken)

Everyone has their own Christopher Walken impression and most of the SNL cast, circa Season 33, had the opportunity to demonstrate their own right in front of the Academy Award winner. They play members of the host's family who reunite with him at a restaurant, discuss highlights of his career, and reminisce about their own lives together.

Friends (Matthew Perry)

Then Friends cast member Matthew Perry appears as Matt LeBlanc's character, Joey Tribbiani, for what starts a typical parody of the hit sitcom. It evolves into something more meta when Colin Quinn walks in as an overly flamboyant caricature of Chandler Bing, causing the host to unhappily break character and derail the whole sketch.

Ryan's Hometown (Ryan Gosling)

In 2015, first-time SNL host Ryan Gosling appeared as himself in a sketch set at a bar in Ontario, Canada, where he is being interviewed for a GQ profile. The interview is interrupted by the Drive star's childhood bully, Trevor (Kyle Mooney), who challenges him to perform a song from Dreamgirls, dance to Cathy Dennis' "Touch Me," and compare their muscular physiques before admitting that he misses the actor's presence.

United Way (Peyton Manning)

One of the funniest SNL sketches featuring a professional athlete is an SNL Digital Short framed as a United Way ad, featuring Peyton Manning spending the day with a group of children. Quickly, it becomes clear that this fictionalized version of the former Denver Broncos quarterback is the farthest thing from a good role model to the world's youth.

Old Lady Gaga (Lady Gaga)

Lady Gaga proved that she was totally game to make fun of herself when she hosted a 2013 SNL episode, which featured an entire sketch dedicated to mocking some of her most famous radio hits and iconic career highlights. It is set in a future where the world has forgotten about the pop star and her older self, desperate to find a fan, calls up her building's superintendent (Kenan Thompson), who at least can recognize "Empress Beyoncé."

Star Trek Convention (William Shatner)

Emmy winner William Shatner owes his career to the Star Trek franchise but you would think he was not so grateful with the way he treats fans in an SNL sketch from 1986. The Captain Kirk actor appears at a convention, where he urges a group of Trekkies to "get a life" instead of obsessing over the sci-fi TV show that he did "as a lark" back in the 1960s.

Hamm & Bublé (Jon Hamm)

After promoting "Jon Hamm's John Ham" in his first SNL hosting gig, Jon Hamm teamed with Michael Bublé (who was that night's musical guest) to introduce a new restaurant that serves pork and champagne. However, the crooner explains in his musical interstitials that he is being held captive by the Mad Men cast member and forced into helping him with this misguided and pun-fueled idea.

Point Blank (Wayne Gretzky)

The legendary Wayne Gretzky appeared as himself in a number of sketches, and proved to have some surprising comedic timing when he hosted SNL in 1989. One of the funniest moments sees the hockey star appears on a talk show that encourages viewers to call in to ask the guest something but none of the questions have anything to do with him or with hockey and are all people seeking advice for something obscure.

Easter Candy (Michael Keaton)

In 2015, Oscar nominee Michael Keaton appeared as a flamboyant, blonde-haired gentleman showing off the contents of his Easter basket, with help from Kate McKinnon as the seemingly imbalanced Portia. It is not until the very end of the deeply bizarre sketch that we discover the Batman actor has been portraying a highly fictionalized version of himself the whole time.

Bill Swerski's Super Fans (Michael Jordan)

NBA legend Michael Jordan plays himself in a few sketches from his sole hosting gig from 1991. One of the most essential highlights sees the Space Jam cast leader join the hosts of Bill Swerski's Super Fans in a cheer for his fellow Chicago Bulls while wearing hula skirts.

Steve Martin Wants More Money (Steve Martin)

When Five-Timers Club member Steve Martin returned to SNL for his then-record-breaking 14th hosting gig, the comedian starred in a sketch set backstage, where he demanded Lorne Michaels a pay raise. However, the producer insists that he go on or he could be replaced with the one person who was closest to matching his record at the time: Alec Baldwin.

Investigation Discovery Presents: White People Problems (Charles Barkley)

In one of the few SNL sketches starring Charles Barkley as himself with no relation to basketball, he is seen hosting a true crime docuseries. However, instead of covering murders or kidnappings, Investigation Discovery Presents: White People Problems discusses instances of caucasian people reacting angrily to situations that seem completely blown out of proportion to the Black people involved.

Chris' Bedtime Story (George Foreman)

In Season 20, George Foreman starred in a backstage-set sketch in which one-season SNL cast member Chris Elliott asks the host to read him a bedtime story so he can take a nap in his dressing room. We imagine that, if anyone else demanded such a request from the boxing champ in real life, it might not end well for them.

Elton John And The Royal Wedding (Elton John)

Most of the sketches from host Elton John's 2010 episode see the Grammy winner playing himself. One of the best SNL sketches featuring the musician sees him visiting the Royal Family, who reveal their nasty, conniving true selves to him behind closed doors.

Brian Diaries (Brian Williams)

A non-actor who still nailed it as an SNL host is Brian Williams, who actually portrayed several original characters throughout the show. However, the former NBC Nightly News anchor did play himself in a Digital Short offering an exaggerated account of his daily routine, which includes receiving a motivational message from Bono (also appearing as himself) while meditating.

Read To Achieve (LeBron James)

LeBron James made his true acting debut hosting SNL before portraying himself in Trainwreck convinced audiences he had talent off the basketball court. He also stars as himself in one sketch in which his attempts to film a PSA are repeatedly interrupted by an obnoxious PA (Jason Sudeikis) who cannot seem to throw the ball at the athlete correctly.

Garth Brooks Backstage With Tracy (Garth Brooks)

During his second hosting gig, Garth Brooks appeared in an SNL sketch taking place backstage at Studio 8H, where cast member Tracy Morgan voices his disparaging opinion of that night's musical guest, Chris Gaines. What the country music star does not disclose to the comedian is the fact that he and the rock singer are actually the same person.

Sugar-Frosted Anabolic Steroids (Fran Tarkenton)

SNL has poked fun at how professional athletes often endorse products on many occasions, such as when John Belushi played himself in an ad for a breakfast cereal that was literally chocolate donuts. In the 1970s, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton tried his hand at the topic with a sketch that sees him endorse a cereal that is literally just performance-enhancing drugs.

Fernando's Hideaway (Mr. T And Hulk Hogan)

When actors/professional wrestlers Mr. T and Hulk Hogan hosted SNL together in the 1980s, they mostly appeared as themselves throughout the show. The most esteemed highlight sees them as guests on a recurring talk show bit hosted by Billy Crystal as Fernando Lamas, who goes off script to acknowledge the Hulkster's bouncing pecs when he accidentally laughs in the middle of the segment.

Marvin PSA/Knockouts (Marvin Hagler)

No one through a knockout punch quite like Marvelous Marvin Hagler in his day, which served as the inspiration for a bit from his SNL hosting gig. He appears in a PSA to help prepare people for if and when they might be forced to oppose him in the ring.

Boston Teens: Ski Lift (Jonny Moseley)

Jimmy Fallon and Rachel Dratch used to star in a recurring SNL sketch as stereotypical Boston teenagers Pat Sullivan and Denise McKenna. One edition saw them share a ski life with Olympic Gold medalist Jonny Moseley, who acts as a referee when the couple gets into an argument.

Finnish Talk Show (Katy Perry)

Katy Perry's second time on SNL was also her first time serving as a host, during which she starred in a sketch in which the pop star appears on a talk show from Finland. She soon discovers that the host (played by Kristen Wiig) has employed an unusually thorough research team, allowing her to have a clip ready to fun for literally any topic that comes up.

Football Liar (Walter Payton)

One of Jon Lovitz's most popular recurring characters on SNL was the habitually dishonest Tommy Flanagan. One sketch sees him run into Chicago Bears running back (and that night's host) Walter Payton who ends up being just as big a liar as he is.

Sports Beat (Nancy Kerrigan)

After suffering an infamous attack which was later dramatized in 2017's I, Tonya, Nancy Kerrigan proved she had a sense of humor about it when she hosted SNL. One sketch sees the figure skater appearing on a talk show with other Olympians who endured much worse injuries than she did but would receive far less favorable treatment.

Tommy Flanagan: Drinking With The Jaggers Cold Open (Jerry Hall)

Tommy Flanagan talks up model Jerry Hall and tries to convince her that he personally knows Mick Jagger. It seems that the facade is compromised when the Batman 1989 cast member's boyfriend, the Rolling Stones frontman himself, appears but he ends up using the pathological liar as an excuse for his absence a previous weekend.

Michael Phelps Diet (Michael Phelps)

Like any committed athlete, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps consumes a high-calorie diet for the purpose of burning off those calories during practice in the pool. However, when he hosted SNL, he starred in a fake ad promising that regular people could indulge in the same diet without exercise, on to show that the results would be disastrous.

Tennis Player Adoption (Andy Roddick)

To younger viewers, the 2021 biopic King Richard's depiction of Richard Williams' disciplinary coaching style of his daughters, Venus and Serena, must have been shocking. However, it was common knowledge when 2003 U.S. Open winner Andy Roddick hosted SNL and appeared in a sketch where Williams (Kenan Thompson) proposes to adopt the athlete as his son.

As with many years prior, several upcoming films will bring us tales of joy and woe with animated adventures, heartfelt family films, people overcoming horrific circumstances, fun comedies and more. But, something that many people love to see is a story that focuses either on people who do intriguing work or who have some true magic in their lives. As such, let’s take a look at 32 famous actors who’ve given us that by playing a wizard, witch or magician in some popular movies. 

Nicole Kidman (Practical Magic, Bewitched)

An Oscar winner who’s notably portrayed a witch twice in her big screen efforts is Nicole Kidman. Seeing as how Practical Magic 2 is now being worked on in earnest, you probably remember her 1998 hit with Sandra Bullock easily. But, do you recall her turn as a real witch hired to play a fictional one in the 2005 comedy, Bewitched?

Hugh Jackman (The Prestige)

We actually don’t get as many magicians on screen as one might think, but Hugh Jackman did us all a solid when he starred as one in the 2006 Christopher Nolan movie, The Prestige. If you somehow still haven’t seen this Edwardian London-set thriller, do yourself a favor and track it down. You won’t regret it.

Ian McKellen (The Lord Of The Rings And The Hobbit Trilogies)

This list would be nothing without mentioning maybe the most famous wizard in all of literary history, who made his major motion picture appearances courtesy of Sir Ian McKellen in The Lord of the Rings movies, as well as The Hobbit trilogy. Gandalf the Grey cannot be ignored, and not just because he’s so much taller than most of his traveling companions!

Neve Campbell (The Craft)

Fledgling teen witches count just as much as those who’ve been witchin’ for decades, which is why Neve Campbell’s eventual power-hungry sorceress, Bonnie, is on this list. The Craft is a teen horror classic that’s worth a watch.

Bette Midler (Hocus Pocus)

Here’s another classic movie witch who’s hard to forget. Bette Midler really dialed it up for her performance as Winifred Sanderson in 1993’s Hocus Pocus (along with fellow witchy Sanderson sisters Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker), and the results were so memorable that a Disney+ sequel was made nearly 30 years later.

Jesse Eisenberg (Now You See Me)

We’ve come to another magician, but Jesse Eisenberg’s modern-day character, Atlas, is an illusionist who works in Las Vegas in a popular group…who are really teamed up to steal lots and lots of money. It was so popular that a sequel followed.

Alexandra Daddario (Mayfair Witches)

If anything, we could trust late horror author Anne Rice to pen an intriguing tale that keeps us glued to the pages of a book. It also turns out that White Lotus star Alexandra Daddario can help turn that story into a can’t-miss TV show, as she’s done by playing witchy lead Rowan on Mayfair Witches.

Cher (The Witches Of Eastwick)

Cher has excelled in pretty much every role she’s ever had, and that includes widowed mother/witch Alex in The Witches of Eastwick. This one gets wild but you’ll never regret watching her (or her co-stars Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer and Jack Nicholson) as things go from weird to worse.

Nicolas Cage (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice)

We all know that Nicolas Cage has played a multitude of roles during his decades-long career, so it should be little surprise that he’s portrayed as a user of magic. Before you get too deep into wondering whether or not there’s a real difference between a wizard and a sorcerer, just know that Cage played the latter in this 2010 film that takes some inspiration from a segment in Disney’s animated classic, Fantasia.

Tia And Tamera Mowry (Twitches)

Sure, there have already been people on this list who played witches along with other really famous people, and those co-stars weren’t listed as the main star, but guess what: none of those other people starred with their twin, which is the case with Tia and Tamera Mowry in the beloved Disney Channel original film, Twitches. Did this one get a sequel? You bet it did!

Meryl Streep (Into The Woods)

No one can deny the prowess or ability of 21-time Oscar nominee (and three-time winner) Meryl Streep to deliver an amazing performance. The same can be true for when she played the character known simply as The Witch in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Into the Woods (and, yes, got an Academy Award nomination for her work).

Steve Carell (The Incredible Burt Wonderstone)

And here we have another Las Vegas magician in Steve Carell’s Burt Wonderstone. Instead of watching him steal money, we follow along in this comedy as Burt attempts to reunite with his former partner (Steve Buschemi) so they can gain more traction than a competing magician (Jim Carrey) whose “tricks” mostly involve odd feats of endurance and real pain.

Edward Norton (The Illusionist)

You’d be forgiven for confusing this film with the above-mentioned The Prestige, as they’re both about old-timey magicians and released in 2006. However, this film stars Edward Norton as our…illusionist, and is more of a romantic mystery than Nolan’s thriller.

Lucy Lawless (Salem)

So many evil witches, so little time. The WGN TV series, Salem, was loosely inspired by the Salem witch trials, and focused on a lead who was trying to bring the Devil to earth. But, that wasn’t even the character played by Xena actress Lucy Lawless, as her Countess Palatine Ingrid von Marburg was simply a different and far more evil witch. Can’t anyone use magic to just like, keep everyone’s house clean so we can all have more free time?

Guy Pearce (Death Defying Acts)

It’s actually rather surprising that we’ve gotten this far into the list without coming to someone who portrayed a famous real-life magician, so we can thank Guy Pearce for that. His 2007 supernatural romance, Death Defying Acts, saw him play Harry Houdini.

Angela Bassett (American Horror Story: Coven)

Even for those who don’t follow along with the amazing antics on every season of the anthology series, American Horror Story, it would probably be a little shock to find out that the show has cast several witches during its long run. The subtitle of this 2013 season tells you that it was dedicated to witchy goings-on, and double Oscar nominee Angela Bassett had a notable guest role as real historical figure/Voodoo practitioner Marie Laveau.

Sebastian Stan (The Covenant)

The actor who would come to be known as Bucky “Winter Soldier” Barnes, Sebastian Stan, played a very different type of super-powered character in 2006, when he played teen warlock Chase Collins in the fantasy film The Covenant. It also features stars like Taylor Kitsch and Chase Crawford, who also get their magic on in the film.

Michelle Pfeiffer (Stardust)

As we’ve seen from the entry on Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer had already played a witchy woman by the time she appeared in the 2007 movie Stardust, as an evil (of course) witch looking to retrieve a fallen star to have ever-lasting beauty and youth.

Debbie Reynolds (Halloweentown)

Here’s another Disney Channel classic, which follows a young witch who realizes she has powers on her 13th Halloween, only to be transported to the titular town where supernatural creatures can live without human interference. The late Debbie Reynolds plays her grandmother (also a witch), and returned for all three sequels.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange)

This 2016 MCU entry stars Benedict Cumberbatch as an injured doctor who involves himself in the business of fighting evil with sorcery after losing the use of his hands and heading to a mysterious enclave to look for healing. Cumberbatch has appeared as the character in a number of Marvel franchise films now, including a 2022 sequel to his original solo film.

Mila Kunis (Oz The Great And Powerful)

Here’s a movie filled with magical beings that’s often forgotten. Oz the Great and Powerful saw Mila Kunis, along with Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz, play witches of, yes, that Oz who have to determine if the Kansas magician who’s turned up in their realm is really the “great” wizard they’ve been waiting for.

Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone)

This is another actor and portrayal that this list would basically be pointless without. Though Daniel Radcliffe has gone on to portray a wide variety of good and bad guys in the past decade or so of his career, for many he will always be known as the boy wizard, Harry Potter.

Selena Gomez (Wizards Of Waverly Place)

What? Did you forget that Selena Gomez, the Grammy-nominated singer and star of the Hulu hit show Only Murders in the Building, got her first taste of fame on a Disney Channel series? Well, shame on you for not being able to remember that Gomez led Wizards of Waverly Place through a magical four-season run as the supernaturally gifted teen, Alex Russo.

Elizabeth Olsen (WandaVision)

Do we have yet another MCU stalwart for you? You bet we do! Elizabeth Olsen first took on the role of Scarlet Witch during the post-credits scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, later starring in several more of the franchise films and the critically lauded Disney+ series, WandaVision, for which she received an Emmy nomination.

Sam Neill (Merlin)

While there have certainly been a number of movies and shows that have given us versions of the mythical wizard known as Merlin, NBC’s two-part, 1998 miniseries saw Sam Neill use his recent Jurassic Park stardom to show us an adventurous tale of Merlin’s life before the birth of King Arthur.

Rosamund Pike (The Wheel Of Time)

Many of the portrayals we’ve discussed (and will continue to discuss below) have dealt with book-to-screen adaptations that are based on already incredibly popular novels, and The Wheel of Time is certainly one of those. The Amazon series, which takes its story from the 14-book franchise by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, stars Rosamund Pike as powerful magic user Moiraine Damodred, who takes a group of young adults on a journey to save the world.

Julia Ormond (Witches Of East End)

This Lifetime series, which ran for two seasons from 2013 to 2014, followed the women of the Beauchamp family, witches in a small, fictional seaside town who are led by their mother, Julia Ormond’s Joanna, and have to fight to save themselves and the people of their town from dark magical forces.

Emma Thompson (Beautiful Creatures)

This 2013 Gothic fantasy romance focuses on a teen who will learn on her 16th birthday whether or not her witch tendencies will be for good or ill. Two-time Academy Award-winning actress and screenwriter Emma Thompson plays her mother, Sarafine, who didn’t raise the girl but wants her on that dark side really, really badly.

Tilda Swinton (The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Suspiria)

Considering that Tilda Swinton has played everything from a gender-switching hero in Orlando to the MCU’s version of the Ancient One in the aforementioned Doctor Strange and the archangel Gabriel in Constantine, is anyone surprised to know that she’s played some witches? In both The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe and Suspiria she was very good at playing magical ladies who wanted (or already had and wanted to continue) to do some very bad things, but the latter film has WAY more serious and bloody fun for those who watch.

Jack Black (The House With A Clock In Its Walls)

Frequent funny man Jack Black as a warlock? That’s what the 2018 fantasy The House With A Clock In Its Walls delivers, as the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle star portrays a boy’s magic uncle who lives in the house of a dead evil wizard and is trying to discover the location and purpose of a clock the previous dastardly owner hid in the walls.

Jude Law (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald)

While much of the Harry Potter franchise featured either actors Richard Harris or Michael Gambon as the beloved Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, when the prequels were made, a younger Albus Dumbledore was needed and they called in Jude Law to fill the wizard’s very important and legendary shoes.

Julianne Moore (Seventh Son)

Last but certainly not least on our list of famed actors who’ve brought wizards, witches and magicians to life is lauded talent Julianne Moore. The Academy Award winner starred in 2015’s Seventh Son as the evil witch Mother Malkin, who escapes after many years imprisoned and looks to restore her full power by any means necessary.

As you can see, many of our most beloved stars have portrayed wizards, witches and magicians!

With six Marvel movies under his belt, Benedict Cumberbatch has become an MCU staple as Doctor Strange. Now, as questions continue to swirl around Avengers 5, we officially know that the British actor will be returning as the sorcerer because he confirmed it himself.

Lovingly referring to his hero as “Dr. Sparks,” Cumberbatch spoke about his time playing Doctor Strange and hinted at his future in an upcoming Marvel project, saying this during a video for Still Watching Netflix:

Well, there you have it. We don’t know much about what’s to come in Avengers 5 because a lot was left up in the air when they dropped Jonathan Majors as Kang after he was found guilty of harassment and assault. However, we do now know that Doctor Strange will be back with the group of heroes to defeat whatever adversary is coming their way.

At the time of this writing, we really don’t know much about Avengers 5, we don’t even know if it’ll be keeping its title – Avengers: The Kang Dynasty – or if it’ll change. Honestly, sometimes I wonder if Avengers 5 is even happening.

Rumors have come out that Deadpool & Wolverine’s director Shawn Levy could lead the team-up project, and it’s been claimed that it’ll feature a ton of heroes. However, when it comes to hard facts about this film, we don’t have a lot to work with.

But now, we at least know that Benedict Cumberbatch will be back as Doctor Strange!

Moving backward a bit, before the Sherlock actor confirmed that he’d be in the next Avengers film, he spoke about why he loves to play Doctor Strange. While he obviously adores portraying the character, he also noted the financial and creative benefits of being in massive movies like this, saying:

I hope he continues to have fun making Avengers 5! I know I can’t wait to see Doctor Strange back on the big screen, so I’m thrilled that Cumberbatch is excited too.

Doctor Strange is one of the most powerful heroes in the MCU, and I had assumed he’d be back as part of the Avengers for this fifth team-up movie. He seems like a natural fit for the team we’re going to see next, and honestly it’d be odd if he wasn’t there.

Thankfully, we won’t have to worry about the sorcerer not being in the movie, because the man himself confirmed that he’d be reprising the role! Now, we just have to sit tight while we wait for more details about the ever-evolving Avengers 5.

To go back and watch Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, you can stream the Marvel movies in order with a Disney+ subscription. As we learn more about this character’s involvement in the upcoming Avengers flick and the other heroes that will be joining him, we’ll be sure to keep you posted.

If you’re looking for something offbeat on the 2024 TV schedule, I cannot recommend creator/writer Abi Morgan’s Eric highly enough. At times heartbreaking drama, while at others a darkly comic head trip, the story of children’s show puppeteer Vincent and the disappearance of his young son navigates that mix of tones rather well.

