Doctor Strange 2 ad reveals up to two MCU cameos — and more of Professor X

A closeup of Doctor Strange
(Image credit: Marvel.com)

A new TV spot for Doctor Strange 2 is circulating around the net for all to see — and it comes with a small detail that actually feels like a major cameo reveal. And while it's the kind of moment that some on the TG team were excited about, it's also the kind of news that at least one of my colleagues is already griping about.

So, if you want to avoid spoilers, then don't proceed further than this paragraph. The TV clip also looks to give more confirmation that Professor X is in the building with the Illuminati, as his chair is seen moving while Patrick Stewart's voice (and nobody can tell us it's not him) is heard saying ""we will see what kind of Doctor Strange you are." 

So, let's get down to the spoiler! The below clip, posted by YouTube account swshriv reveals that one of the What If...? characters appears to be in Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness.

Didn't see it? Well, freeze-frame around 8 seconds in, and keep double-clicking to advance the clip ever so slightly. There, you've seen it, right?

Captain Carter's shield — aka a shield that looks all too much like Captain America's, only with the Union Jack emblazoned on it — is clearly (but, still, fuzzily) visible at the 9 second mark. See for yourself. There's no sign of Hayley Atwell holding said shield, though, so no confirmation on if the actress is returning. Anyone else, though, would be weird and akin to the Fake Pietro from WandaVision.

Why is Captain Carter here? In What If...? she had lost Steve Rogers, and she could be trying to find him across the Marvel MCU multiverse.

Captain Carter's shield in the Doctor Strange 2 tv spot

(Image credit: Marvel via Twitter.com/3CFilmss)

But wait, there's (possibly) more. Right around the same moment as we saw the Captain Carter shield, we also saw someone flying in the sky and glowing with energy all over. Molly Edwards at our sister site Total Film writes that this looks like "a Captain Marvel variant" that looks like "Lashana Lynch's Maria Rambeau."

We wouldn't be surprised for that to be the truth, but since Professor X is here, the whole cast of mutants and X-Men seem to be on the table.

Analysis: Wait, the Illuminati?

Revealed in a previous TV spot you can watch below, the group of people who Strange meets (and seems to be on trial in front of) are called The Illuminati. 

In the comics, they've been comprised of major Marvel players such as Namor the Sub-Mariner, Captain America, Black panther, Beast, Iron Man and Doctor Strange himself.

They work behind the scenes of the MCU, and seem like just the counter-balance that villainy and chaos (and He Who Remains) need. Their appearance in Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness suggests that this movie will knock the walls down on what's possible in the MCU.

Doctor Strange 2 is the next upcoming Marvel movie, and it comes out May 6.

Looking for something to watch this weekend? We've got all the details on how to watch Real Housewives of Atlanta season 14 online and a Better Call Saul season 6 episode 4 preview, too. 

Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.