Doctor Strange's New Phase 4 Variant Can Set Up The MCU's Next Hero Team

 Doctor Strange's New Phase 4 Variant Can Set Up The MCU's Next Hero Team

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness can set up the MCU's next superhero team with Strange's new Phase 4 variant: Defender Strange.

Doctor Strange's new Phase 4 variant can set up the Defenders as the next Marvel Cinematic Universe team after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Thanks to the endless possibilities of the multiverse, Marvel Studios is not shying away from using different versions of the same character. The idea of variants has already played a part in Loki and Spider-Man: No Way Home's storylines, but Doctor Strange 2 could introduce a new hero team through one of its variants.

It is already confirmed that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness features multiple versions of Benedict Cumberbatch's sorcerer. The MCU's main Doctor Strange returns to star following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home and deals with the multiverse unraveling. While theories have run rampant that Scarlet Witch is evil in Doctor Strange 2, the first trailer confirmed the presence of an evil Doctor Strange variant too. This could be Strange Supreme from Marvel's What If...? or another corrupted Strange from across the multiverse. It has also been revealed that a variant known as Defender Strange will appear, and he could be tied to the MCU's next team.

There haven't been many glimpses at Doctor Strange 2's Defender Strange variant. He has primarily been seen through merchandise, which revealed his name and showed a costume that is quite close to a red and black suit Strange wore in the comics before. There is one glimpse of him in the Doctor Strange 2 trailer falling through the multiverse as well. Despite this limited information on this variant, it is quite clear based on his name and costume that he's meant to reflect Doctor Strange's time as a member of the superhero team known as the Defenders. While Netflix featured a very different version of the Marvel team comprised of Daredevil, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones, Doctor Strange's Defenders team could join the MCU after Multiverse of Madness.

Doctor Strange founded Marvel's original Defenders team in 1971, as he worked with Hulk and Namor to defend earth from demonic beings known as the Undying Ones. The team's roster eventually grew to include Silver Surfer, Valkyrie, Clea, and others. With Doctor Strange 2 using a Strange variant to reference his comic connection to the Defenders, it is possible that the movie will even assemble a version of the team. Mark Ruffalo's Hulk could make another surprise Phase 4 return, while Tenoch Huerta could cameo as Namor ahead of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. There's even the chance Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie could be featured or that the movie introduces Clea or Silver Surfer in this multiverse fashion.

Even if Doctor Strange 2 doesn't show Defender Strange's team, his introduction and interaction with the MCU's sorcerer can pave the way for the Defenders to form in the Sacred Timeline. Strange could learn about the team from his new Phase 4 variant and be inspired to create his own version of the team. The Defenders could then be the prominent team for Cumberbatch moving forward, instead of the Avengers or Midnight Sons. It's all possible now that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Screen : screenrant.com