The MCU’s Spider-Man 2. While brainstorming villain names for Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) in the 2004 movie, a character suggested "Doctor Strange," prompting J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) to say that the name had already been taken. The reference was included at the time because Spider-Man 2 director Sam Raimi was a fan of Doctor Strange.
It would seem that the world of Riami’s Spider-Man is about to added to Marvel’s multiverse in Phase 4. First, it was revealed that The Amazing Spider-Man movies would receive representation when it was reported that Jamie Foxx’s Electro would have a presence in the story. Now it’s been said that Alfred Molinia will be reprising his role as Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man 3. Also, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst (who played Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson) are reportedly in talks to return to their characters as well. If this is true, then it means that Spider-Man 3 may end up with characters from all three live-action Spider-Man franchises.
The decision to incorporate Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy in particular is interesting in of its connection to Doctor Strange. The reference that was used in Spider-Man 2 was a fun reference, but it didn’t appear to be anything bigger than that. However, its more important now than it was before simply because this universe and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is in Spider-Man 3. Since the name was “taken” in Spider-Man 2, that would suggest that there’s a Doctor Strange out there somewhere in the timeline occupied by Maguire’s Peter Parker.
If and when the MCU’s Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and Doctor Strange meet Maguire’s Spider-Man, they may find that he’s familiar with a different version of the Sorcerer Supreme. Or, a scene in his universe could set up his role in Spider-Man 3’s interdimensional conflict by having the Strange from that world killed off. It could be that this character will also be played by Benedict Cumberbatch; he may open up a portal for Maguire’s wallcrawler to cross over into the MCU.
Another way to solve Spider-Man 2’s Doctor Strange conundrum is to reveal that the hero mentioned by J. Jonah Jameson is the very same character that audiences are already familiar with. Perhaps before he lost the Time Stone, he used time travel and went to their world. As a character who can travel between different dimensions and time periods, it’s not impossible that Strange could have shared an adventure there. Having an experience like this could be the reason why Maguire’s character is brought into the world. Strange may know exactly where he can find other versions of Spider-Man because he’s been to their universes before. Either way, the reference to the Sorcerer Supreme in Spider-Man 2 presents Marvel with an opportunity to provide a proper explanation for it in Spider-Man 3 and even make it a part of the story.
