Bruce Campbell‘s cryptic comments about his character Pizza Poppa from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness tease a more prominent MCU role for the horror legend.
Campbell’s history with Marvel precedes the MCU. Before Multiverse of Madness, he had cameo roles in all three of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films, playing different characters in each. There’s nothing strange about that since Raimi and Campbell have been longtime friends since they worked together in Evil Dead, a four-decade-old horror franchise with millions of bloodthirsty fans. So, it was not exactly surprising that Campbell would also appear in Multiverse of Madness, Raimi’s first project for Marvel Studios.
In Doctor Strange 2, Campbell plays Pizza Poppa, a street vendor in an alternate universe with a brief but memorable encounter with Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). In the scene, Stephen enchants Pizza Poppa to repeatedly punch himself in the face, all because the good doctor didn’t want to pay for the pizza that America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) inadvertently steals. The movie’s post-credits scene shows how Pizza Poppa was freed from the spell, swearing vengeance against Doctor Strange.
While a charming character, Pizza Poppa seemed just like a throwaway cameo to make fans of Campbell and Raimi happy. However, the star has recently teased the multiversal proportions his character could have in the future of the MCU.
Is Pizza Poppa just a disguise for Bruce Campbell’s more powerful MCU character?
In a recent interview for Variety, Campbell dropped some tantalizing hints about his MCU future. “I play the Pizza Poppa, but ask yourself, ‘Really? In the timeline, in the Marvel timeline, I’m just the Pizza Poppa?’ Please don’t kid yourself,” Campbell stated. He also emphasized the substantial nature of his contract for the film, saying, “My contract is thick for that movie. You think I’d sign a contract that thick for that simple throwaway character?”
If Campbell got a fat paycheck, as he claims, Marvel Studios would probably be planning something big for Pizza Poppa. It’s hard to believe the studio would expend too much in what’s supposed to be a one-shot cameo. However, Campbell has a track of being a trickster and playing with expectations, so he could just be teasing MCU fans for a laugh.
Still, it’s fun to entertain the idea Pizza Poppa might be more than he seems. If the vendor is indeed a multiversal menace, as Campbell implies, the actor could wear one of Mephisto’s faces. Or maybe he’s the Beyonder, scouting the timelines for champions to fight in his Secret War. Or maybe Pizza Poppa is an agent of Dormammu, rumored to be the big baddie of Doctor Strange 3. Heck, Marvel Studios can even use Campbell’s Deadite-slaying resume to fit him into Marvel Zombies.
While Campbell is a master of misdirection, and we should take everything he says with a grain of salt, the idea of Pizza Poppa playing a larger role in the MCU doesn’t seem far-fetched, considering other Doctor Strange 3 rumors. As far as we know, Sam Raimi might return to direct threequel with more creative control. So, if the horror master had big plans for Pizza Poppa that he couldn’t use for Multiverse of Madness, the vendor might get his revenge after all.
