After Thor: Ragnarok set photos revealed Chris Hemsworth holding a card with Doctor Strange’s address on it, rumors began circulating about a possible Benedict Cumberbatch cameo. When asked about it, director Taika Waititi refused to comment — though his initial non-statement was rendered meaningless once audiences saw the Doctor Strange mid-credits scene featuring Hemsworth and Cumberbatch. Yet even the pair’s humorous exchange wasn’t enough to officially confirm the British actor’s possible role in the third Thor film.
Thanks to the latest news letter from Disney’s D23 fan club, however, audiences can now expect Cumberbatch to stand alongside Hemsworth and Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo in some capacity:
If you need even more intergalactic, world-saving action, Thor: Ragnarok in November brings together Thor, the Hulk, and Doctor Strange to face off against intergalactic baddies both familiar and new.
The announcement finally confirms what Marvel fans have long suspected, though it doesn’t necessarily explain the nature of Cumberbatch’s involvement. According to the mid-credits scene in Doctor Strange, Thor has returned to earth seeking the whereabouts of his half-brother Loki for purposes unknown. Yet the god of thunder is apparently unable to find his mischievous kin on his own, so he seeks Strange’s assistance in the matter.
As ComingSoon.net points out, the Doctor Strange and Hulk characters have a long, complex history in the original comics. What’s more, the initial set photo featuring Thor holding a card with Strange’s address is quite literally ripped from an older comic book story line, so it’s a sure bet that Cumberbatch may be doing more in Thor: Ragnarok than seeing the sights in New York with Thor and Loki.
Thor: Ragnarok will usher in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s equivalent to the biblical apocalypse on November 3, 2017.
(Via ComingSoon.net)
