In a different timeline, the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe big-screen adventure “Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” is already streaming on Disney+, but here in our corner of the multiverse, the film is only available in theaters… for now.
The Benedict Cumberbatch-led sequel to 2016’s “Dr. Strange,” picks up on the universe-hopping themes of recent MCU offerings “WandaVision,” “What If?”, “Loki,” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and blends them with elements of director Sam Raimi’s signature blend of off-beat horror. The movie is expected to dominate the box office in the short term, but when will fans be able to watch the Sorcerer Supreme try to put the multiverse back together again from the comforts of their own homes?
Related: How to Stream Every Movie in the MCU
Currently, there is no official streaming release date for the MCU blockbuster, but based on recent windowing, it will likely be sometime in mid-July. The last MCU-proper film to hit theaters was “Eternals” when it opened wide on Nov. 5, 2021 and debuted 68 days later on Disney+ on Jan. 12. If that pattern holds, “Dr. Strange 2” will be available to stream on Tuesday, July 12.
However, given that “Eternals” began streaming on a Wednesday, and that Disney+ drops new episodes of MCU series on the same day, a nicer guess would be that the multiversal sequel will be available on the platform on Wednesday, July 13 — 69 days after its theatrical release.
“Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” will follow Cumberbatch’s surgeon turned superhero sorcerer as he attempts to heal the multiverse following the shenanigans he unleashed in “No Way Home.” Further complicating matters will be Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff as she further embraces her internal Chaos Magic en route to fully becoming the Scarlet Witch. Also along for the ride are returning MCU favorites Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, and Rachel McAdams.
The film will also introduce a new superhero in the portal-jumping America Chavez, played by Xochitl Gomez. Numerous cameos from across Marvel’s cinematic history have been rumored for the film, including what many people believe to be Sir Patrick Stewart’s Dr. Charles Xavier in the film’s trailer. No matter who is in the film, it promises to be a wild — slightly unhinged — ride through the MCU.
Now you might be wondering why we are using “Eternals” as the most recent MCU comp for “Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” when “No Way Home” was released in-between the two films. Well, because all of the Spider-Man films are co-productions between Disney and Sony — the latter studio owning the rights — they have a different distribution deal.
While “No Way Home” will eventually make its way to Disney+ (likely in 2023), it will first have an exclusive 18-month run on Netflix after being available on Starz and on-demand.
So while Marvel would love for the new “Dr. Strange” movie to replicate the box office success of “No Way Home,” it isn’t a good benchmark for attempting to crystal ball its streaming future. Recent MCU blockbuster “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” had a very similar rollout to “Eternals;” after premiering in theaters on Sept. 3 of last year, it hit the streaming service 70 days later on Nov. 12. However, that was a Friday, so perhaps “Dr. Strange 2” will debut on Disney+ after 71 days on July 15.
The MCU’s “Black Widow” had an unusual rollout as it became the first Disney superhero film to get the day-and-date Premiere Access treatment when it debuted in theaters and on streaming on July 9, 2021. However, after one month, the Scarlett Johansson thriller exited the streamer on August 9, only to return 58 days later on Oct. 6.
While we might not yet be able to definitively state when “Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” will arrive on Disney+, using The Streamable’s own unique blend of streaming insight and the Mystic Arts, we feel pretty confident in saying that Cumberbatch, Olsen, and company will be ready to bring their Chaos Magic into your living room by mid-July.
Check out the trailer for ‘Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’:
Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”