Benedict Cumberbatch said Doctor Strange would not appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Then he said he would. Marvel never announced him. Months later, leaked images seem to show a masked, wizard-like figure in dark armor standing beside Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. The codename for that figure is “Boris.”
The theory that Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange has been hiding in plain sight as “Boris” has spread fast across social media. It has picked up speed with every new clue, from cryptic jacket patches to leaked promotional photos.
The Back and Forth Cumberbatch Started
The confusion began in January 2025. Cumberbatch told Variety that Stephen Strange was sitting out Avengers: Doomsday because “the character not aligning with this part of the story.” He also said Strange would be “in a lot” of Avengers: Secret Wars and was “quite central to where things might go.”
Weeks later, Cumberbatch walked his comments back. “I got that wrong, I am in the next one,” he said, before joking, “Don’t ever believe anything I say.”
Then in September 2025, Marvel revealed 27 confirmed cast members for Avengers: Doomsday. Cumberbatch’s name was not on the list, and neither was Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. Fans were left wondering if the Sorcerer Supreme had been cut entirely.
The “Boris” Clue Everyone Is Talking About
Robert Downey Jr. has been dropping hints through his outfits for months. At San Diego Comic-Con, he wore a custom jacket with cryptic Latverian runes connected to Doom’s motivations. Later, he wore another jacket with Marvel-themed patches. One patch read “Boris Towing” with a logo of a bearded man in a hat holding a lantern.
The name rang a bell for Marvel Comics readers. Boris Karela is Doctor Doom’s loyal servant and one of his longest-serving advisors. He helped raise Victor von Doom in Latveria and has been a recurring figure in Doom’s storylines since his first appearance in Fantastic Four Annual #2 in September 1964.
A separate rumor from scooper @MyTimeToShineH claimed that Cumberbatch would not be playing Doctor Strange in Avengers: Doomsday, but would instead play Boris, a wizard who carries a sling ring and serves as Doom’s sidekick.
What the Leaked Images Show
Leaked promotional images reportedly show a masked figure in black Latverian robes with a draped hood, metal gauntlets, and a mask featuring a slot on the forehead. That slot has been linked to Strange’s third eye, which appeared at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness after he used the Darkhold.
The same batch of images reportedly shows a group of sorcerers called the Latverian Witches. Fans believe these could be Clea (in purple), Sylvie (in green), and Scarlet Witch (in orange). If that lineup is accurate, Doom’s magical allies would be formidable.
Marvel has not confirmed any of this. One outlet noted that the leaked photos have been subjected to AI enhancement, making it hard to verify any details. The “Boris” patch could just be an Easter egg.
Why Strange Would Side With Doom
Comic book history gives the theory weight. In the 2015 Secret Wars storyline, Doctor Strange works directly for Doom after the multiverse collapses. Strange becomes Sheriff of Battleworld, enforcing Doom’s law across the patchwork planet.
Multiple leaks claim Strange joins Doom in the film because he genuinely believes Doom is the only one who can save what remains of reality. Some versions of the story suggest he is corrupted by his third eye. Others say he is working as a double agent, gaining Doom’s trust to find a way to stop him from within.
One unverified plot leak claims Strange uses magical artifacts and Franklin Richards’ Power Cosmic to help build Battleworld after the multiverse collapses. The leak also says Strange eventually betrays Doom after finding survivors from Earth-616, and is killed by the villain.
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What Is Confirmed So Far
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026. The film is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, with Stephen McFeely writing the screenplay. Robert Downey Jr. leads the cast as Doctor Doom, joined by Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, Tom Hiddleston, Sebastian Stan, and Florence Pugh.
For audiences in the United States, the film opens on December 18, 2026. International markets, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and India, are expected to release the film around the same window, with some territories getting it a day earlier on December 17.
Avengers: Secret Wars is scheduled for December 17, 2027. Cumberbatch has said Strange will be central to that film. A third Doctor Strange solo film is also in development, though no release date has been set. Cumberbatch told Variety that Marvel is “very open to discussing where we go next.”
Social media has been flooded with reactions. One popular post reads, “If Boris is really Doctor Strange, Marvel may have just hidden its nastiest twist in plain sight.” Another comment points out that Cumberbatch has gone from denying his involvement to teasing a surprise appearance, keeping fans guessing at every turn.
“I got that wrong, I am in the next one. Don’t ever believe anything I say.” — Benedict Cumberbatch to Business Insider
“He’s quite central to where things might go.” — Benedict Cumberbatch on Doctor Strange’s role in Secret Wars
Cumberbatch has not confirmed or denied the “Boris” theory. Marvel Studios has not addressed it either. The third eye slot on the masked figure’s forehead remains the strongest visual link to Strange, but it is not proof.
Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters worldwide on December 18, 2026.
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