Who is Dormammu? Denzel Washington’s Rumored MCU Role is Explained

Among the many amazing foes Marvel Comics has are Doctor Doom, Magneto, Thanos, Kang the Conqueror, and the Green Goblin. From the world-devouring Galactus to the deity of symbiotes Knull and the demonic entity Mephisto, these characters are just mortals to the otherworldy cosmic and supernatural horrors in the Marvel Universe, ones with vast scale and eons of existence. Among these enemies is Dormammu, an interdimensional monster among Doctor Strange’s most potent recurrent antagonists.

Fans saw Dormammu in the 2016 Doctor Strange. Doctor Strange confronted with the time stone Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen) was working for was the cosmic enemy. Although he appeared to be vanquished, this ancient enemy is said to be the primary antagonist of Doctor Strange 3. Although Benedict Cumberbatch, the actor in Doctor Strange, performed the motion capture and voice work for Dormammu’s one moment in the first movie, speculations have surfaced that Marvel is considering Denzel Washington to play the character in the third film. Here is all you need to know about Dormmamu and the reasons Marvel might be seeking to resurrect the villain.

The Comic Book Origins of Dormammu

Designed by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Dormammu first appeared in Strange Tales #126 in November 1964. Dormammu is the lord of the Dark Dimension; his seeds for inclusion had been sown previously as a faceless entity behind Baron Karl Mordo’s effort to seize the Ancient One. Villain Dormammu has a tight relationship with Doctor Strange. Clea, Doctor Strange’s long-time love interest, is a Dark Dimension sorceress; he is her uncle. He is Clea, Umar’s mother, and brother of another Doctor Strange villain.

Dormmamu belongs to the Faltine species of race of beings. Though they were banished to the Dark Dimension, he and his sister are not native there. Dormammu’s signature flaming skull results from his merging with the indigenous “Flames of Regency” in the Dark Dimension, therefore augmenting his powers. Regarding power levels, Dormammu is a multiverse-level hazard. Among his several powers are those of immortality, energy projection, size modification, and teleportation. Because he can shape reality, he can also lend some of his power to another and even bring the dead back. Dormammu also rules an army of beings called the Mindless Ones. Dormammu is a cosmic terror more than any demon with a great spectrum of powers, an army at his disposal, and control over a whole dimension.

In the first fight in the comics between Doctor Strange and Dormammu, the Dark Dimension king overpowers Strange in battle, but in doing so he draws from the forces of his dimension, so compromising their defense. In exchange for Doctor Strange helping Dormammu defeat a swarm of Mindless Ones from infiltrating and seizing his Dark Dimension, Dormammu swore he would not attack or endanger Earth. Dormammu consented, but he objected because Doctor Strange surpassed him.

If that seems familiar, it is due in great part to their shared experience in the movie Doctor Strange. Doctor Strange and Dormammu Fans will recall that Strange used the Time Stone to lock the two in an eternal cycle doomed to recur, of Dormammu killing Strange but never being able to escape, therefore enabling Strange to beat Dormammu. Said memorably by Doctor Strange, “Dormammu, I’ve come to bargain.” Doctor Strange advised Dormammu he would release the demon from the enchantment in exchange for his attack on Earth to halt and for him never to return. Dormammu answers grudgingly.

Might Dormammu make an MCU return?

Dormammu discovered a loophole in the comics allowing him to keep attacking Earth by using and controlling others on his behalf. The agreement ties him, but it does not mean he cannot have others handle his duties. Dormammu’s best comic book pupil, Baron Mordo even had Venom and Carnage working for him in Spider-Man: The Animated Series. In the MCU, he may accomplish the same—perhaps offsetting Baron Mordo’s malevolent shift in the last credits of Doctor Strange. The MCU might, however, not have Dormammu attack Earth; instead, Doctor Strange must go back to the Dark Dimension established in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

The mid-credit sequence of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness finishes with Clea (Charlize Theron) addressing Doctor Strange. She believes his activities led to an intrusion and demands he accompany her to assist with corrections. Doctor Strange concurs; when Clea opens a portal, viewers see The Dark Dimension from the original Doctor Strange in the background. Doctor Strange will go back to the Dark Dimension and possibly have to run across Dormmamu once more.