Part of that is the fact that the series has some expert-looking puppeteering, and during Netflix’s recent press day for Eric, Cumberbatch opened up about the experience working with those professionals. Stemming from a question about whether or not his work with physical mo-cap performances in The Hobbit trilogy helped prepare for this new experience, Mr. Cumberbatch’s answer quickly dispelled that notion.

However, as Benedict Cumberbatch spoke with CinemaBlend, he revealed how the preparation and work with actual puppeteers was something that made days on set rather magical:

Having an enormous “walk around,” a term viewers will soon learn from watching the behind-the-scenes world of Eric’s show within a show Good Day Sunshine, certainly gives the limited series an extra boost. Having actors act off of a physical presence is pretty exciting for an audience, as you can usually feel that sort of energy.

It’s also pretty amazing that, with no spoilers or context added, we get a scene of Benedict Cumberbatch dancing at an ‘80s disco in New York, and the titular puppet is dancing with him. For a series that blurs the lines of reality like this does, that’s just icing on the cake... or rather, more fur on the puppet. Further highlighting that commitment, and the magic that came with it, Cumberbatch offered these details to CinemaBlend:

Puppetry is very much a 'go hard or don’t go at all' profession, and as Abi Morgan’s Eric proves once more, that medium isn’t just for children. In a blend of heartbreak, madness and curiosity, the mystery at the heart of this compelling project unfolds with perfect timing.

In its own strange way, it proves a point that most children’s television shows like to teach us early on: sometimes, when things are really tough, we need a friend who understands both the person and the monster in us all. Netflix’s Eric is currently streaming for Netflix subscription holders curious to take the eight-episode journey. Of course, don’t forget to take a look at the full 2024 Netflix movie and TV release dates.

The end of May and the beginning of June means it’s everybody’s favorite time: the time to shuffle all the movies and TV shows as many leave streaming, or jump services, while a host of new content arrives. There’s so much moving around, along with all the brand-new original content, that it can be difficult to keep track of what’s going on. Whether you subscribe to only one of the best streaming services or all of them, it’s still a lot.

Netflix subscribers have a new series with Benedict Cumberbatch to enjoy. It’s a great month for documentaries on multiple streamers. Jeremy Renner also returns to the screen with his first big role following his nearly fatal injury. Here are some of the highlights of what’s streaming this week.

Netflix This Week: Benedict Cumberbatch And More

Netflix this week brings a pair of brand new series. One is seriously heavy and dramatic, the other significantly more fun.

Eric - May 30

Fans of Benedict Cumberbatch may be used to seeing him as Doctor Strange or Sherlock Holmes, but they’re in for something very different with Eric. The crime drama casts Cumberbatch as a puppeteer whose son goes missing. In his grief, he creates a new puppet for his show in hopes it will lead him to his son.

Geek Girl - May 30

Fans looking for something a bit lighter than missing children and grief may enjoy another new Netflix series hitting the same day. Geek Girl stars Emily Carey as Harriett Manners, a teen geek who finds herself thrust into the world of high fashion.

Disney+ This Week: Jim Henson And More

Of all the franchises that Disney owns, one of the most criminally underutilized is the Muppets. Fans love Jim Henson's creation, and until we have more series or movies with them, we have a film that will remind us why we love them.

Jim Henson: Idea Man - May 31

The newest film from Ron Howard, Idea Man, is a documentary on the life of Jim Henson. The film takes a look at the life of the Muppet creator from his early days in puppeteering through the runaway success of the Muppets. Muppet fans, or really anybody with a Disney+ subscription, will certainly want to bring tissues to this one.

Max This Week: MoviePass And More

A pair of very interesting looks at real life are among the highlights for Max subscribers this month. First, a documentary film about a great idea and its spectacular failure, and second, a series that lends reality and fantasy, much like its subject matter.

MoviePass, MovieCrash - May 29

It wasn’t all that long ago that MoviePass, the company that tried to revolutionize movie ticket purchasing, was a major player in the industry. It also wasn't that long ago that Moviepass completely fell apart. Documentary MoviePass, MovieCrash, takes a look at the original idea for the service and how it all went wrong.

Ren Faire- June 2

Renaissance Fairs are popular all over the country, but none are quite like the Texas Renaissance Festival, which King George has ruled over for half a century. Ren Faire follows the King as he attempts to find a real successor to his thrown, which, as the majority shareholder of the festival and mayor of the town he created, has real implications.

Hulu This Week: Saw Movies

With the first of the month, a slew of new movies come to Hulu, and that includes nearly every entry in a major franchise that is celebrating a significant anniversary.

Saw I-VII - June 1

Maybe June isn’t the time that most people want to sit down and dive into a massive horror franchise. However, the original Saw is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and now that the first seven entries are available on Hulu, you can dive in and watch them all together. I’ll warn you, however, that watching every Saw movie at once isn’t necessarily the best idea.

Paramount+ This Week: Jeremey Renner Returns And More

One thing that streaming has done that is truly wonderful is the way it has made entertainment from all over the world more accessible. A new South Korean series might help scratch that Squid Game itch for some. For everybody else, there’s the long-awaited return of Jeremy Renner.

Pyramid Game - May 30

Dealing with popularity in high school can be brutal in any country, but in Pyramid Game, the fight to be on top becomes an actual fight. When one student finds herself on the bottom, she decides to take on the entire system. While not everybody is willing to deal with subtitles, those that are have a lot more to choose from.

Mayor of Kingstown, Season 2 - June 2

When Jeremy Renner was seriously injured a year and a half ago, it was anybody’s guess when we’d see him again. The first project he went to work on once he was well enough to do so was the second season of Mayor of Kingstown, and now the new season is here for everybody with a Paramount+ subscription to welcome him back.

Prime Video This Week: Kevin Hart And More

The newest addition to Prime Video is an interesting one, as it is both a brand new movie starring Kevin Hart and a previously existing series starring Kevin Hart. Either way, there’s a pretty good chance you haven’t seen it.

Die Hart 2: Die Harter - May 30

Die Hart was originally a show created for the short-lived Qubi streaming service that saw Kevin Hart play a fictionalized version of himself on a quest to be an action hero. After the first season of the show was re-edited into a film for Prime Video subscribers, the streamer is now giving the second season the same treatment.

If none of these work for you, there’s plenty more where that came from. Check out our complete list of everything coming to Netflix, as well as what’s new on DIsney+ and what’s coming up on Hulu. June is already shaping up to be a great month for streaming.

Did you ever notice something in a scene, and no matter how many times you watch, it never stops bothering you? It might be the reaction of an extra in the background of a scene, or the way that a line is delivered in an otherwise perfect sequence. Well, a popular scene from Spider-Man: No Way Home recently was brought up on Twitter, and the question about the scene went viral. But there’s something else about the scene that drives me crazy, and now I need to point it out to all of you. 

This doesn’t have anything to do with the cemetery scene in Spider-Man: No Way Home, which bugs me because it so clearly was filmed on a Georgia soundstage. Instead, the viral Tweet brought up the moment between Tom Holland and Benedict Cumberbatch during which Peter Parker tells the Sorcerer Supreme to reverse the spell and make the world forget who Spider-Man is. It’s a touching scene, one marked by extreme sacrifice by our main hero. He’s informed that this reversal will mean that his closest friend and his true love will forget who he is. But this is what’s necessary to stop the Multiverse from crumbling (in this instance). 

And yet, I can’t stop focusing on the weird way that Tom Holland holds his arm straight the entire time, pulling complete attention away from the impact of the scene. Here, watch it for yourself. It’s like Holland fell into a classic Spider-Man pose… and then just held it for an unnaturalistic amount of time. It’s awkward. It looks uncomfortable. And it pulls me out of this scene every time that I watch it. 

Maybe he’s balancing? I almost wish he was clinging to a wall with that hand. But he’s simply perched. And it appears that Tom Holland struck that pose, then held it. And held it. And held it more. Every time the camera cuts back to him, I expect the arm to drop. But nope. Even when Doctor Strange tells Peter to “call me Stephen,” the damn arm is sticking out at a 90-degree angle. It’s unnatural. And it bugs the shit out of me. 

Now, this doesn’t distract from the overall quality of Spider-Man: No Way Home, which I still consider to be one of the best Spider-Man movies ever made. And I rank Tom Holland high on my list of individual actors who have played Spider-Man, be it because of the costumes that he got to wear, or the villains he got to fight in his movies. But every once in a while, an actor makes a strange choice in a scene, and it remains in the scene through the edit. So when this scene went viral on social media, I found myself staring at that stiff, rigid, awkward arm all over again. And now, you will too.

What’s next for Tom Holland? He has been teasing the future of Spider-Man 4, but also ensuring fans that after the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, they need to do something that lives up to the legacy of that movie. It’s going to be hard to top uniting all three on-screen Spider-Man actors in a Multiversal movie, but possibly a street level Gang War movie that has Daredevil and The Punisher involved would move the needle. 

We shall see what comes of Tom Holland’s future in the MCU… and it he can keep his left are at ease.

When Thor propelled Chris Hemsworth to worldwide stardom back in 2011, the world was gifted yet another handsome actor. You certainly won’t find any shortage of people who declare him to be the “best Chris” in Hollywood, although Hemsworth himself has given Captain America actor Chris Evans that honor. Fellow MCU stars Elizabeth Olsen and Benedict Cumberbatch, on the other hand, didn’t hesitate to declare him the most handsome superhero in the massive franchise, and their reasoning boiled down to his arms.

In a clip that’s been making the rounds from when the actors were promoting Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness originating from LADBible, the actors, who respectively play Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch in the Marvel movies in order (plus the TV series WandaVision, in Olsen’s case), were asked if they agreed or disagreed if Hemsworth is the MCU’s most handsome superhero. Both instantly chose ‘Strongly Agree’, with Olsen describing him as “godly.” That then led to the following exchange:

“Elizabeth Olsen: When I have worked with him very few times… his arm. Not like that, to me, is handsome, but it is kind of wild to see in real life.
Benedict Cumberbatch: Yeah, you kind of just keep looking and going, ‘Is that real?
Olsen: It’s way bigger than my head.”

Now to be fair, Elizabeth Olsen then also described Chris Hemsworth as also being “charming and fun and kind,” so like she said, it’s not as though arm size is the only thing about him that’s appealing to her. But let’s be real, those guns of his are massive, so I don’t blame her and Cumberbatch for kicking off their conversation about the Thor actor discussing them. Whether you’re watching him in a movie or running into him out in real life, those are going to grab one’s attention.

Chris Hemsworth and Elizabeth Olsen first worked together on Avengers: Age of Ultron, and then Hemsworth was paired with Benedict Cumberbatch for an early portion of Thor: Ragnarok, with some of that footage being screened early for the Doctor Strange mid-credits scene. However, Thor didn’t share any significant screen time with Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, and we last saw him in action during Thor: Love and Thunder, which came out just a few months after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

It remains to be seen if any of these three characters will cross paths in the MCU again, although let’s not forget that as far as Scarlet Witch is concerned, she’s still presumed dead following the events of Multiverse of Madness, and Olsen feels she needs to take her career down new paths. In fact, we don’t even know for certain if Thor and Doctor Strange will be back in upcoming Marvel movies, although the Multiverse of Madness end-credits scenes laid groundwork for Doctor Strange 3, and the new two Avengers movies are solid places where the Master of the Mystic Arts and the God of Thunder could resurface.

For now, you’re welcome to join Cumberbatch and Olsen in thinking deeply about Hemsworth’s big arms… you know, just to pass the time. After you’re done doing that, look through all the MCU content that’s available to watch with a Disney+ subscription.

A lot of actors in Hollywood are kids of famous parents, some scions we know well, like Zoe Kravitz and Kate Hudson. Others, though, you might be surprised to learn grew up on the inside of show business. Here's our list of actors you might not realize are the children of stars.  

Mariska Hargitay

Mariska Hargitay has carved out an amazing career in television as the iconic Olivia Benson in 25 seasons of Law & Order: SVU. That's over 500 episodes! She is also the daughter of 1950s legend Jayne Mansfield and former Mr. Universe Mickey Hargitay. Tragically, Hargitay barely knew her mother. Mansfield was killed in a car crash when Hargitay was just three years old. Hargitay was in the car too, but survived with only minor physical injuries. 

Tom Holland

Tom Holland's fame exploded when he was cast as Spider-Man in the MCU, though he's been acting since he was a kid. It makes sense he'd find his way into show business, as his father, Dominic Holland, is a comedian and TV and radio star of some renown in the United Kingdom. 

Lenny Kravitz

Sure, everyone knows that Zoe Kravitz is Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet's daughter, but did you know Lenny Kravitz is also the child of a star? Lenny's mother is the legendary Roxie Roker, who played Helen Willis on The Jeffersons.

Benedict Cumberbatch

With the massive amount of talent Benedict Cumberbatch brings to every role he plays, it's not surprising he comes from a talented family. His father, Timothy Carlton, is a BBC legend, and his mother, Wanda Ventham is also a TV legend in the U.K. (and appeared as Sherlock's mother on Cumberbatch's Sherlock). 

Tracee Ellis Ross

Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross took a slightly longer road to fame that many other scions of stars, but Girlfriends eventually made her one. Her mother is one of the biggest stars in pop music of the 20th century, Motown legend Diana Ross, who also dabbled in acting with roles in The Wiz and Lady Sings the Blues.

Jordana Brewster

Jordana Brewster has built her own name and reputation in Hollywood, mostly through her work in the Fast franchise, but she also comes from a very accomplished family. Her mother, Maria João, is a Brazillian legend, as she was the first Brazillian model to appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, in 1978. Brewster's grandfather, Kingman Brewster, was a giant in academia, serving as the president of Yale University from 1964 until 1977.

Zooey Deschanel

Of course, Zooey Deschanel has a famous sister, Emily, and together they have a couple of pretty famous parents. Zooey's father, Caleb Deschanel is a cinematographer who has been nominated six times for an Oscar, for his work on films like The Right Stuff and The Passion Of The Christ. Zooey and Emily's mother, Mary Jo, is also an actor, known best for playing Eileen Hayward in the Twin Peaks franchise. 

Vanessa Kirby

From starring as Princess Margaret in The Crown to playing a baddie in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Vanessa Kirby has shown she can do just about anything on screen. Her father, Dr. Roger Kirby is a renowned doctor in the U.K., so while it might not be a Hollywood connection, Vanessa does come from a very prominent family. 

Alfie Allen

Game of Thrones star Alfie Allen has a pretty famous sister, singer Lily Allen, and a pretty famous father, Keith Allen. Keith is very well known in his native England, but American audiences will recognize him from his roles in Trainspotting, and Kingsman: The Golden Circle, among others. Alfie and Lily's mother, Alison Owen, is a movie producer as well, including the 2024 Amy Winehouse biopic, Back to Black.

Josh Brolin

Josh Brolin made his film debut in The Goonies when he was 18, in 1985. After a solid, but far from remarkable, run for the next 20 years, Brolin became a legit superstar in the 2010s, eclipsing the fame of his father, James Brolin, but probably not his stepmother, Barbara Streisand.

Louisa Jacobson

If you haven't watched The Gilded Age, you need to, and when you do, you'll likely love the performance from Louisa Jacobson. Of course, you wouldn't expect less from the daughter of one of the greatest actors of all time, Meryl Streep. 

Zoey Deutch

Zoey Deutch is known for movies like Everybody Wants Some!! and Something from Tiffany's, as well as TV shows like The Politician and Ringer. Her mother, Lea Thompson is known for classics like Back To The Future, and Some Kind of Wonderful, where Thompson met Zoey's father, Howard Deutch, who directed the film. 

Lewis Pullman

Lewis Pullman has received widespread acclaim for his performance in Apple TV+'s Lessons in Chemistry. As you may have guessed by his last name, his father is none other than the great Bill Pullman, who, of course, made one of the most inspiring speeches in movie history in Independence Day. 

Jamie Lee Curtis

Jamie Lee Curtis is a true legend and she also has two legendary parents, father Tony Curtis and mother Janet Leigh. Jamie Lee is also married to a famous actor, This is Spinal Tap star Christopher Guest. One more fun fact? Jamie Lee carries an English nobility title. The Right Honourable the Lady Haden-Guest, because Christopher's full title is Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest.

Ben Platt

Marc Platt has been nominated for an Oscar three times as the producer of Best Picture nominees Bridge of Spies, La La Land, and The Trial of the Chicago 7. Surely, he's most proud of being a father to Pitch Perfect star Ben Platt. 

Laura Dern

Over five decades now, Laura Dern has crushed on the big and small screen. Her father, Bruce Dern, is in his incredible seventh decade of his career and her mother, Diane Ladd, has been a star for just as long. In fact, Ladd and Laura were both nominated for Oscars for their respective performances together in Rambling Rose, one of Laura Dern's best performances. 

George Clooney

It's to imagine there was ever a time when George Clooney wasn't the most famous person in the world, much less his own family, but that was the case once. George's father, Nick Clooney, was a long-time TV news anchor all over the country, including in LA. He was also a game show host in the mid-'70s. George is also nephew to the iconic Rosemary Clooney, which also made Betty Clooney an aunt to George as well. Rosemary's son, the late actor Miguel Ferrer, was also more famous than his cousin George in the '80s, after starring in Robocop and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. 

Daniel Day-Lewis

Even the great Daniel Day-Lewis comes from a famous family. The legendary actor's father was Cecil Day-Lewis, who was the one-time poet laureate of the United Kingdom, and his mother, Jill Balcon, was a well-known stage actor in the UK. Daniel Day-Lewis' maternal grandfather, Michael Balcon, helped launch the British film industry in the 1930s and '40s, as well. Acting is in his blood, for sure. 

Rob Reiner

There's no bigger name in Hollywood than Rob Reiner. Whether as an actor, director, writer, or producer, Reiner has made his name across the board. Before all that, his father, Carl Reiner, made his name doing many of the same things. Rob's mother, Estelle Reiner, is also pretty famous, having delivered the line, "I'll have what she's having," in When Harry Met Sally. 

Zosia Mamet

From Girls to The Flight Attendant, Zosia Mamet has shown herself to be quite the ensemble player on screen. Her father, iconic playwright David Mamet, is really more famous for what he's written for the stage. David has found plenty of success writing for the screen as well, penning movies like Glengarry Glen Ross (based on his play of the same name), The Untouchables, and 2001's Hannibal.

Billie Lourd

Billie Lourd got her start working with her mother, Carrie Fisher, in the Star Wars sequels. As Fisher's daughter, she's a part of a family of Hollywood royalty, with Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher as her grandparents. It's an impressive lineage! 

Bessie Carter

Bessie Carter's star turn as Prudence Featherington in Bridgerton is right on par with not one, but both of her famous parents. Bessie's father, Jim Carter, is most famous in the U.S. for playing the stern butler, Mr. Carson, on Downton Abbey. Her mother is none other than the great Imelda Staunton, who, among many other things, has starred as Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter series and Queen Elizabeth in the final two seasons of The Crown on Netflix. It's a lot to live up to for Bessie, but she's showing she's up to it. 

Timothée Chalamet

Dune star Timothée Chalamet's father may not be as famous as some of the parents on this list, but in some circles, he's very famous. Marc Chalamet is a French reporter who worked for Le Parisien as a correspondent and for the United Nations as an editor for UNICEF. His mother, Nicole, was also in show business for a time, as a dancer on Broadway. 

Phoebe Dynevor

Bridgerton is one of the most popular streaming shows ever and among the excellent cast is Phoebe Dynevor, who plays Daphne Basset. U.S. audiences may not be familiar with her mother, Sally Dynevor, but in the U.K., she's one of the most famous people on TV, having played the role of Sally on the long-running Coronation Street soap opera. Sally has played the role since 1986! Phoebe's grandmother, Shirley Dynevor, was also an actress in the United Kingdom. 

Melanie Griffith

When you talk about the legendary Hollywood families, you have to mention Melanie Griffith. She is mother to Dakota Johnson, of course, with her ex Don Johnson. Griffith is also the daughter of a famous actress, the great Tippi Hedren, star of The Birds, among many other films. 

Jennifer Aniston

Friends star Jennifer Aniston comes from famous stock. Her father, John Aniston, played the character Victor Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives for an amazing 37 years, right up until his death in 2022. The Morning Show star's mother, Nancy Dow, was also an actress, though she never quite had the career of Aniston, but then again, few do. 

Jessica Capshaw

For over 200 episodes, Jessica Capshaw played Arizona Robbins on Grey's Anatomy. Before that, she started out in Hollywood working with her stepfather, Steven Spielberg. Her mother, Kate Capshaw, is also an excellent actress, of course. Talent runs in the family, like all the others on this list. 

Margaret Qualley

You might think "Margaret Qualley" does not have a last name I recognize. That's fair; her father, Paul Qualley, was a model for a time, but it's her mother, Andie McDowell, that lands Margaret on this list. She and her sister, Rainey, weren't raised in Hollywood, but instead in Asheville, NC. She still found her way into show business after attending NYU and studying ballet in New York. 

John David Washington

Denzel Washington's son, John David Washington, wasn't going to follow in his famous father's footsteps, trying his hand at professional football in the St. Louis Rams organization. Luckily for film fans, his football career didn't take off, but his Hollywood career has. BlacKkKlansman and Tenet definitely got John David out from under his father's substantial shadow, and that is a really impressive thing to even attempt, much less succeed in doing. 

Riley Keough

Anyone who is the granddaughter of the King of Rock and Roll deserves to be on this list. That's right, Riley Keough is Elvis Presley's granddaughter, and daughter to Lisa Marie. After Lisa Marie died in 2023, Keough also became the sole owner of the legendary Graceland, Elvis' home, in Memphis. It's an impressive legacy to uphold, but Keough is clearly up for the challenge. 

Hannah Einbinder

Hannah Einbinder is one of the brightest up-and-coming comedic stars in Hollywood, starring in Hacks as well as her very funny stand-up act. The apple doesn't fall from the tree, as her mother is SNL legend Laraine Newman, who was part of the original cast from 1975-1980. 

