Doctor Strange and the Illuminati

***Illuminati: World War Hulk*** is an upcoming 2026 superhero movie based on the comic book team of the same name. The film is a sequel to *Avengers: Kang Dynasty* and *The Marvels* as well as a crossover/sequel to *Thor: Ragnarok*, *Nova: Galactic Avenger*, *Alpha: Negative War*, *Captain America: Serpent Society*, *Fantastic Four: Subterranean Warfare*, *Doctor Strange in the Realm of Nightmares* and *Namor the King of the Ocean*. It is the forty-seventh film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the twelth instalment of Phase Five. It will be released on May 19th, 2026 and will be the final film produced by Kevin Feige.

The film is directed by Zack Snyder and stars Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk, Calum Kelmer as Alpha the Eternity Warrior, Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange, John Krasinski as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Nikolaj Coster-Waldu as Charles Xavier/Professor X, Anson Mount as Blackagar Boltagon/Black Bolt, Sam Clafflin as Namor the Sub-Mariner with Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel and Jeff Goldblum as En Dwi Gast/The Grandmaster.

## Synopsis

With Earth under constant threats from those on the planet and off-world, Stephen Strange forms the Illuminati to make the hard decisions so that no one else has to, but, a crisis at the heart appears and the team of heroes must make a decision that will change the superhero community forever in Marvel Studios' *Illuminati: World War Hulk*.

## Plot

Doctor Strange forms Illuminati and they help prevent threats on Earth but Hulk becomes too big a threat they cast him out but he returns to enact revenge upon them. They work together to defeat him but must make a heartbreaking decision.

Carol Danvers returns to Earth, after battling the Kree Empire, with the son of Bruce Banner/Hulk who she discovered on Sakaar. She presents him to the know formed Illuminati of Earth-616 consisting of; Doctor Strange, Professor X, Mister Fantastic, Black Bolt, Namor and Black Panther, who decide that Bruce should be allowed to care for his child as it may have mutations which cause it to transform like him and it will need guidance as he grows.

Bruce is presented with the child and invited to join the Illuminati who wish to aid him in separating himself from the Hulk. After a year of trials, they succeed and the two become separate. Hulk attempts to see his child but they stand in his way and he attempts to fight them but they subdue him before banishing him to space. Meanwhile, Alpha the Eternity Warrior disagrees with these experiments and considers it inhumane to keep Hulk from his child.

Bruce decides to leave the Illuminati to care for his son while Hulk returns to Sakaar to gather an army to destroy the Illuminati and rescue his son. They return to Earth and lay waste to The Netherlands as a warning to the Illuminati to surrender his son. They do not back down and Carol leads the Avengers into battle against them with Alpha refusing to partake in the conflict as the Illuminati will not take responsibility for it. James Rhodes is killed in the conflict while the rest of the Avengers are forced to retreat. The Hulk tracks down Bruce and destroys his home, seemingly killing him, before taking the child.

Carol convinces Alpha to intervene and he takes a group of heroes, including Jennifer Walters, to talk the Hulk down now that he has what he wants. They succeed and Hulk is convinced to leave, never to return. Meanwhile, the Illuminati authorise Carol to kill the Hulk as he cannot be given any opportunity to return, this angers Namor who believes that it would only escalate the conflict, he then leaves the group believing they are power hungry. Carol attempts to kill Hulk but fails and instead kills the child, ashamed, she flees before Hulk finds out. He immediately realises that it was the Illuminati and declares war on the planet.

Alpha confronts Carol and the Illuminati about they actions and while Carol is ashamed, they do not back down. He tells them they have signed a death warrant and that he will not help them. They tell him if he won't help them, then he is also their enemy and not welcome on the planet. After a short skirmish with Doctor Strange, Black Bolt and Captain Marvel, Alpha leaves to de-escalate the conflict himself. He finds Hulk who attacks him but Alpha attempts to reason with him, realising he will not be able to, he flees to Bruce's lab in hopes of finding something to help. Meanwhile, the Illuminati disbands to go home and protect their respective regions. Carol flees into Space, still distraught over the conflict.

