There may be more going on with Pizza Poppa than what was shown in Doctor Strange 2.
Bruce Campbell joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in last year’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and perhaps fans have not seen the last of that character. In the movie, Campbell played “Pizza Poppa,” a food vendor selling pizza balls in New York City. He has the unfortunate displeasure of running afoul of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), resulting in a curse that saw the Pizza Poppa hitting himself for the next three weeks. We last see the character in a post-credit sequence when the punching finally stops, bringing him great delight.
The movie was directed by Sam Raimi, who has long found ways to include his old pal Campbell in special cameos for his various films. But that doesn’t mean that the Pizza Poppa was brought in as a one-off character. In a new interview with Slash Film, Campbell teases that there’s much more going on to the pizza ball salesman than fans yet know, which could explain why he broke the fourth wall by looking directly at the camera and speaking to the crowd in the Doctor Strange 2 post-credit scene. The actor reveals he’s had “long, boring talks” with Marvel producers, presumably about when and how to bring Campbell back in the MCU.
As the actor explains in the interview:
“Well, if you think, for example, that he’s just a Pizza Poppa, I think you’re sorely mistaken, because as we all know, once you get into that multiverse, be very careful. Perceptions are not what you think they are. Do you think I would’ve signed up for this one stupid little part with a guy with four lines of dialogue? Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I’ve had long, boring talks with Marvel.”
Bruce Campbell: Will He Return in the MCU?
Marvel Studios
This is in line with reports last year that Campbell had signed a three-picture deal with Marvel Studios. That all seems to suggest Campbell’s character was not so much an actual pizza ball salesman, but another character in disguise whose true identity will be revealed in the future of the MCU. At the same time, Campbell is also known for having fun with the fans, so it’s hard to really know for certain if his return in the MCU if 100% guaranteed.
Time will tell if Campbell pops back up in the MCU, but for now, fans have a chance to see the actor live. He’s taking his Last Fan Standing game show on tour, and you can find out more at Bruce-O-Rama.com. The new Evil Dead film, Evil Dead Rise, in which Campbells erved as an executive producer alongside Sam Raimi, will be released in theaters on April 21.
source: movieweb.com