Nico Parker

Nico Parker's star is just starting to rise, having received acclaim for playing Sarah in HBO's The Last of Us. Her mother is the iconic Thandiwe Newton, so again, the apple doesn't fall from the tree in this family. Her father, Ol Parker, wrote and directed Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.

As this list shows, it's not really fair to use the term "nepo baby" all the time, as all of these stars have forged their own path and careers. Sure, it helps to have the connections, and the DNA, of some talented parents, but that's far from all it takes, as these stars have shown.

Have you ever caught a rerun of an older TV show and during the opening credits sequence, you spotted someone who made you say, “Hey, I know that person!”? This is actually a more common occurrence than you may realize, as there many A-list celebrities whose first IMDb credit (or one of the first) was a supporting role on a series long before they earned the honor of being a leading presence on the big (or small) screen. The following are some of our favorite examples of famous actors who appeared a bit further down the the line on the call sheet on a TV show when they were starting out.

Chris Pratt (Everwood)

Before Guardians of the Galaxy made him a leading man, Chris Pratt really began to gain traction from starring in the Parks and Recreation cast as Andy Dwyer. However, even earlier than that, he starred on a WB family drama called Everwood as high school joke Bright Abbott alongside fellow future MCU star Emily VanCamp, who played his sister, Amy.

Jennifer Lawrence (The Bill Engvall Show)

Before her Academy Award-nominated performance in 2010’s Winter’s Bone, her star-making role as Katniss in The Hunger Games and Oscar-winning turn in Silver Lining’s Playbook, Jennifer Lawrence was a sitcom star — specifically a cable network sitcom star. On The Bill Engvall Show, which lasted three seasons on TBS, she starred opposite the eponymous stand-up comedian as his on-screen alter ego’s teenage daughter, Lauren Pearson,

Austin Butler (Zoey 101)

The musical talents that earned Austin Butler the title role of Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis can be traced back to his part on Ruby & the Rockits, which lasted 10 episodes on ABC Family (now Freeform) in 2009. However, the Oscar nominee’s first major TV role was on the final season of Nickelodeon’s Zoey 101 as James Garrett — a character missing from Paramount+’s feature-length follow-up, Zoey 102.

Margot Robbie (Pan Am)

While her earliest role was actually the long-running soap opera, Neighbours — much like many other Aussie A-listers — we thought we would highlight American audiences’ first true introduction to Margot Robbie on Pan Am. An interesting fact about Robbie is that the future Oscar nominee and DC movies star was actually roommates with co-star Christina Ricci while playing 1960s-era flight attendant Laura Cameron on the short-lived ABC drama from 2011 to 2012.

Seth Rogen (Freaks And Geeks)

While still part of the main ensemble, Seth Rogen’s role as the initially arrogant Ken Miller pretty much got the short end of the stick amongst the Freaks and Geeks cast, for the most part. Ironically, Rogen, arguably, went on to become the painfully short-lived coming-of-age dramedy’s biggest star, which is really saying something, given his co-stars include Jason Segel, Linda Cardellini, and John Francis Daley.

Brie Larson (Raising Dad)

A notable moment in Academy Award winner Brie Larson’s evolution from child star to modern A-list actor was her role as the late Bob Saget’s youngest on-screen daughter on Raising Dad — a sitcom that ran for one season on The WB (now The CW) in the early 2000s. Following her success as the MCU’s Captain Marvel, Larson returned to TV in 2023 — reprising her Scott Pilgrim vs. the World role for Netflix’s animated series reboot, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and leading the Lessons in Chemistry cast for Apple TV+.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Growing Pains)

While doing press for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt recalled how they both appeared on the hit ABC sitcom Growing Pains much earlier in their career. Of course, Pitt had a one-episode guest appearance while the Oscar-winning The Revenant star and Titanic cast member had a prominent role as Luke Brewer — a homeless teen taken in by the Seavers in Season 7. 

Ana De Armas (The Boarding School)

One of the films that earned Academy Award nominee Ana de Armas a spot on the A-list was Rian Johnson’s hit whodunit, Knives Out, from 2019. More than a decade earlier, the Cuban-born actor landed a role on a coming-of-age mystery TV show called El Internado (or The Boarding School), which originally aired in Spain from 2007 to 2010.

Michael B. Jordan (The Wire)

After getting his start as a Toys ‘R Us kid, the fascinating Michael B. Jordan made his official acting debut on an episode of The Sopranos, but later landed a more prominent role on another acclaimed, gritty HBO series in 2002. He appeared amongst The Wire cast as Wallace — an orphan whose tragic story had a profound impact on the Emmy-nominated series beyond his 13-episode stint.

Anne Hathaway (Get Real)

Anne Hathaway fans should know that before she broke into the mainstream by leading Disney’s The Princess Diaries cast, the Academy Award winner made her acting debut on a 1999 Fox TV show called Get Real as a high school senior who shocks her family with the decision to refuse college. Coincidentally, the short-lived dramedy was also the debut of Hathaway’s Rio co-star, Jesse Eisenberg, and was an early gig for NCIS' Eric Christian Olsen as well.

Denzel Washington (St. Elsewhere)

With two Oscars to his name, it’s hard to imagine a TV screen big enough to contain the talent of one Denzel Washington, yet it was a TV show that helped launched the young actor’s career in the early 1980s. Following his official debut in the 1977 TV movie Wilma, the future Training Day lead played Dr. Philip Chandler on NBC’s hit medical drama, St. Elsewhere.

Michelle Williams (Dawson's Creek)

For years, Michelle Williams was known best from the Dawson’s Creek cast as Jen Lindley. Now — after receiving multiple Academy Award nominations for acclaimed dramas like Manchester by the Sea and Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans — that role on the hit teen drama is, typically, among the last things mentioned in regards to her career.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3rd Rock From The Sun)

As a child actor, Joseph Gordon-Levitt starred in some good movies and made a few notable TV guest appearances before landing his first successful series regular gig with 3rd Rock from the Sun. He played the eldest member of a group of extra-terrestrial visitors, and the character resembles a teenager in human form on the Emmy-winning sci-fi sitcom.

George Clooney (The Facts Of Life)

As a TV star, George Clooney is best known from his main role on the popular ‘90s show, ER, on which he played Doug Ross. Much earlier, however, the future two-time Oscar winner had a memorable recurring role on Diff’rent Strokes' (very different) spin-off, The Facts of Life, as George Burnett — a carpenter who would become close to the girls living under Mrs. Garrett’s roof.

Woody Harrelson (Cheers)

With multiple Academy Award nominations to his name, Woody Harrelson is known today as one of Hollywood’s most versatile movie stars, but his first big break came when he joined the Cheers cast in the mid-1980s. In fact, he won his first Emmy Award for playing the naive, but lovable, Woody Byrd, whom Sam (Ted Danson) hires on as a new barkeep following he death of Coach (Nicholas Colasanto).

Jason Bateman (Little House On The Prairie)

At least before he led Netflix’s Ozark cast, Jason Bateman has always best known on the small screen as a sitcom star, with his roles as David Hogan on Valerie (later changed to The Hogan Family) and Michael Bluth on Arrested Development being the famous examples. However, his very first gig was playing James Cooper Ingalls for 21 episodes of Little House on the Prairie during the early 1980s.

Don Cheadle (The Golden Palace)

An early Don Cheadle role you may have forgotten about was featured on a TV show spin-off you may not have heard of, either. The future Academy Award nominee and MCU actor starred alongside most of the Golden Girls cast on The Golden Palace as Roland Wilson — the young manager of the titular hotel where the short-lived sitcom took place. 

Jason Momoa (Baywatch)

Even long before he landed the role of Aquaman in the DC movies, Jason Momoa was no stranger to saving lives in the water. The Hawaiian-born actor made his debut in his home state when he joined the Baywatch cast as a character also named Jason from 1999 to 2001.

Marisa Tomei (A Different World)

We know her from her Academy Award-winning role in My Cousin Vinny as Mona Lisa Vito (who she'd love to revisit) or as Peter Parker’s (reinvented) Aunt May in the MCU, to name a few examples. Yet before many people knew who Marisa Tomei was, she was on the first season of The Cosby Show spin-off, A Different World, as Hillman student Maggie Lauten.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (The Get Down)

One interesting fact about Yahya Abdul-Mateen II: before he was an Emmy-winning DC TV show star (for playing Cal Abar on HBO’s Watchmen) and a scene-stealing DC movie villain (Black Manta in Aquaman), he worked as a San Francisco city planner until he was laid off in 2010. The role that first helped him make a name for himself as an actor was night club owner Clarene “Cadillac” Caldwell in Netflix’s musical period drama series, The Get Down, from co-creator Baz Luhrmann.

Alexandra Daddario (All My Children)

Speaking to Women’s Health in 2022, Alexandra Daddario recalls that she was fired from the long-running daytime soap opera, All My Children, which she actually found to be a liberating, educational experience. It led to seek improvement in her acting skills and pave the way for her to breakthrough in the Percy Jackson movies, give an Emmy-nominated performance as part of the HBO’s The White Lotus cast, and star in many other notable works.

Adam Driver (Girls)

Without Lena Dunham, there might not be a Kylo Ren — or at least, the memorable version of the Sith Lord we got in the hands Adam Driver. The former Marine’s scene-stealing role on HBO’s Girls as Adam Sackler is what got Hollywood to take notice of his talent, leading to his casting in the Star Wars movies and his Oscar-nominated performances in BlacKkKlansman and Marriage Story.

Melissa McCarthy (Gilmore Girls)

Gilmore Girls proved to be a launch pad for many A-listers — few of which would blow up quite like Melissa McCarthy, who played Sookie St. James on the hit dramedy.  She later won an Emmy for her leading role on the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly and received an Academy Award nomination for her supporting role as a member of the Bridesmaids cast. And that film skyrocketed her to the A-list as a trusted name in comedy and more.

Drake (Degrassi: The Next Generation)

One of the most memorable and important characters from Degrassi: The Next Generation is Jimmy Brooks, who served as an inspirational representation for wheelchair users on the long-running Canadian coming-of-age drama. The role was played by an actor named Aubrey Graham, who still acts on occasion — an Anchorman 2 cameo, for instance — but primarily performs as a rapper under the moniker Drake.

Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men)

At just eight years old, Kiernan Shipka proved to be a stand-out alongside AMC’s Mad Men cast with her performance as Sally Draper. She later went on to lead her own TV show (Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and headline movies like Amazon Prime’s horror-comedy, Totally Killer and The Silence.

Ryan Reynolds (Fifteen)

Despite his many earnest roles over the years, it may be hard to picture Ryan Reynolds as anything other than the smarmy goof he plays in the likes of the Deadpool movies and National Lampoon’s Van Wilder, for instance. Perhaps watching him make his debut in the Canadian coming-of-age drama Fifteen will help audiences see another side of him.

Tommy Lee Jones (One Life To Live)

It is amazing to think about how many acclaimed and even legendary actors started out on soap operas, such as Tommy Lee Jones. One of the earliest roles for the Academy Award-winning star of The Fugitive and the Men in Black movies was the ill-fated Mark Toland on One Life to Live from 1971 to 1975.

John Travolta (Welcome Back, Kotter)

Before his Academy Award-nominated role in 1977’s Saturday Night Fever — and its fantastic movie soundtrack — made him one of the biggest stars of all time, John Travolta was better known by another name: Vinnie Barbarino. That was the future Pulp Fiction cast member’s character on Welcome Back, Kotter — a hit sitcom that never made it to 100 episodes. He practically stole the show from star and co-creator Gabe Kaplan with his famous catchphrase, “Up your nose with a rubber hose!”

Jennifer Love Hewitt (Kids Incorporated)

Her role as Sarah Reeves on the original Party of Five may have made Jennifer Love Hewitt a teen idol, but it was not her first major TV gig. The Ghost Whisperer star was 10 when she demonstrated her multiple talents on Disney Channel’s Kids Incorporated, which focuses on the lives of a group of young artists who perform live music at a club for children.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Fortysomething)

It was his eponymous role on the modern crime drama Sherlock that made Benedict Cumberbatch a nigh-unpronounceable household name, but his first starring role on a TV series was Fortysomething. The MCU’s Doctor Strange actor played the on-screen son of none other than House’s Hugh Laurie on the English dramedy that lasted six episodes.

Jared Leto (My So-Called Life)

In one of the best ‘90s shows that ended too soon, My So-Called Life, Jared Leto portrayed what would become his first iconic role: high school heartthrob Jordan Catalano. The much celebrated coming-of-age drama also marked one for the first times the future Academy Award winner acted alongside his sibling and Thirty Seconds to Mars bandmate, Shannon.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Passions)

Movie star Mary Elizabeth Winstead has more than a few very notable small-screen roles — such as a leading stint in Fargo Season 3 and Hera Syndulla alongside the Ahsoka cast for Disney+. The Scott Pilgrim vs. The World cast member’s earliest major TV gig, however, was on the supernatural soap opera Passions.

For any TV actors out there hoping one day to make it onto the big screen, let these stories serve as proof that your dreams may not be far away from becoming a reality.

There was a time when Sherlock was on top of the world. Regarding the most interesting Sherlock TV shows or movies, the U.K. series, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, was one of the best and continues to be a favorite for many.

However, it's been a decent amount of time since the last season of Sherlock was released. Season 4, which came out in 2017, has long been seen as the show's conclusion. Sherlock was never technically cancelled, but Season 5 has not been confirmed, and there are reasons for that. Here’s what’s been said.

What The Creators Have Said

There’s actually plenty that the creators themselves have said about returning to Sherlock, things that point towards something happening in the future:

Steven Moffat Would “Write Tomorrow” If The Main Stars Returned

The first thing we have to talk about is that Steven Moffat, the co-creator of Sherlock, has openly said that he would start "writing today" if both Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman wanted to return to their roles in the show. PLAY SOUND

In an interview that Moffat did with BBC Today (via The Independent) in January 2023, he said that he would begin working on Season 5 if the two main actors were able to return to the roles despite their hectic schedules:

Moffat Has Planned A Season 5 – Years Ago

In 2014, Steven Moffat said that Season 5 was planned out simultaneously with Season 4. At a BAFTA screening for the Season 3 finale, "His Last Vow" (via The Independent), he revealed that both he and Mark Gatiss, the other creator, had worked on both series (seasons) 4 and 5 for the show:

It’s been about ten years since this interview, and no fifth season has been announced, but it’s always nice to know that they do have a Season 5 planned out regardless. Maybe one day we’ll get to see it.

What The Stars Have Said

It’s all fine and dandy to hear the creators speak about Season 5, but what have the main stars of Sherlock said about returning to the franchise?

Benedict Cumberbatch Has Said “Never Say Never”

Benedict Cumberbatch, who won a Primetime Emmy for playing Sherlock Holmes, said in an interview with Esquire in November 2021 that he says "never say never" to returning to Sherlock for a fifth season. The circumstances "need to be right" for him to come back:

Benedict Cumberbatch has been extremely busy since Sherlock ended its fourth season in 2017. Not only has he taken on the role of Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (playing the sorcerer in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), but Cumberbatch has done so many other great movies since. Besides that, he also starred in his own miniseries, Eric, on Netflix, which was one of the best shows to binge on Netflix. He’s also appeared in movies like The End We Start From, The Book of Clarence, and more, and is set to appear in a new film called The Roses.

In an interview to Variety in January 2025, Cumberbatch commented that he would only do a Season 5 of the show if it’s better than any other season they have ever done:

With that in mind, it might be some time before we see more Sherlock from him.

Martin Freeman Could Return If There’s A “Good Script”

You can't have Sherlock without Watson. In any iteration of the famous franchise, Watson is always there to help the man, and Martin Freeman was the perfect casting to go with Benedict Cumberbatch. The good thing is that Freeman says he would return to – provided there was a "good script."

In an interview that Freeman did on The Jonathan Ross Show in November 2022, he revealed that the "door is never shut" on Season 5 of Sherlock, and that he would come back if there were a good story for them to tell:

Martin Freeman has also been recently successful over the last few years. He too joined the MCU to play Everett Ross, and he's appeared in many other movies and shows, including A Christmas Carol, The Operative, Ode to Joy, and the TV shows Angelyne and Breeders, so he's been quite busy. He even co-starred in Miller's Girl with Jenna Ortega in 2024, and he also had a role in the Marvel TV show, Secret Invasion, a role he reprised from the MCU.

Could There Be A Movie?

The last thing we should mention is that Sherlock Season 5 could become a movie if given the opportunity. t.

In an interview that Mark Gatiss did with The Guardian in July 2023, he was asked why he likes to turn big IPs like Sherlock and Dracula into miniseries rather than films. Gatiss said that he was genuinely interested in making them for TV and that it's hard to get people interested in cinema. Adding that on, he also said he would "love" to make a Sherlock movie:

While this doesn't confirm that he would do that, it's also a great thing to bring up, considering I have seen plenty of miniseries and shows go that route. And realistically, that might better fit into Cumberbatch and Freeman's busy schedules compared to a multi-episode series, where every episode is decently long. Who knows?

In fact, a producer behind Sherlock, Sue Vertue, spoke to Deadline in October 2024 at the Amazon Prime Video Trailblazers event in London about the possibility of continuing the story, saying that there is “a future” for those characters:

With this said, I’m starting to think a movie might be exactly what we need.

Either way, Sherlock Season 5 still isn't confirmed, and we'll likely have to wait for news for a while, if ever. But until then, I'll rewatch the show and be sad that I'm still waiting – or maybe check out the Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock movies again.

Over the decades, Hollywood has offered up multiple adaptations of Roald Dahl’s work — such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and more — that effectively and authentically capture the iconic stories’ signature whimsical tones and surreal styles. Yet, I do not believe there has ever been a filmmaker better suited to bring the seminal British author’s vision to life on screen than the equally whimsical and surreal Wes Anderson, who first tried his hand at a Dahl adaptation in 2009 with the stop-motion animated Fantastic Mr. Fox, and is now revisiting the author’s world with The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.

The primary storyline of this 2023 Netflix original movie follows a wealthy aristocrat — played by Benedict Cumberbatch — who learns of a man who can see without the use of his eyes that seeks to harness this skill for himself to benefit his gambling habit. It is hard to believe that this new 37-minute dramedy marks the two-time Academy Award nominee’s first collaboration with Anderson, and as it turns out, he is not the only member of the Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar cast joining that club here. Let’s talk about who plays who and what other movies and TV shows you may recognize them from in the following breakdown of this esteemed ensemble.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Henry Sugar, Max Engelman)

Starring in the title role of The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar — as well as that of another character named Max Engelman — is Benedict Cumberbatch, whose second Academy Award-nominated performance (after playing Alan Turing in 2015’s The Imitation Game) came from his last Netflix original film, The Power of the Dog. This is technically not his first Dahl adaptation, having participated in a remote reading of James and the Giant Peach by multiple celebrity as a Covid-era charity benefit, and most definitely not his first literary adaptation, with title roles in the hit series Sherlock, 2018’s The Grinch, and the Marvel’s Doctor Strange movies being his most celebrated credits.

Before becoming a household name, he also played Stephen Hawking in 2004 biopic for BBC (before serving as his vote for 2010’s two-part documentary, Into the Universe) and worked with director Steven Spielberg on War Horse, and following his fame, voiced Smaug in the Hobbit movies, played the Star Trek movies’ new Khan, are appeared in Best Picture Oscar winner 12 Years a Slave. Some of Cumberbatch’s more recent, notable credits include his Emmy-nominated turn as the title role of Showtime’s Patrick Melrose, a memorable cameo in  1917, and 2021’s Amazon Prime original biopic, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain.

Ralph Fiennes (Roald Dahl, Policeman)

For his second collaboration with Anderson after 2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, Ralph Fiennes is taking on the illustrious role of Roald Dahl himself — which is not his first time playing a renowned author, having played Charles Dickens in 2013’s The Invisible Woman. It is also not the first time he has played a real person in general, having given a chilling, Oscar-nominated performance as Amon Göth in 1993’s Schindler’s List, played fraudulent game show winner Charles Van Doren in Quiz Show the following year, and starred in another Netflix original, 2020’s The Dig, as archaeologist Basil Brown, to name a few examples. 

Like Cumberbatch, many of the English actor’s best known roles are also literary figures, such as his second Oscar-nominated role in The English Patient, Voldemort from the Harry Potter movies, the most recent “M” from the James Bond movies, or Alfred Pennyworth in The LEGO Batman Movie. Some the iconic characters he has originated including Harry from In Bruges and The Menu cast’s sinister Chef Slowik. 

Dev Patel (Dr. Chatterjee, John Winston)

As Dr. Chatterjee and John Winston, we have Dev Patel, who, curiously has a few things in common with Ralph Fiennes. Dev has also given an Oscar-nominated performance in a Best Pictures Oscar winner (2008’s Slumdog Millionaire), starred in a few movies revolving around hotel setting (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, its sequel, and Hotel Mumbai), and has multiple leading roles in previous literary adaptations — most notably The Personal History of David Copperfield in the title role and the acclaimed A24 movie, The Green Knight, as Sir Gaiman.

Of course, the London-born actor — who made his big break in the original Skins cast — actor also has a few biopics under his belt, namely 2015’s The Man Who Knew Infinity and Lion from the following year. Patel is also know for playing Zuko in M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender, creator Aaron Sorkin’s The Newsroom cast on HBO, and is about to make his feature-length directorial debut with another Netflix movie called Monkey Man, which he also wrote, produced and stars in.

Ben Kingsley (Imdad Khan, Croupier)

Playing the guru whose unique skill Henry Sugar covets and a gaming table runner is Sir Ben Kingsley, who is also working with Anderson for the first time here. Though he was in Schindler’s List with Fiennes and, like Cumberbatch, is also part of the MCU thanks to his controversial role as Trevor Slattery in Iron Man 3 and Shang-Chi. Like most of his The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar co-star, the English actor has starred in many a biopic — most famously 1982’s Gandhi, for which he won a Best Actor Oscar — and many other literary adaptations, such as 2005’s Oliver Twist, Disney’s 2016 The Jungle Book remake, and the hit Martin Scorsese movies, Shutter Island and Hugo.

