Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 makes brief mention of fellow New York native, Doctor Strange. In a time before the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Spider-Man trilogy was king. The series was immensely popular even though it stood entirely on its own. Aside from the web-head and his extensive rogues gallery, there was not the weight of a larger Marvel universe looming over it as there is today. However, that is not to say that other heroes did not exist in that world.
Spider-Man 2 is widely considered the best Spider-Man film ever made. With a complex villain in Doctor Octopus and an interesting balancing act between Spider-Man and Peter Parker, the film did a lot for the series in terms of storytelling. Still, it was a highly-stylized world, and it was hard to imagine other existing Marvel film properties crossing over with it, especially in a time before the shared universe concept the MCU adopted became commonplace. Blade and X-Men were unique brands in their own right, so much so that they would feel out of place in the Raimiverse, hence why a quick Doctor Strange name drop during the film was so surprising.
While discussing Doc Ock with his employee, Hoffman, the motor-mouthed J. Jonah Jameson ran through a series of names for him. He rattled off names like Science Squid and Doctor Octopus, which he eventually settled on, but not before he nearly gave Otto Octavius the moniker of Doctor Strange. He himself said "That's pretty good, but it's taken," which quite literally confirms that Doctor Stephen Strange was an active entity in this universe, despite the fact that he was never seen or referenced again. Whether he was simply a surgeon or he'd became the Sorcerer Supreme at this point was never revealed, but it was a fun nod regardless.
It would not be for another 12 years that the Master of the Mystic Arts would hit the big screen in his own solo film. His first meeting with Spider-Man would come in Avengers: Infinity War in 2018, this time portrayed by Tom Holland in the MCU. Strange never did pop up in the Raimi Spider-Man series, but the mere mention of him was a strong hint that there was a wider universe than what the films focused on. Though never expanded upon, references like this went a long way in making the world Tobey Maguire's Spidey inhabited feel less isolated.
Nothing more than an Easter egg, Spider-Man 2's cheeky Doctor Strange reference was a neat tidbit to include. It gave more context to the New York City of this specific continuity without infringing upon the story of Peter Parker. The focus remained the adventures of Spider-Man without a slew of other heroes which is often seen in the modern day. In a time where Marvel properties were pretty much in isolation, it was a cause for discussion when another character was mentioned in a totally separate movie, especially one that hadn't been seen in live action before. Thankfully Doctor Strange has gotten his time to shine, but it is fun to consider what could have been - and what could be, since Raimi is in talks to direct Doctor Strange 2 for Marvel Studios.
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