When Marvel comes knocking at your door, you answer — and that is precisely what Rachel McAdams did when she entered negotiations to play Dr. Christine Palmer in “Doctor Strange.” Expressing her enthusiasm, she shared with MTV, “I met with Scott [Derrickson] and loved his vision, he was so passionate. And the opportunity to work with Benedict [Cumberbatch] was kind of a no-brainer. And Marvel makes amazing films, so it was a complete package.” McAdams received acclaim for her performance, specifically for taking an underdeveloped role and transforming it into a three-dimensional character.

In true McAdams fashion, she disappeared from the franchise for six long years — not counting her appearance in the animated Disney+ series “What If…?” in 2021. Eventually, she returned for the sequel “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” in 2022. This time, McAdams embraced a new multiverse version of her character, relishing the opportunity for more action scenes compared to the first film. “I love action. I love being physical. As an actor, I always feel like it gets me out of my head, and fun surprises come out of getting to just move,” she told Vanity Fair. The sequel was met with mixed reviews from critics but ultimately impressed Marvel fans across the board. When questioned by Empire (via CBR) about a potential return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, McAdams remained open-ended, stating, “You never know what’s going to happen with the MCU, right? It’s vast and endless, so — to be continued.”