Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is generating significant hype ahead of its May release date, and the hints of the plot make the excitement well warranted. To prepare for the sequel, it will be helpful to watch or revisit some key Marvel films and shows ahead of time.
Doctor Strange 2: What to watch before
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is not only the 18th installment of the MCU, but is also the sequel to 2016’s Doctor Strange. In addition to the titular Stephen Strange, a handful of characters will be reprising their roles from the original film, including Baron Mordo, Wong, Nicodemus West, and Christine Palmer. To get a sense of who these characters are and where they stand with each other, watching Doctor Strange will be helpful ahead of the sequel.
Additionally, it will be helpful to revisit the last time we saw Stephen Strange on screen, which was only a few months prior with the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home. With the Doctor Strange sequel expected to dive deep into the multiverse, No Way Home will be valuable in understanding how the aforementioned concept has played a role in the MCU most recently to date.
To get a full understanding of the multiverse within the MCU, Marvel Studios’ television series will also play a role in the Doctor Strange sequel. The concept of the multiverse, in which Marvel’s superheroes and villains all have various versions of themselves spread out across different universes, was explored in both Loki as well as the animated series What If? Based on footage from the trailers and TV spots, it is not far-fetched to assume that a character or two from the television series will make a cameo in Multiverse of Madness.
Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet Witch, will play just as crucial of a role in the film as the titular character. Whether her presence is good or bad remains to be seen, but to get an understanding of her motivations leading into the film, revisiting WandaVision will be helpful and is one of Marvel Studios’ popular streaming series.