Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) has become an essential character in the MCU since his introduction during Phase 3. With key MCU actors like Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, and Scarlett Johansson exiting the series, there needs to be actors to fill the space left behind to become leading figures within the series, with Cumberbatch and his character being possible contenders.

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Cumberbatch has played Doctor Steven Strange in six movies between 2016 and 2022, ranging from starring roles to brief but fun cameos. Cumberbatch has had a solid run, delivering a memorable performance in each film he appeared in. Which of these movies with the Master of the Mystic Arts is the best?

This list contains spoilers for all MCU movies made before Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

6) 'Doctor Strange' (2016)

Doctor Strange (2016)

Doctor Strange made for a solid introduction to the character. At first, he seemed like a bit of a Tony Stark clone, but there were depths and differences that ensured he became his character as time went on. Plus, there's also the fact that Tony Stark's movies deal with slightly more grounded science-fiction elements, whereas here in the first Doctor Strange movie, and going forward, fantasy elements were abundant, and magic officially solidified itself as a force within the MCU.

As an origin story, Doctor Strange is competent, if not exceptional. It works, thanks to much of the acting, as Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Tilda Swinton all do good work (though there was some controversy that came with Swinton's casting). Unfortunately, Mads Mikkelsen's villainous role wasted him a little. He was good but could have been great if he'd had more to do. At least the visuals were excellent, with some trippy, inventive, great looking special effects in the film's most significant moments, and the way Strange himself took down the main villain by using his words, being annoying, and being persistent — instead of the usual physical fight — was great.

5) 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' (2021)

No Way Home (Doctor Strange)

Some may not like seeing such a popular MCU movie be declared the second-worst film to feature Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange, but every movie here falls between good and excellent. And Spider-Man: No Way Home is indeed very good and features Doctor Strange himself in a supporting role that's pivotal for kicking off the film's fun, chaotic plot.

Doctor Strange executes the spell that will make the world forget Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is Spider-Man, but things go wrong, and soon visitors from other dimensions/universes seep through and make life even harder for Peter Parker and Doctor Strange. It's an overall messy film but gets by from being a lot of fun at times and featuring the return of many characters fans had been hoping to see again on the big screen. The threads that tie all its cool stuff together are a bit flimsy, and if you unpack it once it's over, some elements don't add up. But at the moment, it's mostly a blast, and the ludicrous amount of money it's earned at the box office makes sense — it's earned almost $2 billion internationally!

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Doctor Strange 2

The most recent MCU film to feature Doctor Strange is also the second time he's been given the lead role. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a messy, engaging, and often quite bold entry in the series. It hits beats viewers have seen before and teases directions the MCU could go in rather than confirming anything, but it does all that with a lot of style, thanks to director Sam Raimi. It also features a breakneck pace and so many undeniably fun set pieces.

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The Raimi factor does give it a bit of a bump over the still good original. Seeing Evil Dead references and some of the frantic camerawork and editing Raimi's beloved for in an MCU movie is thrilling. Plus, it's the most violent and scary an MCU movie has gotten yet, especially in the film's second half, where Raimi's sensibilities really get unleashed. It's not a perfectly balanced film, but there's so much to like, and little downtime. It's one of the better entries in Phase 4 so far, for sure.

'Thor: Ragnarok' (2017)

Thor Ragnarok (Dr Strange)

Doctor Strange makes a brief but memorable appearance in Thor: Ragnarok, the third movie in the hammer-wielding Norse god's series. A year after the first Doctor Strange movie, his second appearance helps establish Strange as a character who can cross over and work with other established characters in the MCU.

He's instrumental in getting Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) together and allows them a way to see their dying father, Odin, after which Ragnarok's plot kicks into high gear. As such, the adventures, colorful science-fiction settings, comedy, and all the interactions with Hulk happen after Strange has left the picture. At least his cameo is fun and serves a decent plot function, and of course, the film is otherwise a blast, too, being one of the funniest, most colorful, and most enjoyable entries within the series to date.

'Avengers: Endgame' (2019)

Endgame (Doctor Strange)

Avengers: Endgame served to conclude the first three phases of the MCU, and it did so with flying colors. It earned its title of "Endgame" with a plot that allowed the core Avengers an opportunity to revisit many events in the past. At the same time, it also featured the biggest battle of the series up until that point, with just about every introduced hero forming an army to take on Thanos and his army.

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Doctor Strange was part of that force, and his appearance in the film's climax meant his involvement in the movie was a small one. Even amongst the fighting, he's mostly relegated to stopping a lake from flooding and drowning most of the Avengers' army. But he does get to remind Tony Stark that there was only one way the Avengers could win, which helps spur Stark's sacrifice. This takes out Thanos (Josh Brolin) and his forces but costs Tony his life. It's another pivotal moment that Doctor Strange was a part of, and not for nothing; he had a hand in ending the most significant conflict of the MCU so far, as well as setting up perhaps its most devastating emotional moment, with Tony Stark's death after 11 years of movies.

'Avengers: Infinity War' (2018)

Avengers_ Infinity War - Doctor Strange

Avengers: Infinity War stands as the best MCU movie to date, and given Strange's supporting role in it, that also means it's the best MCU movie Strange himself appears in. Thanos makes good on years of threats and suggestions of universe domination by relentlessly pursuing all the stones in the infinity gauntlet, as the Avengers and various other heroes find themselves less and less capable of defeating him in a series of increasingly one-sided skirmishes.

Doctor Strange makes the odd (but in the end, appropriate) decision to give Thanos one of the stones, knowing that if he does so, there's a chance the events of Avengers: Endgame can happen, which will ultimately lead to Thanos' defeat. It was a huge gamble and a confusing one at the time. Strange even pays for it by being one of the people who get dusted at the film's end. But he ended up being right, and along the way to his decision at the end, viewers also get some excellent banter between Strange and Stark and some entertaining interactions between Strange and Spider-Man. It was a perfect supporting role for Doctor Strange in an overall phenomenal, exciting, character-packed MCU film. Time will tell if it ever gets topped in terms of quality and ambition.

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