This suggests maybe regarding Doctor Strange 3. Apparently, incursions are damaging the Dark Dimension; now, either Dormmamu has hired Strange to correct it or is seeking retribution and will attack Earth since Strange’s activities would render their prior contract void. Given Dormammu and Clea are currently on the schedule, Doctor Strange 3 will probably feature the villain Umar. Being Clea’s mother and Dormammu’s sister, Umar would add another twist to the intricate dynamic between these people. It is already confirmed that Clea is Doctor Strange’s new love interest moving forward, so even in this interdimensional world-ending adventure, there will be some family complications.

Denzel Washington is joining the MCU?

As of this moment, there is no confirmation of Doctor Strange 3 or that Denzel Washington has joined the cast, and as such, it should be treated as just rumors. However, a Doctor Strange 3 is likely since Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness made $955 million at the worldwide box office. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe has attracted some of the most respected names in film, including Robert Redford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Glenn Close, Michael Douglas, and recently Harrison Ford, getting a name like Denzel Washington would be an incredible win for the studio. Washington is one of the most respected and acclaimed actors of all time, and though his name has been floated in the past for superhero projects like Sinister Six, he has never been part of one.
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If Marvel Studios could land Denzel Washington to play a villain like Dormammu in the MCU, specifically Doctor Strange 3, it would be a major win for the studio. While Washington is best known for playing heroic characters and men of integrity, he also excels in villainous performances, as seen in his Academy Award-winning performance in Training Day. Washington would lend a sense of weight and credibility to Dormmamu as a villain and make for one incredible scene partner for Benedict Cumberbatch.

The question remains: Why would Marvel hire an actor as accomplished as Washinton to play a villain who previously appeared in the MCU instead of a new villain? And if they would have cast him as a previous villain, why not have him take over as Kang the Conqueror? Nobody would have minded Washington playing Kang. Marvel Studios seemingly found a suitable replacement for Kang with Doctor Doom, but they also seemingly might have set up Dormammu to play a big part in the MCU’s future.

How Dormammu Might Be Important to the Future of the Multiverse Saga

With Doctor Strange 3 rumored to bring back Dormammu, the demonic entity might have a big role in the MCU’s future in terms of the Multiverse Saga. There are a few projects that we can rule Dormammu out of right now. Ironheart has swapped out Dormammu’s ties to the magical artifact for Mephisto, who is rumored to be played by Sacha Baron Cohen in the upcoming MCU series. The same also goes for Agatha All Along. While Dormammu does have connections in the comics to Agatha Harkness and her son Nicolas Scratch, Agatha All Along will likely feature Mephisto, given the series name-dropped the character.

However, Mephisto’s inclusion in the MCU might also hint at what the MCU has planned for Dormammu. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness established that threats of incursions are growing and now threatening a dimension as vast and powerful as the Dark Dimension. This suggests that even someone as powerful as Dormammu is seemingly powerless to stop and could force him to either flee his crumbling world or attempt to fight back against the incursion at the cost of other worlds.

This might draw otherworldly cosmic conquerors like Dormammu, Mephisto, and the recently confirmed Galactus in The Fantastic Four: First Steps into war with one another, all while ignoring the looming threat of Doctor Doom that awaits them. It would be a powerful statement for these godlike forces to destroy one another, leaving a mortal human like Doctor Doom in the position of becoming a god and making these ancient powers work for him on Battleworld.

Even if Dormammu does not factor into the Multiverse Saga, it is smart for Marvel Studios to possibly lay the groundwork to revisit the villain in the future. A villain as powerful as Dormammu being defeated in the first Doctor Strange movie feels like a waste. Yet now, if they cast Denzel Washington, Dormammu could return as a villain for whatever comes after Avengers: Secret Wars. He could be a worthy foe to unite a new team of Avengers, the Young Avengers, The Fantastic Four, the X-Men, or the Midnight Suns.

Conclusion:

Ultimately, many are excited about Denzel Washington’s alleged MCU Dormammu portrayal. Dormammu would be a great addition to Marvel’s lineup of foes since he is a strong interdimensional adversary. Though nothing is known, Washington’s weight and skill would make him a strong candidate for the part. Particularly as the MCU keeps stretching into different worlds and realities, the conjecture gives Marvel’s forthcoming productions still another level of mystery. Fans eagerly await more Marvelous Phase 5 advancements regardless of Washington’s iconic performance or lack.

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