Benedict Cumberbatch Won’t Confirm If He’s Returning In Avengers 4

Fan theories aren’t the most reliable sources on what to expect from an upcoming release, but there are more than enough good reasons why so much of the internet is predicting Stephen Strange to play a significant role in Avengers 4 despite the character’s recent demise. Nonetheless, Benedict Cumberbatch is keeping mum on the matter.

When the actor appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the inevitable question arose of whether Doctor Strange will be appearing in the Avengers: Infinity War sequel, prompting a response that was both evasive and weirdly poetic.

“I’m dust, baby,” Cumberbatch said. “I’m just out there. I’m in the ether. I’m probably part of your food chain. I’m in your stomach somewhere.”

Cumberbatch can tap-dance around the truth all he wants, but the evidence makes it clear that we haven’t seen the last of the Sorcerer Supreme. For one thing, Doctor Strange 2 was confirmed a few months ago by Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige himself. But more to the point, in one of Tom Holland’s classic spoiler moments, the Spider-Man actor revealed earlier this year that Cumberbatch will be delivering lines about “so much Quantum Realm stuff,” connecting Strange’s upcoming appearance to the mysterious place he briefly visited in his first standalone film.

In short, Stephen may be dust now, but he won’t stay dust for long, and he won’t be the only deceased Doctor Strange character to show up in next year’s film, either. But since Marvel Studios has offered no official confirmation, Cumberbatch is currently stuck talking about Infinity War, and speaking on Fallon, the star sounded pretty excited to have been on this MCU ride.

“It’s amazing,” Cumberbatch said. “It’s ludicrous. It just gets sort of giddy and unreal, to be honest…I mean, just being part of that franchise is a kick, let alone the people I got to have screen time with and the story that I was sort of part of. I mean, it was really extraordinary to do and even more weird and wonderful to see it roll out and get that kind of reception.”

We’ll see what kind of reception Avengers 4 gets when the film hits theaters on May 3rd, 2019.