The Illuminati In MCU Explained - What To Expect!

Everything you need to know about how the Illuminati will fit into the MCU.

by Andrew Pollard
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Illuminati
Disney

As per usual, this year's Super Bowl spotlighted a handful of major new trailers pertaining to some of the most hotly anticipated movie releases of the year. And one such film that found itself showcased on Super Bowl Sunday, was Sam Raimi's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

The next entry in Phase Four of the MCU, this outing for Benedict Cumberbatch's Master of the Mystic Arts gave fans a bunch of new footage ahead of the sequel's 6 May release date. In a trailer bursting with attention-grabbing moments, likely the biggest take-home here was that the Illuminati seem to be making their way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

For those only familiar with the heroes and villains of Marvel Comics due to the action and adventures of the MCU, you're likely questioning who or what the Illuminati is. If so, that's where we've got you covered.

Here, not only will we get you up to speed on the comic book Illuminati group, but we'll also take a look at how the Illuminati may fit into the Multiverse of Madness and beyond.

10. The Comic Book Roots

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Illuminati
Marvel Comics

Like so many things seen in the MCU to date, the Illuminati has its roots within the pages of Marvel Comics.

While a group such as the Avengers have been around since 1963 in the comic book world, the Illuminati is a more recent creation. To be precise, it would be July 2005's New Avengers #7 where the team first loosely came together.

Created by Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven, the Illuminati joined forces in the aftermath of the Kree-Skrull War which caused such chaos and carnage on Earth. Realising that this war could have been prevented, certain heroes get together to propose what is essentially a secret United Nations-type organisation designed to help stop such threats from rearing their head in the future.

The initial meeting of the Illuminati takes place in Wakanda, with Black Panther present to represent that nation, Namor present to represent Atlantis, Black Bolt present to represent the Inhumans, Iron Man present to represent the Avengers, Professor X present to represent mutankind, Mister Fantastic present to represent the Fantastic Four, and Doctor Strange in attendance due to his role as the all-powerful Sorcerer Supreme.

Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.