Charlize Theron reveals her MCU debut after Doctor Strange post-credits cameo

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Clea has officially entered the Marvel Universe.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been out for a little more than a week, which means that we're now allowed to talk about some of the more epic and head-turning moments of the film — namely, that cameo that comes halfway through the end credits in which Charlize Theron makes her first entrance as a new superhero.

The actress posted a photo to Instagram on Tuesday showing off the character. It's not only the first we're seeing her in full purple eyeshadow, but also our first peep of her in full Clea regalia via a still from the movie.

Theron captioned the image with a simple "Meet Clea."

When Clea appears, she saddles up to Benedict Cumberbatch's Stephen Strange on the street and tells him, "You caused an incursion, and we're going to fix it." (For more clarification on what incursions are, check out EW's very handy multiverse primer.) Strange doesn't seem to recognize her, but nonetheless, he joins her in stepping into a portal to her home: the Dark Dimension.

Theron's Instagram post marks the actress's official confirmation that she is playing Clea, a key character from the Doctor Strange comics who debuted in 1964. Just like Strange, she has a Sorcerer Supreme title, and in his stories she acts as an ally to the Avenger, eventually becoming his love interest. Also important? She's the niece of the Dormammu, the big bad Strange faced off against in his first film.

Theron's casting was previously rumored but still comes as a surprise (though maybe not as much of a surprise to anyone who follows the Doctor Strange character and comics enough to know his history.)

She's one of the biggest names Marvel has been able to secure for its franchise, and while it's unclear at this point where Marvel plans to take this version of Clea and how she'll intersect in Strange's story going forward, one thing seems certain: Theron can be expected to become a major player in the MCU's future.

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