Hulk travels to Attilan and fights the Inhumans to get to Black Bolt. Blackagar attempts to decimate him with his voice but it fails before Hulk punches him in the throat so hard he is left unable to talk, Hulk leaves with Black Bolt before traveling to Atlantis where Namor informs him he was against the decision to murder his child, after consideration, Hulk accepts this and leaves. Next, he arrives in Wakanda and fights the Dora-Milage to get to T'Challa, they clash before he kidnaps the King and takes him away. Arriving at the Sanctum Sanctorum, Hulk fights Strange and Wong before he wounds Wong, Strange takes Hulk into the mirror dimension and attempts to leave him there but Hulk manages to grab strange and pulverises him. Believing he cannot leave Strange alive, he snaps his neck and warns Wong not to follow. Meanwhile, Charles watches this happen and tells Pyslocke not to interfere with what is about to happen, he tells her to contact Alpha and tell him it is time. Hulk arrives before taking Charles. Finally, Hulk arrives at the Baxter Building where Reed and the Fantastic Four fight him; instead of attacking Reed, Johnny or Ben, Hulk goes for Sue and comes close to killing her, this makes Reed surrender and he takes his final victim.

Alpha arrives at Bruce's home and removes the rubble to reach his lab. He finds Bruce, alive, and tells him what has happened; while Bruce is devastated, he agrees to help and states he can merge the two of them again as DNA is still entwined. He tells him he can work on it and finish the serum which can kill the Hulk if need be. He orders Alpha to seek out Xavier in order to calm the Hulk enough for him to be merged, Alpha leaves to find the Professor.

Arriving at the Xavier Estate, Alpha finds chaos; Pyslocke and Wolverine tell him that Xavier has been captured before she informs of what Xavier said. He initially doesn't understand before realising that John can stand in Xavier's place. They power up Cerebero while Alpha attempts to infuse John with Phoenix energy to enhance his abilities. However, Alpha realises that John is already infused with a devastatingly large amount of Phoenix energy and comes to the conclusion that John is the reason he traveled to Earth and that he is the avatar of the Phoenix Force. He keeps this a secret from them and explains the plan to John.

Hulk establishes an arena in the middle of New York to watch the Illuminati fight to the death in his new contest of champions. He declares Earth 'Planet Hulk' before killing the Grandmaster in-front of the Sakaarians to establish his leadership. Bruce finishes both of the experiments and contacts Alpha who seeks out Carol's help. They gather the remaining Avengers as well as the fusion device and travel to New York. They interrupt the contest and fight the Illuminati who are now under the control of Charles who is being tortured by Hulk. Carol and Alpha debate killing Hulk but Alpha reminds her of what happened last time she took that path. This angers Carol but goes along with his plan.

John manages to calm Hulk long enough that Bruce and Hulk merge 50/50 with the body of Hulk but the mind of Bruce. Bruce releases Xavier and apologises before doing the same to the Illuminati. He then orders the Sakarrians to leave and states that he and Earth's mightiest heroes stand against them. They do so before the Illuminati thank Bruce. It is clear the Hulk is attempting to regain control but Bruce states he will leave and never return, they accept this and apologise to him for what they have done. Suddenly, Carol reveals she has the Anti-Hulk serum and executes Bruce by merging it with his power. Alpha turns on her but several Avengers detain him when the Illuminati do not act against her. While they do not entirely agree, Xavier states that they have decided he was too big a threat. Alpha states he can no longer accept this and orders Carol to leave Earth but they tell him she is of Earth, he is not. The Avengers split with those agreeing with Carol agreeing to guard the Western side of the United States and the Planet while Alpha's team would guard the Eastern Side. They split and the Illuminati return home, unsettled but content they have made the right decision.

Some weeks later, Black Bolt meets with Medusa and tells her that the Terrigan Mist has been unstable recently and that a new generation of Inhumans approaches. Meanwhile, Magneto informs his followers that this planet is ran by monsters and that they will change it.

## Cast

* Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk
* Calum Kelmer as Alpha the Eternity Warrior
* Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange
* John Krasinski as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic
* Nikolaj Coster-Waldu as Charles Xavier/Professor X
* Anson Mount as Blackagar Boltagon/Black Bolt
* Sam Clafflin as Namor the Sub-Mariner
* Sean Daniels as John Grey/Marvel Boy
* Taron Egerton as Logan/Wolverine
* Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel
* Emma Stone as Ellie Braddock/Pyslocke
* Michelle Pfeiffer as Director Janet Van-Dyne
* Jeff Goldblum as En Dwi Gast/The Grandmaster
* Emily Blunt as Susan Storm/Invisible Woman
* KJ Apa as Johnny Storm/Human Torch
* Jake Johnson as Ben Grimm/The Thing
* Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America
* Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Night Raven
* Tye Sheridan as Richard Rider/Nova
* Kit Harrington as Dane Whitman/Black Knight
* Tessa Thompson as Brunhilde/Valkyrie