Will Clea return in Avengers 5? Charlize Theron disappoints fans about her Marvel future

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness turned out to be a great setup for Avengers 5, as its multiversal element will come in very handy. But another part of the setup could be the introduction of Charlize Theron as Clea in the film’s final scene.

Doctor Strange 2 followed the Phase 4 trend of introducing a new character in the post-credits scene by bringing Strange’s future love interest into the mix. She stepped into Earth-616’s dimension and brought Doctor Strange along to resolve an incursion in the dark dimension, but her future in the MCU is still unknown.

Whether this cliffhanger gets resolved in Avengers 5 or Doctor Strange 3 remains to be seen. But as far as her return is concerned, Marvel hasn’t made any calls to Theron yet.

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Charlize Theron doesn’t know if she’ll appear in Avengers 5

Clea and Doctor Strange (Image via Marvel)

In an interview with MTV’s Josh Horowitz on the red carpet of Fast X’s World Premiere, Theron was asked about her return as Clea after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. She said:

“I don’t. No, I haven’t gotten a call. I’ve not gotten a- Is that bad? Is that bad? Is that bad? No, I’m not lying... I haven’t gotten a call. Is that bad?”

Marvel actors can’t be believed these days as Andrew Garfield lied about his appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home for a whole year. So, Theron may or may not be lying, but one thing’s for sure, Marvel has a plan for her. She is Doctor Strange’s love interest in the books, and since Strange is done with Christine Palmer, his comic book romance could be built up in the next outing.

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Who is Clea?

Clea from the comics (Image via Marvel)

Clea is a fictional character in Marvel Comics. She is a member of the extradimensional race known as the Faltine, which grants her powerful magical abilities. Her first appearance was in Strange Tales #126 in 1964. She is the daughter of Umar, the sister of Dormammu, and the niece of the powerful entity known as the Mindless Ones.

Despite her familial ties to powerful and often villainous entities, Clea chooses to ally herself with Doctor Strange and becomes one of his most trusted allies. She is often depicted as a skilled sorceress and has received extensive training in the mystical arts under the guidance of Doctor Strange. However, she seems to be an equal to Doctor Strange in the MCU.

Her relationship with Doctor Strange is a significant aspect of her character. The two have been romantically involved and have faced numerous challenges together, both as a couple and as allies in the battle against mystical threats.

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Where Doctor Strange and Clea could return next

Doctor Strange and Clea (Image via Marvel)

There are two major projects where Clea and Strange could be back. The first possibility is Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Doctor Strange has been a regular Avenger ever since Avengers: Infinity War, so he is expected to be back in Avengers 5 as well. With him, we’ll see the return of Clea since the two are together in the Dark Dimension right now.

However, the end credits scene of Multiverse of Madness could have also been a setup for Doctor Strange 3. While most people believe that the threequel will not happen until Phase 7, it’s possible for Doctor Strange 3 to happen in Phase 6 itself, being placed between Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars.

That way, Doctor Strange will have to sit out of Avengers 5, but he could be back in Secret Wars along with Clea. Before that, the two heroes will solve their incursion mystery in the Dark Dimension. If this were to be the case, then we could see Doctor Strange 3 get slotted in 2025’s November release date, right before Avengers: Secret Wars.

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Avengers 5 arrives on May 2, 2025.