Benedict Cumberbatch says Dr Stephen Strange won't be in Avengers: Doomsday

Benedict Cumberbatch says Dr. Stephen Strange won't be in 'Avengers: Doomsday'.

The 48-year-old actor has confirmed that his superhero will be taking a hiatus in the 2026 Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) blockbuster.

Speaking to Variety, Cumberbatch said: "Is that a spoiler? F*** it!"

The 'Sherlock' star revealed that he will be absent from 'Doomsday' due to "the character not aligning with this part of the story" and confirmed that he will be featuring "in a lot" of the subsequent movie 'Avengers: Secret Wars' - which is slated for release in 2027.

Cumberbatch explained: "He's quite central to where things might go."

Despite his lack of involvement in 'Doomsday', the star is happy with his character's standing in the MCU and the studio's approach as he hinted at a third standalone film for his alter ego.

He said: "(Marvel is) very open to discussing where we go next. Who do you want to write and direct the next one? What part of the comic lore do you want to explore so that Strange can keep evolving?

"He's a very rich character to play. He's a complex, contradictory, troubled human who's got these extraordinary abilities, so there's potent stuff to mess about with."