A well-known MCU hypothesis suggests that a villain that was underutilized may make a surprise comeback in Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange 3. In the sixteen years since Marvel Studios debuted the MCU with Iron Man in 2008, they have established a reputation for using villains just once before getting rid of them altogether. Strong antagonists like Malekith the Dark Elf, Ultron, Crossbones, MODOK, Gorr the God Butcher, and the Red Skull, among many others, have been squandered in the MCU according to this pattern; but, if a deadly MCU villain makes a comeback, this pattern may soon change.

Marvel Studios hired Mads Mikkelsen in 2015 to portray the main antagonist in 2016’s Doctor Strange, Benedict Cumberbatch’s MCU debut as the neurosurgeon-turned-Master of the Mystic Arts. Mikkelsen played Kaecilius, a student of Kamar-Taj who renounced the teachings of the Ancient One and instead idolized Dormammu, the ruler of the Dark Dimension. Kaecilius posed a significant threat to Doctor Strange, but was seemingly killed-off at the end of the Phase 3 movie. However, following recent comments from Mikkelsen, a game-changing theory may change the shape of the MCU forever, and introduce a formidable villain for Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange 3.