Doctor Strange Super Bowl trailer appears to tease Patrick Stewart's MCU debut

Doctor Strange just can't stop bumping into fan favorite Marvel characters.

Marvel on Sunday dropped a new trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and it strongly suggests the return of another classic Marvel hero is imminent. Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) about halfway through the trailer is seen being put in handcuffs and brought before a character whose face we never see but who says, "We should tell him the truth."

The trailer's subtitles only identify this line as coming from a "mystery voice." But it sure sounds like Patrick Stewart, and we even get a glimpse at what looks like the back of his head out of focus, suggesting the actor may be returning to play Professor X, the leader of the X-Men.

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If so, this would be another major example of the Marvel Cinematic Universe incorporating characters from other superhero franchises. Stewart played Professor X in the X-Men movies, which don't take place in Disney's MCU since they were made by another company, 20th Century Fox. But after Disney acquired Fox in 2019, the MCU gained access to a treasure trove of characters it didn't previously own the rights to, among them being Professor X.

Stewart's return would come after Spider-Man: No Way Home brought back versions of Spider-Man played by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield from non-MCU films, pulling their characters in from alternate universes via Doctor Strange's magic. Maguire and Garfield's return helped make No Way Home one of the most successful films in box office history, and Stewart's Professor X is another fan favorite whose involvement could similarly boost excitement for Multiverse of Madness. Plus, if the notoriously secretive Marvel was willing to advertise Stewart after excluding Maguire and Garfield from No Way Home's marketing, could that suggest there are even bigger surprise cameos in store?

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters in May. Check out the trailer below.