Details In Spider-Man: No Way Home That Set Up Doctor Strange 2
Contains spoilers for "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and potential spoilers for "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness"
"Spider-Man: No Way Home" feels like the end of an era. When Peter Parker (Tom Holland) was first introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2016's "Captain America: Civil War," fans knew they were in for a completely different take on the character. Sure, he might still be in high school and have web shooters attached to his wrists, but this Spider-Man wasn't a lone wolf in the Big Apple. He had the support of Stark Tech by his side, complete with fancy, new suits and weapons at his disposal.
Additionally, unlike Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's versions of the character, this is a Spider-Man with a wizard living in the same city as him. This gives him access to all kinds of spells, which come in particularly handy after Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) reveals his identity to the world. Peter resorts to asking Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for a massive favor, namely to cast a spell that will make the world forget Peter Parker is Spider-Man.
To put it bluntly, things go wrong in a spectacular fashion, culminating in Doctor Strange casting a spell to make the world forget who Peter Parker is entirely. Audiences see just how powerful his magic is, and while he's a supporting character in "No Way Home," he'll soon get enough time to shine in the upcoming "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." And there are a few breadcrumbs to give us some hints as to what to expect out of Strange's next adventure.
Doctor Strange already has experience with the multiverse
Arguably, the biggest set-up for "Multiverse of Madness" in "No Way Home" is the fact that the multiverse is officially introduced to the film side of the MCU. We've already seen disruptions to it in Disney+ series like "What If...?" and "Loki," but things have been taken to a whole new level. Characters who existed in other realities have crossed over into the MCU proper, and if universes can break into one another so easily, what's to stop it from happening again?
Apparently ... nothing. The word "Multiverse" is right there in the title of the "Doctor Strange" sequel, so the main question on the tips of every fan's tongue is what could possibly make Doctor Strange want to mess with the fabric of reality yet again. He saw the dangerous ramifications that can transpire when messing with other universes. Something important (or at least important to Strange) must be on the table for him to endanger the lives of trillions yet again.
Wong will be the Sorcerer Supreme
There's an intriguing development hinted at in "No Way Home" that makes sense once you think about it for a second. Doctor Strange informs Wong (Benedict Wong) about his plan to erase the minds of everyone on the planet to forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Wong is adamantly against the idea, saying how he's tampering with forces beyond his control that could endanger the lives of everyone on the planet.
It's during this back-and-forth that it's casually mentioned how Wong is the Sorcerer Supreme now. Strange mentions how it's only by technicality, seeing as how he was blipped for five years, and obviously, no one knew he'd come back. The planet still needed a Supreme to guide a new generation of wizards, so it makes sense the next guy on the corporate ladder would be Wong.
Going into "Doctor Strange 2," it's likely Wong will retain his title. After all, why would he give it up? It's unlikely to change much regarding the events of "Multiverse of Madness,' but when no one refers to Strange as the Sorcerer Supreme, you'll know why.
That post-credits scene
Of course, the most significant tie-in between "No Way Home" and "Multiverse of Madness" is the post-credits scene at the end of the former. It's less of a scene and more of a sneak preview trailer for "Doctor Strange 2" that gives us our best look yet at the massive sequel.
Doctor Strange goes up against his former ally, Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who's hunting other sorcerers in order to rid the world of magic. Apparently, he thinks the world would be a better place without Strange in it, and he'll likely go to some pretty deep depths to eliminate him. It requires Strange to call upon some help in the form of Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez). There are plenty of interdimensional threats, not the least of which is an evil-looking Doctor Strange who bears a striking resemblance to the version of the character we saw in "What If...?" on Disney+.
"Multiverse of Madness" is scheduled to come out on May 6, 2022, so keep an eye out for more clues in the months ahead as to what's going to transpire in "Doctor Strange 2."