Benedict Cumberbatch Teases Doctor Strange’s Phase Four Role

Not only will Doctor Strange "expand your mind" when it hits theaters next month, it will also expand the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe as well. The arrival of Stephen Strange within the MCU is a major moment for Marvel's film franchise, and things will never be the same for our heroes. Now it seems that Benedict Cumberbatch is teasing some major implications for Marvel's Phase 4 slate with his upcoming solo movie. He explained:

There's a lot going on this story [Doctor Strange] that will lead you to understand why he'll play a key role in the next phase.

While speaking with Comicbook.com about the upcoming premiere of Doctor Strange, Benedict Cumberbatch admitted that the mystical Marvel movie serves to plant numerous narrative seeds going forward. Although he did not go into very specific detail about Doctor Strange's implications for the future, he teased some major involvement in the Phase 4 slate. It seems that (in true Marvel fashion) the studio is still looking several moves ahead to develop the course of this universe beyond Infinity War in 2018.

While Benedict Cumberbatch doesn't really go into detail with his statement, he gives enough for us to start speculating -- as we are wont to do. With Stephen Strange taking on a much bigger role in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it seems entirely within the realm of possibility that we could see The Illuminati on the screen at some point. This mysterious organization is essentially a secret society of some of Marvel's most prominent and powerful Earth-based heroes who make decision behind closed doors for the greater good of Earth-616. Because Tony Stark, Black Panther, and Stephen Strange are already established in the MCU, and Inhumans' Black Bolt is possibly on the way, many of the vital Illuminati elements will already be in place by the time Phase 4 rolls around.

Of course, we should also note that this could simply represent the changing of the guard. Kevin Feige has made no secret of the fact that Phase 4 will look incredibly different compared to Phases 1-3, which means that many of the heroes we have come to know and love may no longer be around in the near future. If characters like Tony Stark and Steve Rogers eventually step down, then Phase 3 newcomers like Peter Parker and Stephen Strange will step up to become the new faces of the MCU.

You can check out a trailer for Doctor Strange below to see more from the upcoming origin film:

CinemaBlend will bring you any and all relevant updates related to the upcoming release of Doctor Strange as more details become available. The Sorcerer Supreme's solo movie will hit theaters on November 4.