Crime thrillers are another area where Kingsley has thrived, having stunned in 2000’s Sexy Beast and Lucky Number Slevin from 2006, but you can find him in just about any genre you can think of. He’s done horror with Species, sci-fi with A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, and even low-brow comedy with Mike Myers’ The Guru, to name just a few examples of each category, among others. This is also just his latest Netflix exclusive, following 2017’s political satire War Machine, the platform’s 2018 Watership Down miniseries adaptation, and 2019’s The Red Sea Diving Resort.

Richard Ayoade (Dr. Marshall, Yogi)

Appearing in the roles of Dr. Marshall and Yogi is Richard Ayoade, who last worked with Fiennes in The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, Kingsley in The Boxtrolls, and Cumberbatch in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain. He is best known in the United Kingdom as a presenter for unscripted series like Travel Man (which earned him a BAFTA nomination), hilarious TV comedies like The IT Crowd (which earned him a BAFTA win), and directing many amusing projects, including his 2010 feature-length debut, Submarine (for which he also received BAFTA attention).

American audiences might also recognize Ayoade’s face from the 2012 sci-fi comedy, The Watch, or from the beloved family movie, Paddington 2, as a forensic investigator. However, they may better recognize his voice from the Soul cast, from his  Mandalorian  droid named Zero, as Professor Marmalade from 2022’s The Bad Guys cast, and as the lead in creator Dan Harmon’s Krapopolis, most recently.

Log into your Netflix subscription now to stream The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar on Netflix now. Also, keep in mind, that — according to Tudum — this is just the first of several Roald Dahl-inspired shorts from Anderson and featuring many of these actors that fans can look forward to.

It’s been more than two and a half years since Disney+'s first Marvel Cinematic Universe TV series debuted in the form of WandaVision. Since then we’ve seen eight more shows join the ranks, with each one continuing the MCU’s storytelling in new and interesting ways. 

With Loki on the verge of returning, and the first of the live-action MCU series to get a second season, we thought it would be nice to take a look back at the shows that started it all in a new regular series leading to the debut of Loki Season 2. So let's start with the first series, which might still be the MCU’s most creative and unique project. Here’s a look at WandaVision and a few of the things about the show’s production that you might not be aware of. 

Dick Van Dyke Was Consulted To Help Make The First Episode Authentic 

WandaVision’s main conceit sees the two title characters living their lives through a series of iconic sitcom tropes, with each episode being set in a different era. In addition to making each episode look like the proper sitcom style, the filmmakers wanted each episode to be created as faithfully to that style as possible. So for example, practical wire effects were used to recreate Wanda’s magic in the early episodes rather than digital effects.

Director Matt Shakman and Keven Feige even went so far as to enlist the great Dick Van Dyke so they could pick his brain and learn as much as they could about how The Dick Van Dyke Show had been brought to life. The three had lunch at Disneyland’s iconic Club 33.

Paul Bettany Was Colored Blue To Make Vision Work In Black And White 

Costumes in the MCU are often interesting because so many of them are created with CGI more than they are actual outfits. Traditionally Vision is one of those characters, with his on-set look being designed for motion capture rather than being an actual wardrobe. However, Bettany usually looks like his head has been painted red when he’s playing Vision, but for WandaVision, he was blue.

Shots from the WandaVision set from the first two episodes of the show, when Vision is looking like his android self rather than just looking human, reveal that his face was colored blue. This was apparently done because for the episodes that were shot in black and white, the red didn’t end up looking right, but the blue translated to black and white much better. 

 Kat Dennings’ Darcy Almost Had A Very Different Role 

WandaVision saw the return of not only the title characters to the MCU, but also a couple of fan-favorite supporting players, namely Randall Park’s Agent Woo and Kat Dennings' Darcy. In the series, Darcy gets drafted into service to investigate “the hex” because she now has a Ph. D in astrophysics since last we saw her, but originally her connection to the story was a bit more mundane.

Showrunner Jac Shaeffer revealed that in early drafts of the first episode, Darcy is retrieving an old TV set that she had pawned after her grandma had been snapped out of existence, but was now back and apparently wondering where all her stuff was. It’s when Darcy plugs in the old TV that she discovers the broadcast from the Hex.  

Teyonah Parris Didn’t Know What She Was Auditioning For 

Secrecy is a well-known staple of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Steps are always taken to help ensure that details about upcoming movies are not revealed too early. In the case of WandaVision this meant that when Teyonah Parris auditioned for the role of Monica Rambeau, she actually had no idea what she was auditioning for.

Paris explained in the Assembled making-of special on Disney+ that she knew she was auditioning for something Marvel-related, but beyond that, it was all a mystery. She was sent asides from the '70s-era episode of WandaVision, which obviously didn’t look too much like anything she would have expected to see from the MCU. She was told that it was okay to overact, and she did what she called “some very great overacting.” Marvel clearly loved it, so they offered her the part. Of course, then she had to ask what the part actually was. 

Paul Bettany Took One Of WandaVision’s Props Home 

It’s not uncommon for actors to be given, or simply to take certain props from the set home with them. Paul Bettany did just that with WandaVision. However, rather than taking home a particular costume, he instead walked off with a bust of Vision, which he apparently uses to freak out his guests. 

The Vision bust was created so the crew could light the set properly whenever he wasn’t actually available. Bettany decided to take it home with him, and it now resides in his country house, sitting on the toilet for guests to discover when they come to visit. 

Doctor Strange Was Going To Cameo To Set Up Multiverse Of Madness 

WandaVision became an important piece in the Marvel Cinematic Universe not only as the first Disney+ Marvel series, but because the story of Wanda Maximoff in the show connects directly to what happens to her next in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. There were initially plans to have Benedict Cumberbatch cameo in the series, but it ended up not happening. 

Kevin Feige explained that it was felt that having Doctor Strange show up would have taken away from Wanda’s story, and it sounds like they never found a way to integrate him into the show that wasn’t going to feel tacked on, so the idea was scrapped.  

Emma Caulfield Was Cast In Part Due To Her Buffy Connection, But Only As A Misdirection

The mystery of just what is going on inside WandaVision’s TV-inspired world goes on for most of the series, which leads fans to speculate about just what was happening and who was responsible for it. One early candidate for the guilty party was the character of Dottie, played by Emma Caulfield. Genre TV fans certainly knew her from her regular role as Anya the demon on TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and it turns out this was all very much intentional.

Dottie ended up just being another citizen of the town who had their mind controlled by Wanda, but Emma Caulfield says her previous time as a magic-using monster on Buffy was supposed to get viewers thinking that she could turn out to be something more, which would therefore keep the audience further away from figuring out the truth. 

Based on WandaVision’s unique structure and where the MCU has taken the two title characters since then, it seems unlikely that WandaVision Season 2 is something that will ever happen the way it has for Loki. Still, it’s an amazing show which is absolutely worth watching if that’s something you still haven't done yet.

Some of the biggest stars in Hollywood are also some of the most often snubbed by the Oscars when it comes to Best Actor and Actress Academy Awards. Legends like Harrison Ford, Jamie Lee Curtis, and many others have somehow had some of the most successful careers in film, but have only been nominated for one Academy Award in the acting categories. 

Harrison Ford - Nominated For Best Actor (Witness)

Harrison Ford is a national treasure, most everyone will agree. Everyone, it seems, except The Academy, as he has only ever nominated once, for 1985’s Witness. This actor has been in two of the biggest franchises in history, plus the two Jack Ryan movies and so much more. He should’ve been nominated for The Fugitive at least. 

Eddie Murphy - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (Dreamgirls)

Another icon of the late 20th Century and early 21st Century is Eddie Murphy, who has only been nominated once, for Dreamgirls in 2007. This is probably more testament to the Academy's apparent lack of appreciation for some of his best comedic performances because I dare you to find better ones in history than Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop or Coming To America. 

Gwyneth Paltrow - Nominated For Best Actress (Shakespeare In Love)

Gwyneth Paltrow will likely be a polarizing name on this list because the actor herself tends to be, but she’s had a number of wonderful performances over the years. Roles in The Talented Mr. Ripley, Emma, and The Royal Tenenbaums are all worthy of more consideration than she’s received over the years. She's earned just one nomination for Shakespeare in Love, for which she also won. 

Taraji P. Henson - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button)

Taraji P. Henson has been nominated for more than thirty acting awards across her sterling career. Somehow, only one of those was for an Academy Award. Her lone Oscar nomination was for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in 2008, and it’s frankly astounding that’s the only one. At a minimum, she should have been nominated for Hidden Figures alongside her cast-mate Octavia Spencer. Hopefully, this changes with her role in the upcoming remake of The Color Purple. 

Hugh Jackman - Nominated For Best Actor (Les Misérables)

Hugh Jackman is one award away from achieving EGOT status. The “O” is missing and shockingly he’s only been nominated once for an Oscar, for his performance in Les Misérables. The multi-talented Jackman has won so many awards, but is shut out yearly at the Academy Awards. The Oscars may not show much respect to comic book films, but everyone else does, and saying he should have been nominated for Logan isn’t a stretch, nor is saying it about his performance in The Greatest Showman.

Jamie Lee Curtis - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

Jamie Lee Curtis is one of the most versatile actors of her generation. Horror, comedy, drama, she does it all. And yet, she has little to show for it in terms of Oscar nominations. She finally was nominated (and won) for Everything Everywhere All At Once but where were the nominations for My Girl and A Fish Called Wanda?

Salma Hayek - Nominated For Best Actress (Frida)

It’s been more than two decades since Salma Hayek was first nominated for an Oscar, for 2001’s Frida and she’s not been nominated since. Hayek is an icon and one of the most beloved actors today, yet never seems to get the attention of the Academy. This is likely in part due to the discounting of action films, which have become Hayek’s bread and butter, but that doesn’t mean her performances in movies like Traffic and Beatriz at Dinner weren't worthy of attention.

Matthew McConaughey - Nominated For Best Actor (Dallas Buyers Club)

When Matthew McConaughey won the Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club after being nominated for the first and only time, he led his speech with his trademark “Alright, alright, alright” and while his role in Dazed and Confused is a classic, he certainly deserved nominations for other roles, like how about a nod for his supporting role in The Wolf Of Wall Street or his performance in the vastly underrated Mud?

Samuel L. Jackson - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (Pulp Fiction)

If there is anyone on the list that should be a perennial nominee, it’s Samuel L. Jackson. His lone nomination came from his unforgettable and meme-able turn in Pulp Fiction, but he’s an actor who steals every scene he's in, in a good way. Just his roles in Quentin Tarantino films alone, like Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, are worthy of nominations, but it hasn’t happened, sadly. Thankfully for all of us, Jackson was given an honorary Oscar in 2021 for his contributions to film, which is some consolation. 

Uma Thurman - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (Pulp Fiction)

Speaking of Pulp Fiction, the Tarantino classic also led to Uma Thurman’s one and only Academy Award nomination. Despite being one of the biggest stars on the planet, Thurman seems to have no luck getting the attention of the Academy. One role that really stands out is in the under-appreciated Prime. 

Benedict Cumberbatch - Nominated For Best Actor (The Imitation Game)

One has to believe that more nominations will be coming for Benedict Cumberbatch. Thus far, his only acknowledgment from the Oscars was for his wonderful performance as Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. There are plenty of other roles he could have been nominated for, especially as William Bulger in Black Mass and Julian Assange in The Fifth Estate and that’s just the roles in which he’s played real people! 

Mark Wahlberg - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (The Departed)

In 1990, no one would have expected “Marky” Mark Wahlberg to appear on any kind of list like that, but almost 35 years later, it’s astounding his only Oscar nomination has been for The Departed (one of our picks for the 100 best movies of the 2000s). You have to question why he was ignored for Boogie Nights, for sure. The Fighter is another clear snub, though he was technically nominated for Best Picture as a producer of the film. 

Halle Berry - Nominated For Beat Actress (Monster's Ball)

When Halle Berry earned her one Oscar nomination for 2001’s Monster’s Ball, she was the odds-on favorite to win. She had become one of the biggest stars of the 1990s and now was her time to shine. She won, of course, but sadly, it would be the last time Berry would be nominated, so far, at least. It’s a shame because there are plenty of roles she’d be deserving of a nomination, like Frankie & Alice, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe.

Laurence Fishburne - Nominated For Best Actor (What's Love Got To Do With It)

This could be the most shocking on the list. At first thought, you might guess Laurence Fishburne was nominated for his amazing work as Furious Styles in Boyz n the Hood or Professor Phipps in John Singleton’s other masterpiece, Higher Learning. Alas, the Matrix star has only one nomination, for playing Ike Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It, and he didn’t win. 

Josh Brolin  - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (Milk)

Josh Brolin has been a favorite since he was a teenager in The Goonies. He’s also starred in some powerhouse movies, like Sicario and, most of all, No Country For Old Men. No Country won a slew of Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor for Javier Barden, and yet Brolin wasn’t even nominated. It frankly doesn’t make sense. Brolin’s lone nomination came from his wonderful performance in Milk, but that was the year that the late Heath Ledger won for The Dark Knight.

Sharon Stone - Nominated For Best Actress (Casino)

You could argue that while Sharon Stone was brilliant in Casino, it wasn’t even her best performance, though it’s the only time she’s been nominated. She wasn’t nominated for Basic Instinct, despite winning the Golden Globe for the role, nor for the underrated The Muse in 2000. At least we have Casino. 

Tilda Swinton - Nominated For For Best Supporting Actress (Michael Clayton)

2007's Michael Clayton was awash in acting nominations, including George Clooney for Best Actor and Tom Wilkinson for Best Supporting Actor. The only winner of the night, though, was Tilda Swinton for Best Supporting Actress. Over her incredible career, Swinton has been honored for other roles, like her parts in The Deep End, We Need to Talk About Kevin, and even Snowpiercer, but this remains her only Oscar nod. 

Liam Neeson - Nominated For Best Actor (Schindler’s List)

Long before Liam Neeson re-invented himself as an action star in summer blockbusters, he was a character actor carving out a nice career in film. Then came the epic Schindler's List. He was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor in a movie, though he lost out to Tom Hanks for Philadelphia. In the 30 years since, Neeson has not been nominated, not even for fantastic turns in The Gangs of New York, Michael Collins, or Rob Roy. For shame.  

Lupita Nyong'o - Nominated For Best Actress (12 Years A Slave)

Lupita Nyong'o burst onto the Hollywood scene with her heartbreakingly beautiful performance in 12 Years A Slave. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress and has since been racking up the accolades everywhere... except the Oscars. Despite well-received turns in Us and Queen of Katwe, not to mention her roles in the Black Panther films, she hasn't again been nominated. 

Sean Connery - Nominated For Best Supporting Actors (The Untouchables)

Sean Connery was one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and yet he was virtually ignored by the Academy for his whole career. Setting aside his brilliance as James Bond, Connery should’ve earned nods for The Hunt For Red October, and The Name Of The Rose, at least. Instead, his only nomination came for The Untouchables, which, thankfully, he won. 

Alec Baldwin - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (The Cooler)

Another fantastic performance in The Hunt for Red October that didn’t get recognition is Alec Baldwin’s as Jack Ryan. Baldwin could’ve been nominated for either of his two on-screen performances in 1992, Glengarry Glen Ross, and Prelude To A Kiss, but again he was snubbed. His only nomination came for his role in The Cooler.

Diane Lane - Nominated For Best Actress (Unfaithful)

Diane Lane found her footing in film in the late 1990s with outstanding performances in movies like A Walk on the Moon and The Perfect Storm, either of which could've been award-winning. Instead, it wasn't until 2002's Unfaithful that she got the recognition she deserved when she was nominated for Best Actress. 

Bill Murray - Nominated For Best Actor (Lost in Translation)

The Academy has missed out on great performances by one of the best comedic actors the world has ever seen in Bill Murray. Stripes, Ghostbusters, What About Bob?, and Groundhog's Day are some of the most beloved comedies of all time, and Murray was never recognized. Nor was he for his brilliant turns in Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums. Murray's sole nomination came, deservingly, for 2003's Lost In Translation. 

Jennifer Connelly - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (A Beautiful Mind)

Jennifer Connelly has been wowing audiences for decades, including in 2022's massive hit Top Gun: Maverick. It appears though, that she has not been wowing the Academy, as she's only ever been nominated for one Oscar, which she won, for her role in 2001's A Beautiful Mind. Other roles have earned her other awards, like her parts in Requiem For A Dream and The House of Sand and Fog, but to date, nothing from the Academy Awards. 

Kathleen Turner - Nominated For Best Actress (Peggy Sue Got Married)

Despite massive hits like Body Heat, Serial Mom, and of course, Romancing The Stone, Kathleen Turner has only earned one Oscar nomination, for the vastly underrated Francis Ford Coppola film from 1986, Peggy Sue Got Married. Surely this icon of the screen deserves more. 

Robert Redford - Nominated For Best Actor (The Sting)

It’s astounding that the great Robert Redford has only one acting nomination in his whole career, for The Sting. Though he defined what a movie star is, Redford never received Oscar attention for roles in All The President’s Men, All Is Lost, Out Of Africa, and Three Days of the Condor, among many others. The list is endless here. He has been nominated twice for Best Director, for Ordinary People and Quiz Show, and won for the former. Redford also received an Honorary Oscar in 2002.

Catherine Zeta-Jones - Nominated For Best Actress (Chicago)

At the 75th Academy Awards, Chicago was the biggest winner of the night, garnering 13 nominations and winning six of them, including Catherine Zeta-Jones for Best Actress. Alas, this, so far, is the only time the Welsh actress has even been nominated, despite powerhouse roles in Traffic and Entrapment. At least she shares this dubious distinction with her husband Michael Douglas. 

Micheal Douglas - Nominated For Best Actor (Wall Street)

Gordon Gekko in Wall Street is one of the all-time great cinema villains and Michael Douglas richly deserved the Academy Award he won for playing the part in 1988. An actor with a slew of amazing performances from Falling Down, to Traffic, to Fatal Attraction and more, with only one acting nomination. He was also nominated/won for Best Picture in 1976 as the producer of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. 

Lauren Bacall - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (The Mirror Has Two Faces)

Lauren Bacall was one of the true icons of the Golden Age of Hollywood, starring in such films as The Big Sleep, Key Largo, and many, many more over her career. Shockingly, it took until 1997 for the Academy to recognize her work when she was finally nominated for a Best Supporting Actress role for The Mirror Has Two Faces. She did finally receive a well-deserved honorary Oscar in 2000. 

Kevin Costner - Nominated For Best Actor (Dances With Wolves)

Dances With Wolves was the darling of the Oscars in 1991. It was nominated for 12 awards, winning seven, including Best Director for Kevin Costner and Best Picture, which Costner won as a producer. It was also the one and only time Costner has been nominated for an acting Academy Award. There are so many other iconic parts he should’ve gotten more credit for, like JFK, Bull Durham, The Untouchables, and Hidden Figures, just to name a few. 

It just goes to show that even being a huge box office draw, and a megastar doesn't mean you'll get recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Oscars are incredibly hard to win and even being nominated is an honor, they say. Still, for everyone on the list, you'd think they'd have more than one.  

In many cases, actors have to commit a level of physicality for a role, and that can mean losing weight to play a character. And Cillian Murphy went through that very thing for his latest flick. The star, who’s made appearances in Batman Begins, Dunkirk and other Christopher Nolan movies, reteamed with the filmmaker for Oppenheimer. As part of his prep to play the well-known physicist, Murphy had to shed some pounds. Interestingly, the Irish actor’s talk of his weight loss journey sounds very similar to the experiences fellow thespians Christian Bale and Benedict Cumberbatch had for their own roles.

Cillian Murphy has long wished to be the lead in a Christopher Nolan movie, so he was ecstatic when he landed the explosive (no pun intended) role of J. Robert Oppenheimer. One would imagine that it was daunting to step into the shoes of ht man responsible for the creation of the atomic bomb. But aside from the expectations, it sounds like the star also had to go through a bit in regard to his weight loss. While the 47-year-old Murphy didn’t disclose how much he lost or what the exact process entailed, he told The Guardian why he wouldn't recommend it:

You have to appreciate just how honest he is, and that candor certainly brings to mind others who've been in his position. His Batman co-star, Christian Bale, once explained that after doing Vice, he needed to stop changing his weight so much for roles. Years before he packed on almost 50 lbs. to portray Vice President Dick Cheney in the 2018 comedy, he lost 62 lbs. for the 2004 thriller The Machinist, and it had a horrifying effect on his ass. He later had to adjust his weight for 2005's Batman Begins not long after, in order to play the character of Bruce Wayne. (Just the thought of all this is exhausting.)

On the other hand, the Oscar winner didn’t mind the weight loss for his role in Thor: Love and Thunder, in which he played Gorr the God Butcher. However, the downside to that role is that he felt limited due to the fact that he had to wear long false nails.

The Red Eye actor was already preparing to play the lead role in Oppenheimer by doing research on the theoretical physicist. Losing weight for the part may not have been his favorite aspect of the prep, but Cillian Murphy admitted to The Guardian that the historical drama’s scheduling made it easier for him not to think so much about eating:

Apparently, the real Oppenheimer’s diet greatly consisted of Chesterfield cigarettes and double-strength martinis with rims dipped in lime. (That sounds like a breakfast of champions.) While the process may have been tricky, those dietary details do help one understand why the fit-looking 28 Days Later actor had to slim out a little bit (in a safe way).

If anyone can tell you about the importance of being healthy, it would be Benedict Cumberbatch who joined the Club of Actors losing weight for their roles playing British engineer and businessman Greville Wynne in The Courier. The Doctor Strange actor’s 21-pound weight loss involved dieting and extreme exercise. But having to shrink his body mass around muscle caused him to feel dehydrated, disoriented and hungry all the time, which led to him feeling vulnerable. Nevertheless, Cumberbatch’s transformation was in service to the character he was playing -- a man imprisoned due to his espionage-related activities. And ultimately, his work seemed to benefit the performance.

