Though Marvel’s recent push of the highly-anticipated Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may sting a bit for fans, they do have something to look forward to when the follow-up to the 2016 hit finally debuts as Chiwetel Ejiofor has confirmed that he will indeed be returning as Baron Mordo!
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In an interview with Screen Rant to discuss his role in the upcoming Netflix adaptation of Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández’s comic book The Old Guard, the Oscar nominee revealed he will in fact be returning to his role as the sorcerer who would go on to be a primary adversary of the titular character.
“We’re hoping to start pretty soon is what I can tell you,” Ejiofor said. “So, you know, as soon as possible. We’re all really excited to get going and to get cracking with it. I can’t wait.”
When audiences last saw Mordo, it was in the post-credits scene in the first film in which he visits Benjamin Bratt’s Jonathan Pangborn, who has been using his magical energy to cure his paralysis and live a normal life. Mordo proceeds to steal his energy, leaving Pangborn a paraplegic once again, and states that the problem with the world is it’s filled with too many sorcerers, setting up his villainous future. Mordo was one of the few main characters from the film not to appear in follow-up MCU films, as Strange would appear in Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, Wong would appear in the latter two films in the fight against Thanos, while The Ancient One would appear in Endgame during the time heist.
Benedict Cumberbatch will reprise his role as Stephen Strange, with Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff. Olsen’s upcoming Disney+ series, WandaVision, will also tie into the sequel. Additionally, Marvel’s Kevin Feige has confirmed that the Loki series will be linked to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as well. Filming was expected to begin in May, but due to global health concerns it has been pushed back to pre-production beginning remotely in June.
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The film recently hired Loki head writer Michael Waldron to rewrite the script from Jade Bartlett and has entered talks with Spider-Man‘s Sam Raimi to take over the directorial reigns on the project, much to the joy of fans and Derrickson alike.
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, and Benedict Wong have yet to be confirmed for the sequel. However, it’s likely that they will all return.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will hit theaters on November 5, 2021.
