Mutants and geniuses and Inhumans, oh my!
Secret cameos in the new Doctor Strange do not disappoint the comic-book crowd
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness doesn’t disappoint when it comes to delivering top-secret cameos from Marvel superheroes who haven’t been seen onscreen before. Mutants. Geniuses. Alternative versions. Even an Inhuman. All are part of the Illuminati, who have arrived for their big Marvel Cinematic Universe debut. So, who are the Illuminati? A group from the comics whose onscreen appearance was so classified only the slightest hints of it appeared in any advertising for Multiverse of Madness. Here is the roster of the members who show up:
MORDO
(CHIWETEL EJIOFOR)
Ejiofor returns to the role of Baron Mordo — friend, mentor and eventual enemy of Steven Strange — after playing him in the first Doctor Strange movie (2016). This Mordo is seemingly friendlier and greets Doctor Strange and America Chavez in his universe with a smile that soon fades.
CAPTAIN CARTER (HAYLEY ATWELL)
After voicing the animated debut of British super-soldier Captain Carter in Marvel Studios’ animated What If ...? series, Atwell brings the character to life in live-action. This Peggy Carter is the Illuminati universe’s version of Captain America.
BLACK BOLT (ANSON MOUNT)
Perhaps the most “Oh, really?” moment was the appearance of Mount, reprising his role as Black Bolt of the Inhumans. The superhero team’s Inhumans was a Marvel/abc television show (2017) that never took off. Then Black Bolt showed up in this film, not saying a single word, because his voice is so powerful it can destroy anyone.
CAPTAIN MARVEL (LASHANA LYNCH)
Lynch is instantly recognizable as Maria Rambeau, who is the best friend of Carol Danvers and mother to an eventual superhero, Monica Rambeau, as seen in Captain Marvel (2019). But in the Illuminati universe, it is she who is Captain Marvel, with the suit and superpowers to prove it.
PROFESSOR X (PATRICK STEWART)
Stewart returns to the X-men world and makes his first appearance in the MCU as the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier.
REED RICHARDS (JOHN KRASINSKI)
Without a doubt the biggest surprise was the arrival of Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four, with an even bigger reveal of Krasinski being cast in the role. No one from the Fantastic Four has ever appeared in the MCU. The Washington Post