Cillian Murphy has apparently joined an exclusive group of actors. You have to appreciate the level of commitment that he and his peers have demonstrated for the craft. But at the end of the day, the most important matter at hand is their health and safety. You can see the culmination of Murphy's dedication when Oppenheimer opens in theaters on July 21 as part of the with the schedule of 2023 new movie releases.   

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always expanding, and we’re currently in the midst of Phase Five. Phase Four introduced us two a ton of characters on the small and silver screens, while we also caught up with beloved returning faces. That includes Stephen Strange, who appeared in multiple movies throughout that time. Benedict Cumberbatch recently teased his return to Doctor Strange, but what movie will it be? Let’s break down the possibilities.

After Avengers: Endgame, a number of OG Marvel heroes are officially retired including Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Widow. As such, other Avengers are expected to become bigger character. Case in point: Benedict Cumberbatch, who appeared in both Spider-Man: No Way Home and (of course) Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The 46 year-old actor recently appeared at the JW3 Speaker Series, where he briefly teased his return to the MCU, saying:

Next year, huh? This is an exciting update, as it seems to indicate that we’ll be seeing more of Stephen Strange sooner rather than later. But Cumberbatch didn’t reveal too much, so it’s still unclear exactly where his return might occur. Hopefully more information arrives shortly for the rabid fanbase (myself included). 

Benedict Cumberbatch’s comments are sure to inspire some theories from the Marvel fandom about exactly what’s coming next for the former Sorcerer Supreme. The Doctor Strange 2 credits scene introduced Charlize Theron’s Clea, and teased another adventure through the multiverse. It would be surprising if a third Strange movie was already going to start filming next year. But hey, just about anything can happen in the MCU.

Doctor Strange is seemingly becoming a bigger presence in the MCU, and as such it seems like he could appear in a number of upcoming Marvel movies. One of the places where fans are expecting to see Cumberbatch’s hero is in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, which should be the next major crossover event for the shared universe. But there’s been no indication that it’s going to start filming as soon as next year. As such, there are even more questions about the Sherlock actor’s teasy comments. Although given Strange’s role in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it seems like he could easily pop up in another project to give assistance to the shared universe’s heroes.

There are a ton of question about Cumberbatch’s signature Avenger following the ending of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Strange’s time dreamwalking and interacting with the Darkhold seem to have awakened dark power in the magical hero, including the instruction of his third eye. We’ll just have to see how this changes his adventures, and if his new abilities help the good guys battle Kang.

The next Marvel movie hitting theaters is The Marvels on November 10th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

While Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange uses sorcery to combat all kinds of threats in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, unfortunately the actor doesn’t have such abilities to utilize in real life when finding himself in a dangerous situation. Such an event just happened earlier this month, as the actor and his family were at their home when a knife-wielding man broke in and threatened them, leaving the residents “absolutely terrified.”

According to The Daily Mail, Jack Bissell, a 35-year-old man who used to be a chef de partie at the Beaumont Hotel in Mayfair, forcibly entered the Cumberbatch family’s property in north London with a fishing knife in his hand. After kicking through the front garden’s gate, he then spat at the £3.5million house’s intercom and used the knife to pry it out. Per audio reportedly played in a court hearing, Bissell was heard shouting:

Benedict Cumberbatch’s wife, Sophie, and their three kids were at home with him when this intrusion took place, and per an unnamed source, all of them were “absolutely terrified” and “thought this guy was going to get in and hurt them.” Fortunately, Bissell never made into the actual house, and he was later arrested when police found his DNA on the intercom. Bissell did not explain during his court hearing why he targeted Cumberbatch and his family, but prosecutors shared that prior to this “targeted intrusion,” as the source put it, he purchased two packets of pita bread from a nearby shop and “shouted” at the shopkeeper that he was going to break into the Cumberbatch residence and “burn it to the ground.”

Jack Bissell pleaded guilty and was sentenced on May 10, being fined £250 and hit with a three-year restraining order banning him from going near the Cumberbatch family and the area where they live. The details of this incident have only come out now because The Daily Mail, as written in the article, “successfully challenged blanket reporting restrictions this week.” This wasn’t Bissell’s first run-in with the law; along with being photographed in 2015 being arrested in his underwear during a central London protest against military intervention in Syria, he’s also been convicted for theft and has received warnings for offenses against property, a public order offense and a drug offense. 

As for Benedict Cumberbatch and his family, the aforementioned source added that the actor and Sophie “have had many sleepless nights since worrying that they may be targeted again.” This ordeal comes ahead of the actor being seen in two movies later this year, with The Book of Clarence set to come out on September 22, and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar expected to be released sometime in the fall. Cumberbatch was last seen starring in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which can be viewed a Disney+ subscription. While Multiverse of Madness’ end-credits scenes certainly laid the groundwork for Doctor Strange 3, the actor doesn’t officially have any upcoming Marvel movies lined up just yet.

Should any details about this break-in be shared with the public, we’ll pass them along. Until then, Keep checking back with us for more news about Benedict Cumberbatch, and learn what other 2023 new movie releases are left to come out.

Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange character has become a centerpiece of the MCU ever since Marvel opened up its storytelling to the multiverse. Along with his solo movies, Doctor Strange was a major player in the most recent Avengers movies as well, as his character's psychic abilities acted as a major plot point in Infinity War and Endgame. With movies like these Marvel has become known for creating some iconic moments that cause celebration in theaters. And apparently, one of these moments was taken away from fans, as Cumberbatch recently reflected on a deleted scene from Infinity War that we never got to see. 

In an interview with BBC Radio 1, the Oscar nominee revealed that he filmed an “amazing” scene for Infinity War that ended up getting cut. He described some of the details from the scene with the interviewer, saying that the deleted scene was centered around Doctor Strange trying on the iconic Iron Man suit. When asked if he was disappointed the scene was eventually cut out of the film, Cumberbatch answered:

I’m sure fans would love to see this idea experimented with as well. The technology of Iron Man combined with the powers Doctor Strange holds may make for the most powerful superhero within the MCU. Fans are definitely missing Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark as well, so maybe there is a way to revive his legacy by incorporating the suit. The deleted scene could also be incorporated in a future Avengers film as a flashback. There are so many ways to ensure this idea doesn’t disappear and turn to dust, pun intended. 

There are lots of potential storylines to explore within the MCU, especially after opening up the world to the Multiverse. There are many characters that could come back through different universes throughout different timelines. While Tony Stark died in Avengers: Endgame, he could exist within a different universe. In addition, so many new heroes have been introduced post-Endgame who I'd love to see interact with Stark. For example, RiRi Williams is getting her own Disney+ series with Ironheart, which will also feature a suit similar to Stark’s, and I'd love to see how RDJ's legendary character would react to the young genius. Also, maybe this show could serve as a way for Cumberbatch to make a cameo and give the suit another go. 

While we don't know exactly how Doctor Strange will play into the MCU moving forward, it seems likely that he'll return as Stephen Strange in Avengers: Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. There were definitely cliffhangers at the end of the most recent Doctor Strange movie that fans are hoping set up the next Avengers films, however plot details for these much anticipated MCU movies are still being kept under wraps.

While you can't watch Benedict Cumberbatch don the Iron Man suit, you can go back and watch the Marvel movies in order, including his latest MCU film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with a Disney+ subscription. For more information on other MCU projects slated for the near future, consult CinemaBlend’s list of upcoming Marvel movies. 

Over the course of the past decade-and-a-half, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has given audiences some of the best theater experiences of all time, which has translated into continued box office success and cultural prominence. During that same 15-year stretch, some of the best Marvel movies have turned already well-known actors into Hollywood’s best paid movie stars, with the likes of Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johannsson, and Chris Hemsworth making millions upon millions of dollars for their portrayals of Iron Man, Black Widow, and Thor, respectively.

But, the question remains – who are the highest paid Marvel movie stars? If you have found yourself asking this very question, look no further, because we are about to break down the top Marvel heroes (in terms of salaries) and how much money they made on some of their movies. Let’s take a look now…

Brie Larson (Paid $5 Million For Captain Marvel)

Brie Larson was paid $5 million for her debut as Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel. In a February 2019 profile on the star of the first female-led Marvel movie, The Hollywood Reporter pointed out that Larson’s payday eclipsed even the highest paid MCU actors upon their debut, including 10 times as much as Robert Downey Jr. brought home with Iron Man a decade earlier (don’t feel bad, he was paid handsomely later on).

Chris Pratt (Reportedly Paid $5 Million For Avengers: Infinity War)

Chris Pratt, who is undeniably one of the biggest action stars in all of Hollywood thanks to his various Marvel movies and the Jurassic World franchise, was on the lower end of the pay scale for Avengers: Infinity War, with a reported $5 million salary, according to Us Magazine. And while Star Lord has appeared in two additional movies – Avengers: Endgame and Thor: Love and Thunder – as well as the instant classic Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, with the third Guardians movie right around the corner, those figures haven’t been released from Disney vault, err finance department. But still, $5 million is a lot of money. 

Benedict Cumberbatch (Reportedly Paid $7.5 Million Plus A Percentage Of Box Office For Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness) 

Released in May 2022, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness had a stellar run at the box office, which got underway with one of the biggest opening weekends of the year, and continued to the sum of $955 million worldwide, according to BoxOfficeMojo. The movie, with its story, impressive cast, and inclusion of some of Marvel Comics’ most famous heroes, was almost guaranteed to succeed prior to its release, which makes Benedict Cumberbatch’s reported $7.5 million (plus box office bonuses) salary not all that surprising. According to Puck News, former THR editor Matthew Belloni’s entertainment news site, Cumberbatch’s fee was a “big bump” from his first stand-alone feature, 2016’s Doctor Strange.

Paul Rudd (Reportedly Paid $8 Million For Avengers: Endgame)

Since his introduction as Scott Lang in 2015’s Ant-Man, Paul Rudd has become one of the most prominent and funniest Marvel superheroes, thanks in part to his major role in Avengers: Endgame. One of the most consequential figures in the 2019 box office juggernaut, Rudd ended up getting paid a nice chunk of change for his portrayal of Lang/Ant-Man to the tune of $8 million, according to Forbes. This, however, doesn’t take into consideration if Rudd received a portion of the box office receipts like some of his costars. With the upcoming release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, there’s a good chance his fee could be much higher than that. 

Tom Holland (Reportedly Paid $10 Million For Spider-Man: No Way Home)

Spider-Man: No Way Home, which we described as “amazing, spectacular, superior” in our review upon the film's release in December 2021, went on to make bank at the box office, and eventually eclipsed Avatar on the list of highest-grossing domestic movies of all time. The movie ended up bringing in a total of $1.9 billion globally, according to BoxOfficeMojo, which more than covered star Tom Holland’s salary. According to The Sun newspaper, Holland reportedly made $10 million for his portrayal of Peter Parker.

Jeremy Renner (Reportedly Paid $15 Million For Avengers: Endgame)

After not being a part of Avengers: Infinity War, Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye was front-and-center throughout Endgame, providing for some of the movie’s most emotional moments. And Renner was paid handsomely for his gut-wrenching portrayal of a grieving hero, reportedly taking home $15 million for his work, per Parade. 

Chris Evans (Paid $15 - $20 Million For Avengers: Endgame)

Now we’re getting into the heavy hitters of the highest paid MCU stars, and what better way to start than with the “First Avenger” himself, Chris Evans. Prior to the release of Avengers: Endgame, which ended up being Evans’ final time playing Captain America (for now), The Hollywood Reporter broke down the salaries of the MCU’s biggest stars, which had the actor bringing home anywhere from $15 to $20 million before factoring in any bonuses. And, with the widespread popularity of the movie, it would be hard to imagine Evans not leaving the MCU behind without being given some extra money.

Chris Hemsworth (Paid $20 Million For Thor: Love And Thunder)

Chris Hemswroth reached the $20 million-per-picture mark with Thor: Love and Thunder, according to Variety, which was to be expected, due to his star power and prominence throughout the 2022 superhero movie. This was a little above or around what the God of Thunder pulled in for his turn in Avengers: Endgame three years earlier, but it hasn’t been revealed how big of a bonus Hemsworth collected following either films’ success at the box office.

Scarlett Johansson (Reportedly Paid $40 Million For Black Widow)

Scarlett Johansson had long been one of the higher paid MCU actors before getting her own solo movie, Black Widow, but the longtime franchise star reached new heights with the 2021 theatrical and Disney+ Premier Access release. According to Deadline, Johansson's base pay was $20 million, but that figure reportedly doubled after the actress filed a suit against Disney over disputes from box office profits caused by the dual-release. The article pointed out that this additional money wouldn’t come as one lump sum, but instead in installments over an undisclosed period of time. 

Robert Downey Jr. (Paid $75 Million For Avengers: Endgame)

Although Robert Downey Jr. wasn’t the highest paid actor in Iron Man, he definitely took home the most cash in every subsequent installment in the MCU, and rightfully so. The OG Avenger capped off his impressive box office run, and redemption story, with 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, which earned him around $75 million, according to Forbes. Like some of his other high-paid co-stars, Downey made $20 million up front but went on to make much more than that later on. According to the report, the movie made around $700 million in profit, which when multiplied by Downey’s eight-percent in back end points, equals $55 million. Combine that with his fee, and you have $75 million. Talk about a send-off.

Expect this list to change with the release of each of the upcoming Marvel movies, especially as we get closer to the release of the two Avengers movies that are only a few years away. But, in the meantime, you can watch all of these highly paid actors by watching the Marvel movies in order with an active Disney+ subscription.

If you have watched the Marvel movies in order you can see that many characters tend to pop up here and there for cameos or smaller roles outside of their given solo projects. Those moments for the actors must be difficult because they only have a couple of minutes to act and show character growth. Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Doctor Strange recently opened up about the challenges of nailing emotion on screen, and how “wonderful” and helpful it was to watch people like Robert Downey Jr. work on these massive films too.  

In huge ensemble movies like Avengers: Infinity War or Avengers: Endgame there are so many characters in the film that it’s hard for all of them to get quality screen time, which means the actors have to make the most out of the few minutes they have. Cumberbatch has been candid about the “mortifying” part of the job, like learning intricate magic moves, and how he finds meaning in his role, even if he’s only in the movie for a few minutes. He told The Talks: 

Apart from his solo journeys in Doctor Strange and the 2022 film schedule’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Cumberbatch has played supporting roles in the two aforementioned Avengers movies as well as Spider-Man: No Way Home, he also made a small cameo in Thor: Ragnarok. I’d imagine he will appear in roles like this in upcoming Marvel movies too. The actor noted the precision needed to land emotional beats with only a little bit of screen time, he elaborate on this by saying: 

I’d imagine Robert Downey Jr. would be the perfect person to watch and learn from on these films. Considering he’s the one who started it all in 2008 with Iron Man, it makes sense why Cumberbatch admires him and respects his knowledge of his character so much. Much like the Doctor Strange actor, RDJ played supporting roles in MCU movies like Spider-Man: Homecoming, and he was part of ensembles in all four Avengers movies, so he must know from experience how to nail the emotion of a scene even if he’s only in the film for a little bit. 

Along with RDJ, Cumberbatch has also talked about how cool it was to work with actors like Michael Douglas on Avengers: Endgame. He continued to gush about the other actors, saying he enjoyed being in the same scene as Michelle Pfeiffer and Samuel L. Jackson. I'm sure being in that scene with all those legends must have felt like an acting masterclass. 

It’s cool to get an inside look into what it’s like being part of the MCU, especially how hard it can be to act in smaller moments of the films. 

If you want to check out Cumberbatch in any of his Marvel films you can do so with a Disney+ subscription. 

Over the years, over 350 actors have portrayed Arthur Conan Doyle's titular detective character, Sherlock Holmes. From the early days of silent films to today's streaming giants, the world cannot seem to get enough of the deductive hero and his inquisitive sidekick, Dr. Watson. The character has been reimagined several times over the years, and has been modernized to fit the sensibilities of an ever changing audience.

With iterations spanning almost 100 years, here are some notable Sherlock Holmes movies and TV shows, and how you can watch them now. 

Sherlock Holmes Film Series (1939-1946)

In the early days of film, one of the first notable portrayals of Sherlock Holmes came from British actor Basil Rathbone. The actor, along with Nigel Bruce, who played his sidekick Dr. John Watson, made fourteen films based off the work of Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. The first two films were produced by 20th Century Fox and took place during the Victorian era. Universal Pictures produced the latter twelve films and updated them to fit the 20th century and contained elements relating to WWII. The first three films in the series were directed by Sidney Lanfield, Alfred L. Werker, and John Rawlins, with the remainder helmed by Roy William Neill.

The list of films includes: The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror, Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon, Sherlock Holmes in Washington, Sherlock Homes Faces Death, The Spider Woman, The Scarlett Claw, The Pearl Death, The House of Fear, The Woman in Green, Pursuit to Algiers, Terror by Night, and Dressed to Kill. 

Stream The Hound of the Baskervilles on Tubi. 
Stream Dressed to Kill on Paramount+.

The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1959)

In 1959, directer Terence Fisher directed another adaptation of the Doyle novel The Hound of the Baskervilles. The film starred Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes and André Morrell as Dr. Watson. The film also featured Dracula's Christopher Lee as Henry Baskerville. The movie follows Holmes and Watson as they investigate a mysterious "hound" curse that has been prevalent in the Baskerville family following a centuries old murder. 

Rent/buy The Hound of the Baskervilles on YouTube.

Murder By Decree (1979)

Murder by Decree is another adaptation of a Doyle novel, called Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution. The Sound of Music's Christopher Plummer portrays Sherlock Holmes in this iteration, and performs alongside the legendary James Mason as Dr. John Watson. The film is directed by Bob Clark and was produced by Warner Bros. Pictures. 

The story follows Holmes, who investigates the serial killer Jack the Ripper as a private detective. The police try to deter Holmes by refusing his help in the investigation, but he prevails by gaining assistance from Robert Lees, played by Donald Sutherland. 

Stream Murder By Decree on Redbox.
Rent/buy Murder By Decree on Amazon.

The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes TV Series (1984-1994)

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was a British tv series for ITV Granada. It ran for 10 years, and featured adaptations from Doyle's novels, as well as brand new original detective stories featuring the character. British actor Jeremy Bratt became best known for portraying the titular character on English television, and was accompanied by David Burke, and later Edward Hardwicke, as John H. Watson. 

The series spanned nine seasons and was created by Michael Cox. The stories involved Holmes consulting the police in a variety of cases, as well as taking on his own cases as a private detective alongside military veteran John Watson, who lives with him at 221B Baker Street.

Stream The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes on Britbox.

Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)

Young Sherlock Holmes was a reimagining of Sherlock Holmes helmed by Rain Man director Barry Levinson, which was written by Home Alone director Christopher Columbus. The film shows Holmes as a precocious teen in boarding school, who meets his bemused best friend and sidekick, John Watson. The two try to solve a series of suspicious deaths that occur on the school's campus. The titular character is played by Nicholas Rowe and John Watson is played by Alan Cox.

Stream Young Sherlock Holmes on YouTube.
Rent/buy Young Sherlock Holmes on Amazon.

Without A Clue (1988)

Without a Clue is a comedy adaptation of the famous characters. This film also reimagines them, flipping the characterizations of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. This Thom Eberhardt helmed filmed sees Dr. Watson as the brilliant detective, with "Sherlock Holmes" being an actor pretending to be a detective so Watson can maintain his reputation in the medical world. Without a Clue stars veteran actor Michael Caine as Sherlock Holmes, and Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley as John Watson. 

Rent/buy Without a Clue on AppleTV+.

Sherlock Holmes Film Series (2009-present)

The 2000s saw more stylistic iterations of the Sherlock Holmes stories on screen. In 2009, director Guy Richie helmed two films about the Arthur Conan Doyle character for Warner Bros. Pictures. The films are titled Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows, and star Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as Watson. The original film is about the eccentric detective's journey into investigating a mysticist's plan to control England by mysterious and magical means. The subsequent film follows Holmes and Watson as they travel throughout Europe, trying to foil Professor Moriarty's plan to instigate a global conflict. 

A third film in the series has been announced and is set to be directed by Rocketman helmer, Dexter Fletcher. Downey Jr. and Law are said to be planning to reprise their roles. 

Stream Sherlock Holmes on Netflix.
Stream Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows on Netflix.

Rent/buy Sherlock Holmes on Amazon.
Rent/buy Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows on Amazon.

Sherlock TV Series (2010-2017)

One of the most popular Sherlock Holmes imaginings comes from the BBC, when the television series, Sherlock, became internationally beloved. Dr. Strange actor Benedict Cumberbatch's breakthrough performance as Sherlock on the series helped make him the household name he is today. He starred alongside The Hobbit actor Martin Freeman, who portrayed John Watson on the series. 

The show is set during a contemporary period with an eccentric, awkward Holmes at the center. He moves in with Watson, who acts as his right hand man as they investigate a series of crimes that Holmes' nemesis, Professor Moriarty (played by Fleabag's Andrew Scott), may or may not be behind. The series ran for four seasons, and contained 13 episodes, including a Victorian-set holiday special.

Stream Sherlock on Philo.
Buy Sherlock on Amazon.

Elementary TV Series (2012-2019)

Sherlock Holmes also got a 21st century American update on CBS. The long-running network television series, Elementary, portrayed Holmes as a disgraced former detective who left London for New York City after a stint in rehab. He is given a sober companion in the States, Dr. Joan Watson, who lost her medical license and now helps former addicts maintain sobriety. To ward off his addiction, Holmes becomes a consultant for the NYPD. Sherlock was portrayed Jonny Lee Miller on the series, with a female reimagining of Watson played by Kill Bill's Lucy Liu. The show ran for seven seasons and was created by Robert Doherty.

Stream Elementary on Hulu.
Buy Elementary on Amazon.

