Could Doctor Strange secretly be on Doctor Doom’s side?
That’s the question Marvel fans are asking after a new insider claim connected a mysterious Doctor Strange variant to Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday.
The rumor is certainly intriguing. But there’s a major catch: Marvel has not officially confirmed any of it.
According to a recent claim from Marvel scooper James Mack, Thor will reportedly face a Doctor Strange variant named Boris in Avengers: Doomsday. The same report claims that Boris is working alongside Doctor Doom and may even serve as his wizard-like sidekick.
If true, it could completely change how fans look at Strange’s relationship with Doom.
Who Is the “Boris” Doctor Strange Variant?
The name Boris isn’t random.
In Marvel Comics, Boris is associated with Doctor Doom and serves as one of his most loyal companions in Latveria. However, the comic-book version isn’t another Doctor Strange. He is essentially Doom’s trusted servant and adviser rather than a mystical variant of Stephen Strange.
The new rumor appears to be taking that established character and combining him with a version of Strange.
That’s where things get particularly interesting.
The alleged MCU version of Boris would reportedly possess magical abilities and use a sling ring, suggesting a connection to Doctor Strange rather than simply being the traditional comic-book Boris.
There have also been previous rumors involving a mysterious Boris wearing a Latverian-style mask with a third-eye opening — imagery that immediately reminded fans of the ending of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
None of those details have been officially confirmed by Marvel.
Could Doctor Strange Really Work for Doctor Doom?
If the rumor is accurate, it doesn’t necessarily mean the main Doctor Strange has suddenly become evil.
The multiverse gives Marvel an easy way to introduce a completely different version of the character.
A Strange variant could have made very different decisions in his universe, potentially leading him to believe that working with Doom is necessary to prevent something even worse.
That idea would also fit the complicated relationship the two characters have in Marvel Comics.
Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom have historically crossed paths over enormous magical and multiversal threats. Their relationship isn’t always a straightforward hero-versus-villain dynamic.
In some comic stories, Strange has even been forced into situations where cooperating with Doom becomes the lesser of several dangerous choices.
So a Doom-aligned Strange variant wouldn’t necessarily be completely out of character.
Is This the Main Doctor Strange?
This is probably the biggest question.
And based on currently available information, fans shouldn’t assume that it is.
Benedict Cumberbatch has previously said that Doctor Strange would not appear in Avengers: Doomsday, explaining that the character wasn’t aligned with that part of the story. Current cast reporting instead places Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange in 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars.
That actually makes the Boris theory more interesting.
If a Strange variant does appear in Doomsday, Marvel could introduce a version of the character without revealing what happened to the main MCU Strange.
It would also allow the studio to keep Cumberbatch’s return for Secret Wars as a bigger mystery.
Could Strange Eventually Betray Doom?
This is where the theory gets even more interesting.
If Boris really is working for Doom, there’s no guarantee that the alliance will last.
Doctor Strange has spent years protecting reality from threats involving the multiverse. If he discovers that Doom’s plan would ultimately destroy or control the remaining universes, a betrayal would make sense.
The insider report itself claims that the reason behind Boris’ relationship with Doom could be explained later in the movie, reportedly involving a conversation with Steve Rogers.
That leaves room for several possibilities.
Boris could genuinely believe Doom is saving reality.
He could be working with Doom because he has no alternative.
Or he could be secretly playing a much longer game and eventually turn against him.
Why the Theory Has Fans Talking
The timing is another reason the rumor has attracted attention.
Avengers: Doomsday is expected to bring together characters from multiple Marvel worlds, including the Avengers, Fantastic Four and X-Men. Doctor Doom sits at the center of that multiversal conflict.
Introducing a Strange variant who already has a connection to Doom would give Marvel another way to explore the multiverse without simply repeating the original characters.
It would also create an unusual Thor-versus-Strange matchup — something the MCU has never really explored on this scale.
But for now, that’s exactly what it is: a possibility, not confirmed Marvel information.
Until Marvel Studios officially reveals the character or the film arrives in theaters, the idea of Doctor Strange’s Boris variant serving Doctor Doom should be treated as an insider rumor.
Still, if the theory turns out to be accurate, Marvel may have found a very unexpected way to bring the Sorcerer Supreme back into Doom’s story.
