Stephen Strange will be battling Nightmare in Doctor Strange 2, according to the first film’s writer. Marvel Studios opened up a new corner to the Marvel Cinematic Universe when Benedict Cumberbatch finally brought the future Sorcerer Supreme onto the big screen in 2016. Directed by Scott Derrickson, Doctor Strange was a moderate success at the box office, which presumably would garner a sequel, but Marvel is being cagey on confirming anything involving Doctor Strange 2.

Cumberbatch is going to be heavily featured in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4 either way, so a sequel’s chances are based on the assumptions that he makes it out alive. Derrickson and Robert C. Cargill, who wrote the first movie, have recently been teasing that they’re still working together, and now Cargill’s confirmed where their sequel will go should they be fortunate enough to make one.

MovieWeb shared quotes from a Q&A Cargill recently did at a movie screening, where he confirmed that Nightmare - the ruler of the Nightmare Realm and Dream Dimension - is going to be the villain for Doctor Strange 2. This is something that Derrickson’s has long expressed interest in, but now we know for certain that they intend to follow through. That decision does mean that Baron Mordo’s (Chiwetel Ejiofor) antagonistic turn at the end of the first movie won’t be the focus, but he’s still going to be very much involved.

Cargill’s explanation for Mordo’s presence in the sequel could lead to a number of different outcomes. First off, it could mean that Mordo will be involved in helping Nightmare torment the regular world and come after Doctor Strange. But, there’s also the possibility that it could force Strange and Mordo, former friends turned enemies, to make an uneasy alliance to defeat him. Cargill actually elaborated on Mordo’s future, teasing that Marvel has major plans for Ejiofor.

“Me and Scott have not laid the groundwork for it but what I can say is that I have a feeling that whatever Nightmare is involved with, Baron Mordo, being somebody who considers himself the defender of natural law will have something to do with it.”

This is great news for anyone who liked what Ejiofor brought to the MCU in Doctor Strange. Even though Cargill admits here that there’s not a guarantee that he and Derrickson will be the people to see this arc through, it once again shows Marvel’s planning when it comes to their growing cinematic universe. Plus, if Loki (Tom Hiddleston) dies in Infinity War as many expect, then the MCU could use another complicated villain to seed through various films. However it plays out for Cargill and Derrickson, they’ve clearly got plans for Doctor Strange 2 that continue to build out the mystical side of this universe.

“For those of you who have ever read the comics, you know that Baron Mordo has a very particular arc, and that’s something we discussed with Chiwetel while working on the first movie. And part of the reason Chiwetel wanted to play Mordo was because he has a definitive ending as a character and it’s such a fascinating ending. And I do know that whether we’re attached or not, that Marvel plans on working towards that ending and fully realizing Mordo as more than just a cardboard cutout villain, but actually taking him to kind of Loki levels of awesomeness. That’s the goal with him.”

MORE: Doctor Strange 2 May Not Be in Phase 4

Source: Robert C. Cargill (via MovieWeb)

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