Mr. Holmes (2015)

In 2015, Beauty and the Beast director Bill Condon directed Mr. Holmes. The film was adapted from A Slight Trick of Mind, written by Mitch Cullen, and was inspired by Doyle's characters. Mr. Holmes gives audiences an older Sherlock Holmes, played by Sir Ian McKellen. The title detective is 93, retired, and living in Sussex. He struggles to remember details from his last unsolved case, as his mind is starting to slip. The film also co-stars Ozark's Laura Linney as Mrs. Munro, and is as heartwarming as the trailer suggests.

Stream Mr. Holmes on PlutoTV.
Rent/buy Mr. Holmes on Vudu.

Enola Holmes Film Series (2020, 2022)

Enola Holmes is a film series that reimagines the Sherlock Holmes story by giving him a young sister, Enola Holmes. The films are adapted from The Enola Holmes Mysteries book series by Nancy Springer, and are helmed by Fleabag director Harry Bradbeer.

The critically acclaimed first film follows Enola (played by Millie Bobby Brown) who is the spunky sibling to the celebrated detective (portrayed here by Henry Cavill). While tracking down her missing mother, she embarks on an adventure to save the entire country during the Victorian era. The sequel, Enola Holmes 2, features another puzzling mystery and follows the titular heroine who tries to make a name for herself as a professional detective while living in her brother's shadow. Both films feature an all-star cast, and a version of the iconic John Watson character, as played by Himesh Patel.

Stream Enola Holmes on Netflix.
Stream Enola Holmes 2 on Netflix.

Sherlock Holmes always seems like an inspiration for filmmakers and writers to draw upon, so there will likely be even more films to note in the future. But for now, there are several incredible versions of the beloved detective to check out at this moment. We will continue to keep an eye out for another RDJ take on the character, or another Millie Bobby Brown reimagining, so make sure to keep checking back with CinemaBlend.

With Loki Season 1 having broken open the doors to the multiverse and Spider-Man: No Way Home seeing Tom Holland’s Peter Parker meeting characters from the prior Webbed Wonder film series, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness followed the title sorcerer traveling to other realities. However, it wasn’t until the sequel’s third act that Benedict Cumberbatch’s character ran into one of his variants, though this Doctor Strange had been corrupted by his universe’s Darkhold a long time ago. As it turns out, Cumberbatch had a hand this Strange vs. Strange confrontation, which included providing a key suggestion on how to improve it. 

It’s been five months since Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hit theaters, and it can now be streamed with a Disney+ subscription as you go through the Marvel movies in order. With audiences having had plenty of time to chew over Multiverse of Madness’ twists and turns, Benedict Cumberbatch opened up to Prestige about his experience working on the sequel. When asked if it was fun playing Doctor Strange variants, the actor responded:

Benedict Cumberbatch played four versions of Doctor Strange in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with the aforementioned two being joined by the Stephen Strange who was killed at the beginning of the movie in front of America Chavez, and later on Earth-838’s Strange, who was executed by his Illuminati teammates. Suffice it to say that Corrupted Strange had the most to do of these variants, with this variant of the character living in a universe that was ripped apart by an incursion he inadvertently caused. Corrupted Strange tried to kill his benevolent counterpart, but “our” Strange emerged victorious and sent his adversary falling to his death.

With Sam Raimi at the helm, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was packed with a lot of horror, and if you found the scenes with Corrupted Strange to be especially scary, thank Benedict Cumberbatch for that. During the interview, he talked about how he worked with Raimi and writer Michael Waldron to spice up that portion of Multiverse of Madness, saying:

Marvel definitely isn’t done exploring the multiverse, as evidenced by Phases 4-6 of the MCU being collectively called The Multiverse Saga, which will conclude with Avengers: Secret Wars in 2026. It stands to reason that the main Doctor Strange will participate in the coming conflict against Kang the Conqueror, but it’s unclear if Doctor Strange 3 will have any multiversal elements. After all, Multiverse of Madness’ ending showed Strange developing a third eye (just like Corrupted Strange had) due to him using the Darkhold and dreamwalking into one of his other variants’ corpse. Then he was visited in the mid-credits scene by Charlize Theron’s Clea, who instructed him to follow her back to the Dark Dimension.

In any case, we haven’t seen the last of Doctor Strange in the MCU, so keep visiting CinemaBlend for updates on what’s in store for the character’s future. You can also look through our guides detailing upcoming Marvel movies and upcoming Marvel TV shows.

It is not unusual for an actor to play more than one comic book character role. Sometimes this means they first star in a DC movie before switching sides to the Marvel movies (and vice versa) or appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe years after playing an entirely different character from Marvel Comics in a film that predates the shared universe’s creation. 

However, what if I told you that there are also many cases of actors who have double-dipped in the MCU? While the Marvel movies’ timeline is usually pretty tight, there are a surprising amount of times when the same actor played more than one character in the same interconnected franchise and the following are some notable examples of such Marvel movie characters.

Tara Strong - Miss Minutes (Loki), Mainframe (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3)

Famed voice actor Tara Strong has played multiple iconic comic book characters, including two in the MCU alone. She made her franchise debut on the Disney+ series Loki as the Time Variance Authority’s animated, AI mascot, Miss Minutes, and later cameoed in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as Mainframe – a member of the OG GOTG from the comics who was previously voiced by Miley Cyrus in Vol. 2.  

David Dastmalchian - Kurt Goreshter (Ant-Man), Veb (Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania)

Another actor known for many, many comic book character roles is David Dastmalchian, who gave a memorable appearance in the first two Ant-Man movies as Scott Lang’s (Paul Rudd) Russian-born, computer hacker friend, Kurt Goreshter. While Kurt did not appear in the third installment from 2023, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Dastmalchian still got to be a part of the adventure as the voice of Veb – a creature who helps Scott and Cassie (Kathryn Newton) understand the Quantum Realm’s inhabitants by feeding them his ooze.

Seth Green - Stark Expo Fan (Iron Man 2), Howard The Duck (Guardians Of The Galaxy)

The post-credit sequence from 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy confirmed that, in the MCU, there exists Howard the Duck, who was voiced by Seth Green for a brief, but memorable, cameo as the fowl private eye who would make subsequent appearances. Four years earlier, Green made an even more brief appearance in Iron Man 2 as a fan of Tony Stark seen at his expo.

Michelle Yeoh – Aleta Ogord (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2), Ying Nan (Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings)

Before earning an Oscar for her performance in one of the best Multiverse movies, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Michelle Yeoh entered the Marvel Multiverse with her cameo in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as Aleta Ogord – one of the original members from the team’s comic book iteration. Four years later, the actor seemed to create a rift in the timeline when she appeared in the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings cast as the title hero’s aunt, Ying Nan. 

Linda Cardellini – Laura Barton (Various), Lylla (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3)

In Avengers: Age of Ultron, the team was introduced to Clint Barton’s (Jeremy Renner) wife, Laura, whom Linda Cardellini would reprise in Avengers: Endgame and the Disney+ TV show, Hawkeye. In 2023, the Freaks and Geeks cast alum would reunite with Scooby-Doo scribe James Gunn to voice Rocket Raccoon’s friend, Lylla, in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Nathan Fillion – Monstrous Inmate (Guardians Of The Galaxy), Karja (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3), Headpool (Deadpool & Wolverine)

Another actor known for his frequent collaborations with James Gunn (Slither, The Suicide Squad) is Nathan Fillion, who voiced an alien prisoner threatening Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy before receiving a bigger role in Vol. 3 as the Orgosphere’s cocky head of security, Karja. The former Firefly cast member became an MCU triple-dipper with his cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine voicing Headpool, which also marks his second time playing a disembodied head after his role on one of Fillion's best TV shows, Santa Clarita Diet.

Sean Gunn – Rocket Raccoon, Kraglin (Various)

The Guardians of the Galaxy’s furry weapons expert, Rocket Raccoon, is a role shared between Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper providing his Boston-accented voice and director James Gunn’s brother, Sean Gunn, performing the mo-cap on set. Gunn has also appeared “alongside himself” on several occasions, as recently as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, as former Ravager, Kraglin.

Laura Haddock – Autograph Seeker (Captain America: The First Avenger), Meredith Quill (Guardians Of The Galaxy Movies)

Speaking of Guardians of the Galaxy stars, most fans are likely to recognize British actor Laura Haddock as Peter Quill’s mother, Meredith, in the cold open flashbacks from the first movie and its sequel. However, the Downton Abbey: A New Era cast member’s MCU tenure actually dates back to 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, in which she plays a 1940s-era woman affectionately approaching Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) for an autograph. The characters’ resemblance led to a fan theory suggesting Cap is Star-Lord’s real grandfather, which James Gunn later debunked.

Kenneth Choi – Jim Morita (Captain America: The First Avenger), Principal Morita (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

Speaking of Captain America: The First Avenger stars, Private Jim Morita — Steve Rogers’ Japanese-American teammate on the Howling Commandos — was played by Kenneth Choi. The actor (also part of the DC Extended Universe as a Yakuza boss in Suicide Squad) would later appear in Spider-Man: Homecoming as Morita’s grandson, who also happens to be Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) high school principal.

Benedict Cumberbatch – Doctor Strange, Dormammu (Doctor Strange)

An interesting example of a Marvel actor appearing as two different characters in the same movie occurs in Doctor Strange. Benedict Cumberbatch debuted as one-time Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange in director Scott Derrickson’s visually stunning 2016 fantasy, in which he also provided the voice of the ruler of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu. Talk about being your own worst enemy.

Clancy Brown – Ray Schoonover (Daredevil, The Punisher), Surtur (Thor: Ragnarok)

Another actor who gave a memorable Marvel movie performance as a giant CGI villain is Clancy Brown, who was the voice of the Fire Demon, Surtur, in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. That same year, the SpongeBob SquarePants star (also famous for voicing Superman nemesis, Lex Luthor in many animated DC titles) would reprise his Daredevil role as Major Schoovover on the short-lived spin-off, The Punisher.

Patton Oswalt – The Koenig Brothers (Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Pip The Troll (Eternals)

Comedian Patton Oswalt has lent his distinct voice to several comic book characters, including a troll named Pip in the mid-credits scene from Eternals in 2021. Before then, he would appear on several episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as four different characters: identical quintuplets Sam, Eric, Billy, and Thurston Koenig, making him the current record holder for the most MCU-canon characters portrayed by one person.

Enver Gjokaj - Young Cop (The Avengers), Daniel Sousa (Agent Carter, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

One example of an actor who debuted in the MCU with something small before re-emerging with something much bigger is Enver Gjokaj. He played an unnamed police officer in 2012’s The Avengers before starring on Agent Carter and the final season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as World War II soldier-turned-strategic operative, Daniel Sousa.

Gemma Chan – Minn-Erva (Captain Marvel), Sersi (Eternals)

Outside of those who played two characters in the same movie, English actor Gemma Chan has one of the smallest windows of time between her first MCU character and her second. In 2019, she donned blue makeup to play Kree Imperial warrior Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel and, in literally the same year, was announced as part of the Eternals cast in the role of Sersi.

Alfre Woodard – Miriam Sharpe (Captain America: Civil War), Black Mariah (Luke Cage)

Someone who can top Gemma Chan’s record in time between her characters’ official appearances is Alfre Woodard. The Academy Award nominee appeared in one memorable scene from 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, opposite Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, as Miriam Sharpe — a woman grieving the unseen death of her son during the final act of Avengers: Age of Ultron. That same year, just months later, she debuted on Luke Cage as Mariah “Black Mariah” Dillard, whose cousin is Harlem crime boss Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes.

Mahershala Ali – Cottonmouth (Luke Cage), Blade (Eternals)

Speaking of Cottonmouth, the crime boss on Luke Cage would turn out to be only the beginning of Mahershala Ali’s legacy in the MCU. While the two-time Academy Award winner’s new take on vampire-hunter Blade has yet to be seen, he debuted the character in a vocal cameo from Eternals’ post-credit scene. 

Chris Hemsworth – Thor, One Of Hajo’s Three Heads (Thor: Ragnarok)

It is hard to imagine a Marvel character better suited for Chris Hemsworth to play than the God of Thunder, but, believe it or not, the title hero of Thor: Ragnarok is not his only role from the funny 2017 blockbuster. Only eagle-eyed fans noticed that the Australian actor also played one of the three heads of Hajo — a gladiator from Sakaar who tried to help save Asgard from Hela (Cate Blanchett).

Taika Waititi – Korg, One Of Hajo’s Three Heads (Thor: Ragnarok)

Actually, Hemsworth is not the only well-known star of Thor: Ragnarok to share the role of Hajo. The film’s own director, Taika Waititi, also appeared as one of the gladiator’s three heads, in addition to providing the voice of fan-favorite, rock-skinned alien, Korg, and in the same frame, too!

I am not sure if there is or could ever be a weirder example of the MCU’s double-dipping phenomenon than those last two. However, I would love to see a challenger step up to the plate someday. Of course, considering the franchise is now in a stage known as “The Multiverse Saga,” it seems like it is a distinct possibility. 

Avengers: Endgame was a spectacle, to put it lightly. Seeing over ten years of movies culminate with the fourth Avengers film was overwhelming, especially since the film featured an all-star cast that included OG Avengers played by Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson as well as newer additions like Brie Larson, Chadwick Boseman and Tom Holland. And as Benedict Cumberbatch recently revealed, appearing in a scene with all these A-listers and more like Michael Douglas during Tony Stark's memorial scene was “mind-blowing.” 

The somber scene, which took place during the final moments of the movie, featured basically everyone from the Marvel movies, including some super deep cuts (like the kid from Iron Man 3). The Doctor Strange actor revealed that he was in awe of the actors there, especially some of the ones who have been in the biz for a long time, telling Oracle Time: 

I’m sure it was overwhelming to be in the moment with all those actors, especially those who have such an iconic legacy like Ant-Man cast members Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer, as well as Samuel L. Jackson and William Hurt. 

Speaking of Samuel L. Jackson, the first trailer of Secret Invasion recently showed his return to the character of Nick Fury. However, Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange is nowhere to be seen in the footage. On that note, the Sherlock actor explained that he would love to work more with some of the veteran MCU stars, like Jackson, saying:

Lucky for Benedict Cumberbatch, Endgame didn’t end up being as devastating as Kevin Feige wanted and there were only a few casualties, making all these hopes true possibilities in the future. While Scarlett Johansson has left the MCU, many others remain and have Marvel projects in the works for Phase 4 and beyond. Chris Hemsworth just starred in Thor: Love and Thunder, and Tom Hiddleston is reprising his role as the God of Mischief in the second season of Loki, which is now filming.

It’s fun to see people like Benedict Cumberbatch, who has appeared in his fair share of Marvel projects and has a long resume in general, get all giddy about meeting MCU stars like Michael Douglas. And I’m sure a massive reunion is bound to happen again, especially since two more massive Avengers movies are on the way.

To check out the memorable moments from Avengers: Endgame, stream the movie using a Disney+ subscription.

Many know Benedict Cumberbatch for his myriad of roles, including that of Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The character has proven to be one of the franchise's most devoted heroes, despite the fact that he tends to cause a bit of trouble here and there. However, Cumberbatch isn't above heroics in his daily life. A video, which has since gone viral on both Facebook and TikTok, shows the actor defending a female fan, who was asking for an autograph.

Barricades didn’t seem to be enough when fans waited for Benedict Cumberbatch to walk out of a building in Times Square, based on the clip. Fans seemed to be pushing up against the barriers in turn while they shoved each other. The aforementioned fan seemed to be patiently waiting for Cumberbatch to appear, as she was shoved by others around her. And when the Oscar winner saw the fan in distress, he asked the crowd several times to back away from her and provide some space. Funny enough, the female fan didn't even realize that the MCU star was asking the crowd to lay off her. And if that weren't enough, when people started to apologize, the Sherlock actor asked for apologies to be directed toward the pushed fan and not at him. Here's the video of the sweet interaction from TikTok:

Looks like Benedict Cumberbatch is just as much of a superhero in real life as he is on screen. I understand the excitement of getting to see the Marvel star, but I think we can all agree that there's no reason to push and shove people in order to do so. It's a good thing the actor helped to control the situation and stick up for a seemingly uncomfortable fan. While Cumberbatch's overall fanbase is enthusiastic, Marvel aficionados have proven to be quite the devoted bunch, as evidenced by the fresh Avengers fan art and intricate cosplay they produce.

This actually isn't the first time that Benedict Cumberbatch has gone viral for looking out for his fans. He previously gained buzz for recording a birthday video for a fan alongside Avengers: Endgame co-star Paul Rudd. Like seriously, could the British actor be any purer? 

Additionally, video shows the actor walking away from the fans later, and a rainbow-striped bag comes into view. It's a great cherry-on-top moment for this heroic scene, and you can't help but love that the star is proudly displaying his allyship. Given his track record of kindness, I wouldn't be surprised if we see another moment like this from him at some point in the future.

When you’re not watching Benedict Cumberbatch help a fan, you can see him travel to different universes in Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, which is currently streaming exclusively for Disney+ subscribers. We'll likely be seeing even more of the hero soon, if the Multiverse of Madness end credits scene is any indication. You can also check out CinemaBlend's 2022 upcoming Marvel movie schedule to keep up with any updates regarding future projects. You can also catch Cumberbatch in Wes Anderson’s upcoming Netflix film, The Wonderful Henry Sugar.

Given the continued popularity of the superhero genre, countless actors have made their way into the various cinematic universes. This includes Benedict Cumberbatch, who continues to becomes a more significant presence in the MCU with each appearance as Doctor Strange (although the character makes plenty of mistakes along the way). And the Sherlock actor recently revealed the part of his Marvel role that he finds “mortifying.”

Benedict Cumberbatch made his MCU debut as the title character of 2016’s Doctor Strange, before crossing over with the other heroes in Avenger: Infinity War and Endgame. He’s already starred in two massive Marvel movies in Phase Four, so you’d think the 45 year-old actor would be used to playing the Sorcerer Supreme. But he told Twitter that it’s still sometimes difficult to do his character’s signature hand movements– especially without making weird noises. As Cumberbatch put it,

He makes a good point. While fans get to see the finished epic product with each new Marvel movie, it’s very different actually making projects like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Benedict Cumberbatch has to really trust the process of visual effects when casting spells, as there’s no awesome sound or visuals around him. Then there’s the involuntary noises that he makes while in the midst of fight choreography. 

Benedict Cumberbatch’s comments offer a uniquely intimate perspective about what it takes to play a superhero like Doctor Strange. And while he sometimes feels mortified while shooting some of his Marvel action, Cumberbatch has been able to give great performances in all of his appearances in the MCU. And it certainly looks like he’s becoming an important presence in the greater universe throughout Phase Four.

Benedict Cumerbatch returned to the big screen as Doctor Strange in Jon Watts’ Spider-Man: No Way Home. His controversial spell kickstarted the movie’s wild crossovers, and also ultimately wiped any memories of Peter Parker in the world. 

Obviously Benedict Cumberbatch’s magical superhero got to take center stage for Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which was a truly wild ride. We saw multiple versions of Strange throughout its runtime, and he was seemingly greatly changed by the experience. The mid-credits scene teased the character’s future, which will no doubt call for more Cumberbatch’s uncomfortable experience with spells and action scenes.

The next installment in the MCU is Thor: Love and Thunder on July 8th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

A common trait of the Marvel Phase Four projects so far has been to introduce important characters (or advance the journey for key heroes) in the closing minutes and end-credits scenes of their movies and television projects. Pop icon Harry Styles appeared as Starfox, brother of Thaons, as Chloe Zhao’s Eternals drew to a close. The same movie pushed Kit Harington closer to his destiny as The Black Knight, and had a vocal cameo from Mahershala Ali’s Blade. And Mad Max: Fury Road badass Charlie Theron finally made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut when she appeared as Clea in a mid-credits scene for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But why introduce Clea at this point in the MCU timeline?

Fans of Doctor Strange have been waiting for Clea to appear in a story. Some even thought Rachel McAdams was secretly playing Clea when she was cast in the first Doctor Strange movie. Instead, it’s Theron who is sharing official images of MCU Clea, and revving up to play her again alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in a future Marvel Studios project (to be determined later). Commenting to Marvel.com about the use of Clea in that moment, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness writer Michael Waldron admitted:

There’s no question that Stephen Strange should be changed by the events that took place in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Among many things, the Sorcerer Supreme confirmed the existence of the Multiverse, and met an individual in America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) with the power to travel the multiverse with ease. That’s one of many things you need to know about America Chavez moving forward. Strange also watched Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) wipe out the Multiverse Illuminati. And he Dream Walked into his own corpse. Classic Sam Raimi. 

As Michael Waldron went on to discuss the ramifications of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the writer told Marvel.com:

He has a different idea of fun. Those who read the Marvel comics know that Incursions are devastating, and if Doctor Strange’s meddling caused another one, it’s going to take a number of Marvel heroes joining forces to prevent the outcome. Right now, we have no idea when or where Doctor Strange will next appear. The slate of upcoming Marvel projects doesn’t list a third Doctor Strange movie, and the sorcerer isn’t listed on the Disney+ list of announced shows. 

Then again, Marvel likes to have characters pop up in other hero’s movies, like when Wong (Benedict Wong) showed up to fight and train Abomination in a key scene from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. I feel like the Incursion will be a major event in the MCU, but until we have more details, we are in wait-and-see mode.

One of the most exciting things about Saturday Night Live is you never quite know who else might show up. There’s always a sense that anyone in the host’s personal or professional orbit could potentially make an appearance. It doesn’t always happen. Sometimes you get no one, and sometimes, when you’re least expecting it, you get Elizabeth Olsen. 

The Marvel favorite and co-star of Doctor Strange And The Multiverse Of Madness popped up in a sketch called “The Understudy” during last night’s Saturday Night Live episode, and of course it turned into a joke about the Multiverse. The basic premise of the bit was that Chloe Fineman operates as the understudy for all the other Not Ready For Primetime Players in case they get sick. It was really a flimsy excuse for her to bust out impressions of the other cast members, but it also afforded her a chance to get her Elizabeth Olsen on. You can check out the funny sketch below…

First of all, I have to give it up to Chloe Fineman because some of those impressions are top notch. I particularly love the Aidy Bryant one, but there’s some really strong work here also on the bits with Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong. Too bad we didn’t get a chance to see her do Kenan Thompson, that would have been terrific, even if it was horrible. It should have just been him working with her on reaction faces.

