So today Disney Plus released an updated version of the MCU timeline that showed just where DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS fits in. And it surprised some people. Let’s take a look:
They placed MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS before HAWKEYE. And people had an issue with this. And that’s upsetting. Because I totally got it.
Now why is this placement an issue for some people? Because most people believe that NO WAY HOME finishes in tandem with HAWKEYE – sometime in December of 2024 (hence the snow and the Christmas tree in Rockefeller center featured prominently in HAWKEYE and NO WAY HOME.
I don’t blame them. It looks like Peter might actually be flying right over the climax of HAWKEYE. And he might be. But it still would not matter. NO WAY HOME takes place before HAWKEYE.
But wait – MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS explicitly takes place AFTER NO WAY HOME. Even Doctor Strange acknowledges this in a conversation with AMERICA CHAVEZ. So what is going on, shouldn’t it take place AFTER HAWKEYE, sometime in 2025?
No. Let’s look at when these films ACTUALLY take place – and I mean the main action, the main plot of the film…
So when does NO WAY HOME take place?
There are two problems that throw people off as to when NO WAY HOME takes place. First off it is snowing and cold during the main plot of the film — or is it???
You see people remember, because it was so prominently featured in the trailer, Doctor Strange wearing a parka and shoveling wood into the fire because it was cold. But that was because it was snowing INSIDE the Sanctum Santorum. But it is actually not cold outside. Check out how Peter is dressed vs. how Strange is dressed and how cold it is on the INSIDE.
It looks more like a moderately cool day for all of the rest of the characters, probably in the late winter, early Spring, aka March.
That’s right, NO WAY HOME definitively takes place in MARCH 2024. Why? Because MIT sends out its acceptance letters on Pi Day, aka March 14th, so presumably it would have been on or close to that day as the main inciting incident of the film is that Ned and MJ are rejected from MIT and Peter needs to rectify that.
But the OTHER thing that throws people off is… the end scene of the film that happens right before the credits. This features Peter Parker going for a spin in his new suit. And he does so in the snow and flies over Rockefeller Center during the holiday season. But what I would say is that this is not when the main action of the film takes place. This is a borderline post credits sequence.
In fact, MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS’ own post-credit sequence takes place months after MOM’s main plot. But more on that in a second.
So when does HAWKEYE take place?
Hawkeye definitely takes place in December of 2024. The film take place over the course of less than a week around Christmas (as mentioned many times by Hawkeye) and the finale showcases Rockefeller Center at the holiday season. There’s little debate here but because it takes place at Rock Center during the holiday season people conflate NO WAY HOME’s timeline position with this series quite incorrectly.
So when does MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS take place?
This is probably the most difficult of the three films to pin down. But we know that it takes place sometime after March of 2024 (thanks to Doctor Strange mentioning the events of NO WAY HOME) and before December of 2024.
I think the things that we can look at in the film are the foliage, the clothes, and most importantly Christine Palmer’s wedding.
Wedding’s rarely take place after October but the leaves are turning at the beginning of the film. I think then that it is safe to say, for me at least, that the film takes place in September-October of 2024 – and probably October – thanks to the fall foliage AT the wedding, which is on full display during the battle, and further demonstrated by the clothes of the onlookers – jackets and parkas, etc. Also when Strange goes to see Wanda, they are both dressed for chill weather, and at the end of the film – presumably a few days later, Strange is dressed warmly – though not quite for winter as he exits the Sanctum (see all photos below).
That’s right, MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS takes place in Fall (probably October) of 2024. Now the interesting thing is that the post-credits of the film, I would argue, takes place AFTER the events of Hawkeye. First we would have to suppose that Doctor Strange has had enough time to be comfortable with his third eye and the powers inherited with the Darkhold – which emerged at the end of the main plot just before the end credits. Because by the time the post credits take place – he is absolutely fine with those powers. But secondly, it’s the foliage again. Note how the foliage is now turning green again, but it is still a little cool – hence Doctor Strange wearing a scarf. So I would say this is March/April of 2025. A year after the main plot of NO WAY HOME (which really is neither here nor there – but interesting).
IN SUMMARY:
- In summary, NO WAY HOME takes place in March of 2024. Why? Because that is when MIT sends out admissions letters – Pi Day, aka March 14th, 3/14. And the inciting incident of the film was MJ and Ned getting rejected from MIT.
- It can still snow in March and often does – though it technically is only snowing in the INSIDE of the Sanctum Santorum, so do not be fooled.
- Multiverse of Madness happens in the late summer, early fall – probably October – still during wedding season – hence Christine’s wedding. We also see this from the foliage in the film.
- Hawkeye happens later on in December 2024.
FINAL TIMELINE:
- NO WAY HOME main plot: March 2024
- MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS main plot: October-ish 2024
- HAWKEYE: December 2024
- NO WAY HOME final scene: December 2024
- MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS post-credits: Spring-ish 2025
No Scoops Club 