Regardless, she eventually got to Elizabeth Olsen, which was a solid enough take. The voice work was excellent. You can hear how close she gets particularly in the “I am me too” exchange after the Marvel star shows up for her surprise cameo. The whole bit is fun, and it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Sometimes the best impressions are the ones where the cast member gets in and gets out without having to extend the joke.

Saturday Night Live returned last night after several weeks off with host Benedict Cumberbatch. He performed his job quite well in a variety of topical and sometimes weird sketches. SNL will return next week with Only Murders In The Building star Selena Gomez with musical guest Post Malone. Then the season will conclude on May 21st with season finale hosts and musical guests that are yet to be announced. 

I have no idea how to even begin speculating on who the sketch comedy show may pick for those roles (maybe they should consider Elizabeth Olsen?), but given it’s the finale, I would expect to see a bigger name or a returning cast member as the host. We’ll just have to wait and see. 

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. If you have yet to see the latest Marvel movie, proceed at your own risk!

There are few characters (strong or otherwise) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe who have made more of an impact than Doctor Strange. Over the years, the magically-inclined and incredibly arrogant superhero has done everything from beat Dormammu into submission, assist in saving the universe on more than one occasion and even aid his fellow heroes in need.

But in the same stretch of time, the Master of the Mystic Arts has also made some massive mistakes, and not just texting while driving, allowing the love of his life to get away or constantly bickering with Tony Stark when they could have come up with a better plan to defeat their most powerful villain yet. No, I’m talking about those massive, potentially cataclysmic lapses in judgement that the character has made in various Marvel movies, including his latest adventure in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Doctor Strange Hands Over The Time Stone To Thanos (Avengers: Infinity War)

The primary of goal of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the Guardians of the Galaxy and everyone else involved in the events of Avengers: Infinity War was to prevent Thanos (Josh Brolin) from getting his hands on all six Infinity Stones and putting his diabolical, yet self-rationalized plan into motion. And while a lot of the blame can be placed on Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) for allowing his emotions to get the best of him and punch the Mad Titan out of a state of hypnosis, that angle has been covered time and time again. But there was another mistake made on the surface of the once prosperous planet.

The biggest mistake made that fateful day was when Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) willingly handed over the Time Stone to Thanos, which meant he only needed one more stone to put his ultimate plan into action. Sure, Strange rationalized it (this was the only possible outcome out of 14,000,605 possible futures) at the time, and he was later justified in Avengers: Endgame. That said, he didn’t he see a future (like Earth-838) where he didn’t have to hand over the Stone, allow countless souls to be lost and also create one of the most unhinged and deadly villains the MCU has ever seen in Scarlet Witch?

Doctor Strange Casts The Memory Spell (Spider-Man: No Way Home)

There’s the old saying that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, but in the case of Doctor Strange in Spider-Man: No Way Home, those good intentions almost paved the road to multiversal destruction. In the 2021 Marvel movie, Strange agreed to cast a spell that would make the world forget Peter Parker (Tom Holland) was Spider-Man after Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) revealed his secret identity in the Spider-Man: Far From Home end credits sequence. But when Parker began adding names to the list of people who wouldn’t be subjected to the effects of the Runes of Kof-Kol, everything went to hell in a handbasket.

If Strange had listened to Wong’s (Benedict Wong) objections, not gone through with the casting of the doomed spell and told Parker to kick rocks, he would have saved the universe (and the multiverse) a ton of trouble. Sure, audiences would have missed out on quite possibly the best Marvel moment, but Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) would still be alive, Spider-Man wouldn’t be living in a crappy apartment, and the potentially cataclysmic incursion event could have been avoided entirely.

Defender Strange Tries To Kill America Chavez And Steal Her Powers (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)

In the lead-up to the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, there were multiple trailers showing the different versions of the character we would see throughout the movie, each having their own faults. This was apparent in the film’s opening moments when Defender Strange was running through the space between universes with America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) as they searched for the Book of Vishanti. Believing that the young girl couldn’t control her ability to travel through the multiverse, this Strange variant trieed to kill her and take her power instead of trusting her.

I know, I know, this isn’t the Doctor Strange we’ve come to know and love over the course of the past six years, but it’s hard to argue that our Strange wouldn’t do something similar if he were put in that situation. Sure, he probably wouldn’t have tried to kill her, but he does have a history of not listening to anyone, let alone trusting them.

Earth-838 Strange Uses The Darkhold And Almost Destroys His Universe (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)

Earth-838, the universe Doctor Strange and America Chavez visited after traveling through the multiverse, also had a run-in with Thanos, but it was the Illuminati and not the Avengers who defeated the Mad Titan. And just like in Earth-616, this version of Doctor Strange was consequential in saving his universe, but this time at the expense of countless lives that were put out in an instant.

After being captured by the Illuminati, our Doctor Strange learned about his Earth-838 counterpart’s fall from grace (he used the Darkhold to find the Book of Vishanti to kill Thanos, but in doing so completely destroyed another reality) and how the other members of the group dealt with him after the Mad Titan was slain. And while those living on Earth-838 lived on, countless others weren’t as lucky, and 838-Strange was killed for his actions and to prevent him from doing that again.

Doctor Strange Triggers Another Incursion Through His Use Of The Darkhold (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)

No action in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is without consequence, and that was especially true during the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness end credits sequence when Clea (Charlize Theron) appeared to tell Stephen Strange that his actions throughout the movie ended up causing another incursion in an alternate reality. Basically, Strange used the Darkhold to jump into the body of Defender Strange’s corpse, which, as we learned throughout the movie, is a big no-no.

Once again, Doctor Strange’s plan technically worked and solved the matter at hand, but in turn created a whole mess of trouble for someone else down the road. It looks like he’ll solve that problem at a later date, but let’s just hope he fixes this mess for good next time.

All of this isn’t to say Doctor Strange is a bad guy, but instead a superhero who would be a little better off if he listened to other people and didn’t always think he was the smartest person in the multiverse. If you want to know when you’ll see the rest of his fellow comic book heroes in action, take a look at our list of all the upcoming Marvel movies.

At long last, the mind-bending spectacle that is Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is out in the wild, and not a moment too soon. One of the most anticipated 2022 movies includes everything fans of the sprawling film franchise have come to expect (and want), including a great story about the dangers of inter-dimensional travel and how grief can poison someone, as well as all that dazzling action that has become the norm in recent years.

Another thing that makes Sam Raimi’s return to the superhero genre such a gem is the outstanding Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cast, which is stellar from top to bottom. If you have watched the movie, or at least plan on seeing it, and wondered why some of the actors look so familiar, don’t worry because we’re about to break it down. Also, there aren’t any spoilers or mystery characters listed below, so you’re safe!

Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Stephen Strange)

Donning the Cloak of Levitation as Dr. Stephen Strange once more in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the eponymous sorcerer in his first standalone movie since the character’s introduction back in 2016.

Outside of his various appearances in some of the best Marvel movies over the years, including the final two (for now) Avengers movies, Cumberbatch has made a career out of giving tremendous performances in a number of different genres and mediums. Whether it’s in gripping biographical dramas like The Imitation Game, the BBC mystery series Sherlock, or providing the voice and motion capture work for one of J.R.R. Tolkien’s most iconic creations in the Hobbit trilogy, there isn’t much the talented and versatile actor can’t, or won’t do, even when it comes to playing tormented and closed-off cowboys like in The Power of the Dog.

Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch)

Elizabeth Olsen, who plays Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Avengers: The Age of Ultron (if you don’t count the Captain America: Winter Soldier end credits sequence), takes on the tormented enhanced human once more in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, though she is a far different person than the young Avenger we first met all those years ago.

Outside of her appearances in various Marvel movies and the popular WandaVision Disney+ series (which first saw her take on the Scarlet Witch moniker from the comic books), Olsen has given several remarkable performances with her list of best movies including titles like Wind River, Very Good Girls, and the unforgettable and disturbing Martha Marcy May Marlene, which was her feature length debut back in 2011.

Xochitl Gomez (America Chavez)

Xochitl Gomez makes her MCU debut as America Chavez, one of the most exciting and promising members of the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cast. Her portrayal of the young, energetic, hungry, and incredibly powerful character who has the ability to punch through the Multiverse instantly makes Gomez a star in the making.

Although she hasn’t done much as far as movies go (she was in a 2021 short film called Boob Sweat, and Shadow Wolves a couple of years before that), fans of the 2020 Netflix revival of The Baby-Sitters Club will recognize Gomez from her portrayal of Dawn Schafer. Gomez also showed up on Raven’s Home, You’re the Worst, and Gentified prior to that. And, with how likable her character is in the new Marvel movie, there's a good chance we'll be talking about Gomez for quite some time.

Benedict Wong (Wong)

Returning as Wong, The Sorcerer Supreme and sworn protector of Kamar-Taj in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is Benedict Wong, who has now played the character in six movies (and seven times in total if you include the What If…? animated Disney+ series).

Throughout his impressive career, Wong has appeared in non-superhero movies like Moon, The Martian, Raya and the Last Dragon, Prometheus, and Sunshine, to name just a very small portion of his film work. His accomplishments on the small screen are just as notable with appearances on several dozen shows over the years, including The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Marco Polo, Top Boy, The Bill, and all sorts of one-off performances like the one he gave in a 2016 episode of the sci-fi anthology series, Black Mirror.

Rachel McAdams (Christine Palmer)

Rachel McAdams is back again as Christine Palmer in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which makes this her third time taking on the role of Dr. Stephen Strange’s former colleague and one-time love interest, only this time she is playing multiple versions of the character throughout the multiverse.

Ever since breaking out in 2004 with iconic performances in Mean Girls and The Notebook, McAdams has consistently been one of the most turned-to stars in Hollywood, with incredible and versatile turns in movies like Midnight in Paris, About Time, Spotlight, and Game Night, to name just a few of her big screen accomplishments. During that same stretch of time, McAdams has popped up on shows like Slings and Arrows, True Detective Season 2, and the best episode of What If...? Season 1.

Chiwetel Ejiofor (Karl Mordo)

Reprising his role of Karl Mordo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is Chiwetel Ejiofor, who once again plays Dr. Strange’s mysterious and vengeful former mentor and close confidant who has a bone to pick with the Master of the Mystic Arts.

Outside of the realm of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ejiofor has found a great deal of success in a variety of different roles that range from Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated performances in the likes of 12 Years a Slave and Kinky Boots. And then there are notable appearances in movies like Children of Men, American Gangster, and Love Actually. Ejiofor has also popped up on a number of TV programs throughout his career, including Trust, Tsunami: The Aftermath, Dancing on the Edge, and the 2022 Showtime adaptation of The Man Who Fell to Earth.

Julian Hilliard (Billy Maximoff)

Julian Hilliard shows up in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as Billy Maximoff, one of two twin boys Wanda Maximoff originally created as a figment of her imagination on WandaVision.

Although he is mostly known for playing one of Wanda and Vision’s mysterious sons on the mind-bending and genre-jumping Disney+ streaming series (and now the Marvel Phase 4 movie), Hilliard has also made several appearances in some high-profile projects throughout his young career. This includes movies like The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Color out of Space, and Never Goin’ Back, as well as a list of TV credits that includes Penny Dreadful: City of Angels and The Haunting of Hill House.

Jett Klyne (Tommy Maximoff)

Jett Klyne returns to Marvel Cinematic Universe once again in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness with his portrayal of Tommy Maximoff, the second twin son of Wanda Maximoff introduced on WandaVision.

Over the course his career, which started with him being a Gerber baby, per Penticton Western News, Klyne has been in a little bit of everything, including brief appearances on shows like Supergirl, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, The X-Files, Supernatural, and several others. He has also popped up in movies like Skyscraper, Z, and The Puppet Killer, to name just a few.

Michael Stuhlbarg (Nicodemus West)

Michael Stuhlbarg makes a brief appearance in the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cast, once again playing Dr. Nicodemus West, Stephen Strange’s rival surgeon from the 2016 origin story.

When he’s not playing a character that seems to get enjoyment out of trading barbs with Dr. Strange and talking about how his life was affected by Thanos’ “Blip,” Stuhlbarg takes on a number of different roles in various film, TV, and stage productions. Over the years, Stuhlbarg has appeared in movies like Hugo, Steve Jobs, Trumbo, Call Me by Your Name, and The Shape of Water. His TV credits include everything from Boardwalk Empire to The Looming Tower and Your Honor to Dopesick. He currently appears on the HBO true crime drama series, The Staircase.

Sheila Atim (Sara)

Sheila Atim, one of the Marvel newcomers to appear in the Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness cast, shows up as Sara, one of the fearless sorcerers tasked with defending Kamar-Taj during the deadly siege on the headquarters of the Masters of the Mystic Arts.

A classically trained actress, Atim has popped up in major stage productions throughout England, including several stints at Shakespeare’s Globe in plays like Othello and The Lightning Child. Atim’s TV work is just as impressive with appearances on shows like Harlots, The Feed, The Irregulars, The Underground Railroad, and more. She has also had roles in movies like Bruised and The Show. She’ll next appear in Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King alongside Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, and John Boyega.

Adam Hugill (Rintrah)

And then there is newcomer Adam Hugill, who provides the voice of Rintrah, the green Minotaur-like character seen defending Kamar-Taj from attack throughout Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Hugill made his professional acting debut in 2019 with an appearance on the DC Comics series Pennyworth. Later that year he would appear on World of Fire before making a brief appearance in Sam Mendes' intense military drama, 1917 (which also featured a brief performance by Benedict Cumberbatch). Hugill has also shown up on The Watch and Sherwood since then.

But, this is only a part of the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as there is no fun in ruining the movie's big surprises for those who haven't seen it yet. Since you're here, get a head start on all those other upcoming Marvel movies.

SPOILERS are ahead for Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness. We can’t perform another time heist once you’ve read ahead. Experience the movie first, now playing in theaters. 

Since the Doctor Strange sequel was first teased in 2019, it was being described as the first  MCU horror movie and here it is! Sam Raimi’s return to the comic book world following helming the original Spider-Man trilogy is packed with scary sequences and gothic horror, alongside a winding multiverse storyline. Now that we’ve seen how the new Marvel movie plays out, let’s break it down. 

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness follows Stephen Strange after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. After meeting a multiverse traveler by the name of America Chavez who is being pursued for powers she cannot control and has met him before in another universe, he reaches out to Scarlet Witch to assist him and Wong on a mission. However, Strange soon finds out that Wanda has been the one seeking out America. After the events of WandaVision, the Scarlet Witch becomes a particularly powerful villain who will stop at nothing to gain multiverse powers and be in a world where she can be happy with her children. Here’s how it all goes down: 

What Happens At The End Of Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness 

Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) spends the bulk of In The Multiverse Of Madness pursuing The Book of Vishanti, which gives sorcerers whatever it is they need to complete a spell or vanquish an evil. He hopes that the Book will help him defeat Scarlet Witch, who is using the Darkhold to capture America Chavez and drain her of her powers. After Doctor Strange is brought to the Illuminati in another universe, Scarlet Witch “dreamwalks” into the body of herself from the corresponding universe and kills every one of the variant heroes. Assisted by Earth-838's Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), Doctor Strange is about to reach the Book of Vishanti. However, Wanda destroys it, captures America and sends Strange and  Christine into another world. 

The world Doctor Strange and Christine end up in has suffered a devastaing Incursion Event, which is the result of multiverses colliding into one another. Our Doctor Strange has a confrontation with this universe’s Strange, Sinister Strange (who has a third eye), and asks him to let him use his copy of the Darkhold as a last ditch effort to save America. Sinister Strange refuses, and the two engage in some sort of music-themed battle, which our Strange wins. 

He then opens the Sinister Strange's copy of the Darkhold and uses it to dreamwalk into the universe Scarlet Witch and America are in. But to do so, he must resurrect a dead version of himself from the beginning of the movie (Defender Strange), which he buried on a roof. Zombie Doctor Strange’s power becomes elevated by using the Souls of the Damned, who prey on sorcerers who use the Darkhold, to defeat Wanda. When he reaches them, the souls are used to briefly distract Scarlet Witch as Doctor Strange gives America a pep talk to finally gain control of her powers. America does this and uses them to propel Wanda into the Earth-838 universe she wanted to live in, where Wanda is a mother to Billy and Tommy. 

Why Did The Scarlet Witch Decide To Destroy The Darkhold?

America Chavez reveals to Wanda how terrified her children are of her as the villain she has become in her desperation for a life with them. Scarlet Witch realizes that she is currently a monster in her children’s eyes and has a change of heart regarding her bloody mission thus far. Wanda not only destroys the Darkhold she was using since the beginning of the film, but the copies of the Darkhold from every universe. She also destroys the setting of Mount Wundagore, which is the birthplace of chaos magic, and seemingly kills herself in the process. Hopefully that's not Wanda's final fate after her long history in the MCU, starting with 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron. 

How America Chavez Saved The Multiverse, And How Doctor Strange Leaves Her 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness serves as a great introduction of America Chavez, who saves the multiverse from Wanda’s chaos. As we learn early in the film, she has never been able to control her powers, and when she first used them, it inadvertently sent her moms into another world. She believes them to be dead, but Doctor Strange has hope that they are still alive, somewhere. 

Following America saving the fate of the multiverse and learning to control her powers, she starts training at Kamar-Taj, the place where Strange once honed his own magical powers. There’s certainly room here for more America Chavez following her Doctor Strange introduction. 

Doctor Strange 2’s Message About The Search For Happiness

In between all the multiverse madness, Sam Raimi's Doctor Strange movie seeks to deliver a message about the search for happiness in a complicated world. It all starts when Stephen goes to the wedding of his former girlfriend Christine, then bumps into her at the reception. She asks him if he’s happy, and while he says yes, we’re not sure he believes it. Later on in the film, when he speaks to Sinister Strange, we learn more about what’s eating at him as he talks to a variant of himself. Other versions of himself have made many of the same mistakes, especially regarding Christine, who seems to be the one who got away as he helped the Avengers in saving the world. 

Doctor Strange then admits to Earth-838 Christine that he loves her in every universe, Although she declines his invitation to come with him, we come to understand that Strange has been struggling with facing his own fears. At the end of the film, he asks Wong if he’s happy and talks about not feeling as such after saving the world. Wong grounds Strange as the new Sorcerer Supreme by speaking about coming back to gratefulness in where they are following experienced numerous versions of their lives. In other words, we cannot control every decision in our lives, failure or loss, we can only go forward and take stock of what is left that is good and continue to move forward and grow. Read that, Wanda! 

And… What’s Up With Doctor Strange’s Third Eye? 

Now there’s one last thing left to talk about. At the end of the movie, in a surprise moment, our Doctor Strange is revealed to have the third eye that Sinister Strange had as well. Why? Well, it seems like the hero has unlocked some new abilities that are a byproduct of the Eye of Agamotto, which is a gold talisman that the character often wears around his neck. The Eye is used to show “truth” and from now on, it seems a third eye on Strange will appear when its powers are being illuminated. Strange may be able to better see through illusions, disguises, see the past, track beings through psychic or magical emissions and weaken evil mystical beings. In other words, Doctor Strange just leveled up. 

There's also the possibility that this new eye has negative side effects, as Strange did collapse when he first felt its arrival. If that's the case, it could be because he embraced the magic from Sinister Strange's Darkhold, which we are told does take a toll on the user. We will have to wait and see which outcome is correct.

After Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness, we can look forward to Ms. Marvel in June on Disney+ and Thor: Love and Thunder in theaters this July. Keep up to date with all the upcoming Marvel movies. We'll keep you updated on all things Marvel here on CinemaBlend. 

The MCU's Multiverse is back... or wait, did it never really leave since it’s already co-existing with us in our established reality already? Whatever the actual science may be, it’s the focal point of the soon-to-arrive Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with the titular character facing down new foes and even bigger questions surrounding one’s place in the grand scheme of events. As fate would have it, the film’s Hollywood premiere featured a lot of suits in the grand scheme of events – as well as Rachel McAdams outdressing everyone.

The actress returns as Doctor Strange’s former girlfriend, Dr. Christine Palmer, in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which delves into the aftermath of what went down in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Strange and Palmer's complicated on-and-off again romance isn’t exactly what has all the critics in a tizzy concerning Multiverse of Madness, but I for one am losing my marbles over Rachel McAdams' flowing yellow garment for the premiere. The cape is very much giving superhero vibes in its own right -- right? See for yourself:

Still, it's not exactly a Doctor Strange premiere without the one and only Master of Mystic Arts himself, Benedict Cumberbatch. In case eagle-eyed fans missed it, Doctor Strange continues to wear the Eye of Agamotto for a specific reason in Multiverse of Madness, despite the Time Stone no longer being around as of Avengers: Endgame. But the actor behind the superhero opted for something decidedly less flashy than both the infamous talisman and Rachel McAdams for the May 2 red carpet. One could even say he looks like a basic you-know-what whilst posing arm-in-arm with co-star Xochitl Gomez. See those two below:

Xochitl Gomez is portraying queer teenager America Chavez, who has the ability in both the MCU and comics to travel between dimensions. This franchise has been going to great lengths to keep Multiverse of Madness' secrets tightly under wraps, but nevertheless, the actress has been dealing with criticism from the fanbase over the character’s widely known sexuality, prompting even Benedict Wong to level some strong words in Gomez’s defense. Regardless though, the 16-year-old clearly stunted on the haters in her own way with her full-length sequin gown for the premiere event.

Along with the MCU newcomer, our old pal Elizabeth Olsen (a.k.a. Scarlet Witch) was at the Doctor Strange 2 red carpet. Strange seeks out the former Avenger in Multiverse of Madness regarding, you guessed it, help with the multiverse. I’m wondering if Cumberbatch and Olsen sought each other out in real-life regarding twinning outfit choices for the night – because Olsen also opted for a suit, as you can see here:

Now, you might be thinking that’s some kind of suit/skirt hybrid instead of a traditional pant suit. But I’m here to tell you that those are very much trousers that Elizabeth Olsen is wearing. Not bad, not bad at all. But to bring it back to Rachel McAdams, I think it’s clear who took their outfit to another dimension altogether.

CinemaBlend's review of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was relatively torn between loving director Sam Raimi's "gonzo sensibilities" and feeling frustration over certain flaws. Nevertheless, the spell-casting, reality-jumping film is out in theaters on May 6, per the 2022 movie releases schedule, so fans can decide for themselves how the story compares to its predecessors and other MCU entities. But one thing is decidedly not up for debate in my book, and it’s that Rachel McAdams continues serving the best looks in all levels of the multiverse.

If you’re somebody that really wants to avoid movie spoilers, get ready, because Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has had its world premiere. And that means that a number of human beings have seen the entire film, rather than just the beginning of the newest Marvel movie, and thus are at least capable of revealing what happens. Marvel Studios is doing what it can however, as the official studio Twitter disabled all replies when posting about the premiere, thus preventing anybody following the event from accidentally reading the wrong thing.

We’ve certainly all been there on Twitter or Reddit when we’re reading about an upcoming movie when somebody posts information about that movie that you’d rather not read. Some people do it to intentionally troll those looking to avoid spoilers. Others may not be quite so malicious, but it ultimately has the same effect. Marvel Studios is here for you. 

Following this tweet the official Twitter account for Marvel Studios posted lots of pictures from the red carpet premiere of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but they blocked replies from anybody not tagged in the posts, so there was no chance of accidentally seeing any discussion about the movie itself that people may have wanted to avoid, With the movie premiering on Thursday evening fans only need to make it a few more days, it would be a shame to be spoiled now.

Most people would want to avoid knowing too many details about a movie they’ve never seen before, especially if they were specifically planning to see that movie. At the same time, we all love to talk about movies and be part of conversations about our favorite films. It can certainly be difficult to do both things. 

Some fans will certainly go to extremes to avoid spoilers. Many will likely take a break from social media for a couple days or at least mute certain words in an attempt to avoid seeing anything they don’t want to see. What constitutes a spoiler isn’t the same across the board. Some people want to know as little as possible about a movie before they see it and may not even like knowing what’s in some trailers because it gives away too much. Reviews for Multiverse of Madness are going live as well. Although one wonders how many people will actually read them,

It’s a commonly held belief that if people know what happens in a movie, they are less likely to bother to actually go see the movie. Not everybody believes that’s true. Marvel’s own James Gunn has said spoilers don’t ruin movies.  Movie studios certainly don’t like that idea because it means less box office for them. And Marvel, by taking these steps (at least in theory), is protecting its own box office. Stars of Marvel movies know that spoilers are to be protected. It’s made some, like Thor: Love and Thunder’s Tessa Thompson nervous about speaking at all.

Of course, it’s also strongly promoting the idea that there are major spoilers to avoid, which might entice some to check out the movie as well. For the next few days spoilers won’t be that big a deal as the number of people who have seen the film will remain small. Once we get to May 6, however, and the new Marvel movie arrives, all bets are off and avoiding spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will become very tough.  

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is still days away from its premiere, and anticipation for the Marvel Cinematic Universe sequel is so high that the movie’s already setting records. Ticket presales outsold every 2022 movie thus far in just the first 24 hours, and the numbers continue to go up as the premiere date gets closer. While we civilians have to wait until Thursday night for our first chance to see Benedict Cumberbatch back in his leading role, critics have already screened the movie, and the reviews are in.

The movie takes place a few months after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, with Dr. Stephen Strange traveling into the multiverse to face a new adversary. Following the magical  Disney+ series WandaVision, fans are excited to see more of the Scarlet Witch, as well as all the things the movie could set up in the MCU. So what did the critics think, and what about all the Marvel characters who are rumored to be in the movie? Don’t worry, we won’t spoil anything here!

Let’s start with CinemaBlend’s review of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Eric Eisenberg rates the blockbuster 3.5 stars out of 5, calling it an exciting new addition to the MCU canon, but not exceptional, as there are some frustrating flaws:

Susana Polo of Polygon says Doctor Strange 2 packs as many characters as possible around the titular doctor, but the strong supporting cast only underscores the weakness of Strange's own evolution. This review says Elizabeth Olsen gives the film's most arresting performance as Scarlet Witch:

David Ehrlich of IndieWire grades the film a B, saying director Sam Raimi may have just saved the MCU from itself by telling a story about what happens after you open Pandora's box:

Multiple critics point out that Sam Raimi has left his distinct mark on the movie, with Rosie Knight of Nerdist saying it's dripping with his signature style and tricks, and this review calls Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness the MCU's first horror. She rates the film 4 out of 5:

Alonso Duralde of The Wrap, however, argues that the characters suffer from all of the plot and magical doodads. This review says Doctor Strange 2 hits the "ooh-and-aah" marks we expect from a well-crafted Marvel adventure, but even with Sam Raimi at the helm, this entry goes heavy on the spectacle but light on the humanity:

If this sounds like a multiverse you want to be a part of, you should probably look into reserving your seat in the theater, because the premiere is just around the corner on Friday, May 6.

To stay on top of every Marvel Cinematic Universe film set to arrive in 2022 and beyond, head over to our Upcoming Marvel Movies guide, and if you’re planning to do a big MCU rewatch, our Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline is a feature you should read (and you still have a little time to work through the seven specific titles you should watch before Doctor Strange 2.) Also be sure to check out our 2022 Movie Release Schedule to see what other films are coming soon to theaters. 

Generally speaking, I find myself more excited for superhero sequels than origin films. Being a lifelong comic book fan, I am familiar with how most of the major characters gained their special abilities, and that’s the material typically covered faithfully in any big screen debut for a gifted, costumed vigilante. The follow-up movies, on the other hand, don’t have that burden. With introductions and key exposition out of the way, what remains is the opportunity for filmmakers to tell an original story that best utilizes the main protagonist and develops themes that move them forward.

Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness had all the potential to do exactly that, but, as executed, it sees its major successes undermined by its faults: The blockbuster has a lot of fun with the multiverse as a concept, but those hoping to experience a lot of reality hopping “madness” may feel mislead by the promise in the title (the number of alternate timelines can be counted on a single hand). Benedict Cumberbatch’s magical eponymous hero is obviously well qualified for the spotlight in the sci-fi plot, and his abilities generate plenty of spectacle, but the film doesn’t ultimately provide the character with any kind of substantial arc or cover new ground emotionally. And while the movie finds a smart and fitting way to continue the story of Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff a.k.a. Scarlet Witch after the events of WandaVision, it ends up fumbling her story significantly with a key narrative choice in the third act.

The Doctor Strange sequel is kick started with an introduction to America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), a 14-year-old with the unique ability to open star-shaped portals that allow her to travel between layers of the multiverse. It’s a power that a dangerous and mysterious villain wishes to control, and America is continually hunted by giant monsters that have been sent to capture her.

Arriving in the world fans know as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she is saved by Doctor Strange and Wong (Benedict Wong) from a one-eyed, tentacled goliath – and the two sorcerers become dedicated to helping her as soon as she tells them her story. Understanding what is at stake should a malevolent force be able to willfully travel through the multiverse, Strange realizes that Wanda Maximoff could be a vital asset in protecting America Chavez… but what he is unaware of is that she is still fragile following the death of Vision and the disappearance of the twin boys (Julian Hilliard, Jett Klyne) she magically conjured while in a state of extreme grief.

It's a wonderful thing to have Sam Raimi back in a director's chair.

What's unequivocally the best thing about Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness is that it's a comic book movie that has Sam Raimi's fingerprints all over it – which is evidenced right from the start with the gory conclusion to the alluded-to battle with the cyclops-esque octopus creature. Not only are the director’s gonzo sensibilities on full display, the movie taking delightful excursions into the macabre, but there are also his iconic flourishes in the cinematography and editing. When a door slams and the camera performs the signature simultaneous zoom and tilt, it’s cinematic magic that only Raimi can conjure.

There are unavoidable Marvel house style elements, particularly in the visual effects and costume design, but it’s not a detriment to Sam Raimi’s vision, and more than anything it just grounds the movie in the familiar Marvel Cinematic Universe and makes the director’s special touches pop to a greater extent. This is particularly effective when it comes to some excellent jump scares – which won’t give anyone nightmares, but will make you attain liftoff from your seat a few times.

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness is neither as big nor as intimate as it feels it wants to be. 

As much fun as Sam Raimi is having, however, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness is frustrating when it comes to scale. It sets its stakes incredibly high, with the central antagonist threatening to destroy every iteration of reality – but that’s only something that is told to us and never really shown to us. It’s an issue that stems from the fact that the action in the movie is exclusively contained to two alternate universes outside the normal MCU timeline, never providing audiences with a proper, comprehensive exploration of the extreme variation in its central sci-fi concept.

There is one all-too-brief montage while America Chavez and Doctor Strange are hurtling through the multiverse that brilliantly illustrates the insanity that is possible… but then they land in a world where the principal aesthetic differences from our own are traffic lights being reversed (green means stop, red means go) and pizza being sold in balls instead of slices. This isn’t to say that this universe isn’t without surprises – as it actually packs many that will stun fans – but it’s also a bummer that the blockbuster spends so much time there after acknowledging  that there exists a universe where everything is paint.

Xochitl Gomez’s America Chavez is a delight, and Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch steals the show.

The story being as contained as it is would feel less like wasted potential if there were more to the movie in the realm of character development for Doctor Strange, but that isn’t really accomplished. Not only does it repeat the same moral lesson for the hero from his first film (understanding that he isn’t the center of the universe), but there isn’t much perceptible change in him from the start of the narrative to the end. Benedict Cumberbatch remains an impressive and charismatic presence in the role, but his profile maintains a status quo as in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame.

This leaves the door wide open for the ladies to steal the show from the eponymous lead. Thanks in large part to Xochitl Gomez’s plucky magnetism, America Chavez is a character destined for fan-favorite status, as her energy flows off the screen and stellar powers are matched with an emotional backstory.

Scarlet Witch, meanwhile, is given the terrific storyline she deserves in the wake of the events of WandaVision (a must-watch prior to Doctor Strange 2). It’s a powerful performance that is evoked from complex and passionate motivations from the character, and audiences around the world are going to drop their jaws when they witness the awesome extent of her powers. A disappointing story development at the end of the film does hamper what is otherwise brilliant material – but this spoiler-free review is not a proper forum for the commentary.

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness is a movie that was still being written as it was in production, and you sense it when taking in the entire experience. It’s a cool collection of characters assembled in a plot that creates excellent opportunities for surprises – but it lacks cohesive themes that would elevate the material to being more than a fun ride. It’s an exciting new addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe canon, but not an exceptional one.

While we’ve been looking forward to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness since its initial announcement, the past couple months have cranked the hype machine into overdrive. One of the main reasons for that response is that this latest entry in the Marvel movies canon has been teasing the potential introduction of the Illuminati in the MCU. Well, we’ve arrived at the point where that’s no longer the case, as the potential has been realized, and the Illuminati is now confirmed.

After being buzzed about through Doctor Strange fans, as well as theorized by our own Eric Eisenberg, what was once rumor is now fact. Strangely enough, all it took was one piece of dialogue from Chiwetel Ejiofor’s returning Karl Mordo to announce their presence; and it’s pretty awesome. You can see the moment for yourself, thanks to a new TV spot released by Marvel Studios:

The doors are now officially blown off of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as the confirmation of the Illuminati’s presence begins to tie a lot of threads into the Phase Four picture. First off, we can pretty much assume that Patrick Stewart’s surprise appearance in a previous trailer is in fact the Professor X we know and love from the existing X-Men saga. Stewart can play it coy all he wants, it just feels right going by comic lore.

Digging deeper into that beautiful multiversal tangent, we might just see another Tony Stark joining the ranks of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whether or not this will actually happen, or if Tom Cruise will be playing an alternate Tony, remains to be seen. Still, while this theory may be a little more off-base, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’s latest look makes it less crazy than before.

Of course there’s the multiversal elephant in the room when it comes to the Illuminati and the universe of upcoming Marvel movies. As both X-Men and Fantastic Four are hotly anticipated debuts that the MCU has yet to make, the membership of key figures from both franchises is now back in the forefront of the minds of Marvel fans. With that in mind, it’s possible that the huge reveal in that Illuminati scene could be the unveiling of Reed Richards in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

All things are possible through the multiverse, and with director Sam Raimi ready to push the boundaries of this Doctor Strange sequel, that just might be what happens. Naturally all of this is speculation, especially since we only know so much about the Fantastic Four’s part in the grand scheme of things. We’ll just have to wait and see what the Illuminati brings to the table when Stephen Strange finally meets them face to faces.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is maddeningly close to making its theatrical debut, which starts in early showings next week. To catch a glimpse of all the other films heading to our multiverse this year, our schedule of 2022 movie releases is there to help.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a massively popular franchise, and there are a number of highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies heading to theaters over the next few years. Next up is Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which will feature the first return of Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch since Wandavision. But is Wanda really stronger than Doctor Strange? Sam Raimi has weighed in.

Excitement over Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is currently sky high, especially as more footage and images from the mysterious blockbuster have been released. It seems like Sam Raimi has crafted a wild ride for audiences, including variants of a number of characters. But fans are especially curious about Scarlet Witch’s relationship to the former Sorcerer Supreme, and how their powers stack up. Raimi was recently asked by Fandango about which Avenger is more powerful, saying:

Well, I’m definitely intrigued. It sounds like the multiverse is full of twists and turns, including when it comes to the power levels of Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch. It’s unclear how much these two heroes will get along in the upcoming blockbuster, but their power dynamic will seemingly depend on what variants of the character are being shown on screen. Is it May yet?

Sam Raimi’s comments about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness definitely highlights how many variants of the heroes will be in the mysterious blockbuster. The trailers have already revealed some of these alternates, including two different takes on Benedict Cumberbatch’s title character. We’ll just have to see how many variants of Wanda are also included.

Fans have been so excited to see which hero is more powerful thanks to a brief but memorable sequence from the WandaVision finale. When Kathryn Han’s Agatha Harkness is telling Wanda about her powers while reading from the Darkhold, she maintains that the Scarlet Witch is even more powerful than the Sorcerer Supreme. Fans have been wanting to see that theory tested on the big screen, and Doctor Strange 2 seems like the perfect opportunity.

While the footage from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been helping to buoy fan excitement, the marketing has been careful not to actually reveal much about the movie’s plot. As such, Sam Raimi can seemingly take the story anywhere, especially since both the multiverse and chaos magic is involved. Luckily the highly anticipated sequel is almost here.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will hit theaters on May 6th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

2021 wasn't quite the "back to normal" year at the movies that we were all hoping it would be, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. If nothing else, most of the 2022 Oscar nominees were at the very least released in actual movie theaters. And 2021 was a solid year for movies with strong contenders expected to do well tonight including The Power of the Dog, West Side Story and Dune.

While this year's Academy Awards broadcast will be dealing with some degree of controversy following the decision to not give out all the Oscars live, it should nonetheless be an interesting show. Follow along with us live as we update the list below as the awards are given out.

Best Picture

• Belfast
• CODA
• Don't Look Up
• Drive My Car
• Dune
• King Richard
• Licorice Pizza
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• West Side Story

Best Directing

• Belfast, Kenneth Branagh
• Drive My Car, Ryusuke Hamaguchi
• Licorice Pizza, Paul Thomas Anderson
• The Power of the Dog, Jane Campion
• West Side Story, Steven Spielberg

Best Actress In A Leading Role

• Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
• Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter
• Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers
• Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos
• Kristen Stewart, Spencer

Best Actor In A Leading Role

• Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos
• Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog
• Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick... BOOM!
• Will Smith, King Richard
• Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth

Best Actress In A Supporting Role

• Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter
• Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
• Judi Dench, Belfast
• Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog
• Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard

Best Actor In A Supporting Role

• Ciarán Hinds, Belfast
• Troy Kotsur, CODA
• Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog
• J.K Simmons, Being the Ricardos
• Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

• Belfast
• Don't Look Up
• King Richard
• Licorice Pizza
• The Worst Person in the World

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

• CODA
• Drive My Car
• Dune
• The Lost Daughter
• The Power of the Dog

Best Animated Feature Film

• Encanto
• Flee
• Luca
• The Mitchells vs. The Machines
• Raya and the Last Dragon

Best International Feature Film

• Drive My Car, Japan
• Flee, Denmark
• The Hand of God, Italy
• Lunana: A Yakin the Classroom, Bhutan
• The Worst Person in the World, Norway

Best Documentary (Feature)

• Ascension
• Attica
• Flee
• Summer of Soul(...Or When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
• Writing With Fire

Best Production Design

• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• The Tragedy of Macbeth
• West Side Story

Best Cinematography

• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• The Tragedy of Macbeth
• West Side Story

Best Costume Design

• Cruella
• Cyrano
• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• West Side Story

Best Film Editing

• Don't Look Up
• Dune
• King Richard
• The Power of the Dog
• Tick, Tick...BOOM!

Best Makeup And Hairstyling

• Coming 2 America
• Cruella
• Dune
• The Eyes of Tammy Faye
• House of Gucci

Best Music (Original Score)

• Don't Look Up
• Dune
• Encanto
• Parallel Mothers
• The Power of the Dog

Best Music (Original Song)

• "Be Alive," King Richard
• "Dos Oruguitas," Encanto
• "Down To Joy," Belfast
• "No Time to Die," No Time to Die
• "Somehow You Do," Four Good Days 

Best Sound

• Belfast
• Dune
• No Time to Die
• The Power of the Dog
• West Side Story

Best Visual Effects

• Dune
• Free Guy
• No Time To Die
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Spider-Man: No Way Home

Best Short Film (Animated)

• Affairs of the Heart
• Bestia
• Boxballet
• Robin Robin
• The Windshield Wiper

Best Documentary (Short Subject)

• Audible
• Lead Me Home
• The Queen of Basketball
• Three Songs For Benazir
• When We Were Bullies

Best Short Film (Live Action)

• Ala Kachuu - Take And Run
• The Dress
• The Long Goodbye
• On My Mind
• Please Hold

Did your favorite film of 2021 take home an Oscar?

Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a doozy so far, with the franchise greatly expanding on the small and silver screen. The next upcoming Marvel movie is Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and it seems like Sam Raimi could go anywhere with its story. Now it looks like Doctor Strange 2’s runtime may have been revealed, and it’s reportedly super long.

Anticipation for Doctor Strange’s sequel is sky high, as it’ll also connect with WandaVision and Spider-Man: No Way Home. The first trailer basically broke the internet, offering a glimpse of the expansive story. While fans are waiting for more information, one ticket seller named Ingresso may have revealed the blockbuster’s runtime. Because they’ve got it listed at a whopping 148 minutes.

Of course this information has yet to be confirmed by Marvel Studios, so we should probably still take it with a grain of salt. But MCU movies have had a penchant for fairly long runtimes lately, including Eternals’ 156-minute runtime and Spider-Man: No Way Home’s 148 minutes. It'll be particularly interesting if Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ends up being the same length as the latter project, given how massive both movies appear to be.

Given how much narrative ground Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness looks like it’s going to cover, it would make sense if this rumored runtime ends up being true. There’s an ensemble of characters for Sam Raimi to service, including newcomers like America Chavez and the return of franchise favorites like Rachel McAdams’ Christine Palmer. And one the multiverse is ripped open, we’ll likely get doubles of many characters in the form of variants. After all, the first trailer showed multiple versions of Benedict Cumberbatch’s title character.

As a reminder, you can check out the trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The movie features quick shots featuring a number of fascinating concepts, including new monsters, alternate realities, and some seriously precarious situations. Plus the editing is done so that Sam Raimi’s MCU debut is still protecting its spoilers, and should pack plenty of surprises.

One of the most highly anticipated aspects of Doctor Strange 2 is the return of Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch. She gained insane new powers throughout the course of WandaVision, and is seemingly on a mission to find a way to bring back her twins. We see her have words with Strange in the trailer, and fans can’t wait to see these two magical users finally share scenes on the big screen. Although whether they’re friends or foes remains to be seen.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will hit theaters on May 6th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Doctor Strange hit the Marvel Cinematic Universe scene in late 2016, and since then he’s been keeping busy helping out his fellow superheroes in Thor: Ragnarok, the latter two Avengers movies and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Even Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige considers him this superhero franchise’s “anchor.” However, while Benedict Cumberbatch’s character is firmly allied with various Avengers, the actor doesn’t consider Stephen Strange to be an official member of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Benedict Cumberbatch explained his reasoning for this while chatting with KCRW about Doctor Strange’s characterization in the MCU. After describing his version of the Master of the Mystic Arts as being “fine with aligning himself with creatures and spirits and everything else that's thrown at him,” which is why he’s able to be a “slight outsider as an Avenger,” Cumberbatch said the following:

It’s like Wong said in the first Doctor Strange movie, it’s up to him and the other sorcerers to protect our reality from the more mystical threats that the Avengers can’t handle. Granted, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange was obviously open to working alongside non-magically gifted heroes in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame when Thanos started causing trouble, but for the most part, the way he protects innocent lives is done much differently compared to what Earth’s Mightiest Heroes do. So while the Avengers can likely count on Strange to lend a hand whenever the next big bad targeting the entirety of the MCU rears their head (maybe that’ll happen in Secret Wars), Cumberbatch doesn’t see his character as a card-carrying member of the superhero team.

After spending the last half decade popping up MCU movies as either an ensemble player or supporting character, the time has finally come for Doctor Strange to lead his own movie again. That said, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will see the title character’s life once again intersecting with other corners of the MCU. Along with Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch joining the fray (the sequel may answer whether or not she’s more powerful than Strange), we’ll also meet Xochitl Gomez’s version of America Chavez. The latest Multiverse of Madness trailer also featured Patrick Stewart’s voice, which naturally prompted many to assume he’ll appear as a Professor X variant. 

Building on the events of Loki and Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will cast its spell in theaters on May 6. It’s one of many upcoming Marvel movies scheduled for the near future, so keep an eye on CinemaBlend for more news about what the sequel has in store.