Doctor Strange better watch out because when he heads into the Multiverse of Madness next year, things are going to get scary. According to the movie’s writer Michael Waldron, director Sam Raimi has used the delay caused by Covid-19 to make tweaks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie’s production and push things in a “scarier direction”.
“COVID just gave me and Sam more time to make it our own thing,” Waldron told the Friends from Work podcast. “It’s cool, I’m glad that there was the chance to maybe push in a slightly scarier direction. Just because Sam does that so well.”
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was originally announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019. During the announcement panel, Scott Derrickson, the previous director who quit the project over creative differences, claimed the film would be his “first scary [Marvel Cinematic Universe] film”, adding that the sequel had to “go into the territory that drew me into the Doctor Strange comics in the first place, which is how they dipped into the gothic and the horror and the horrific.”
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— Friends From Work (@TheFFWPodcast) June 18, 2021
Kevin Feige later clarified that the film wouldn’t be an out and out horror, instead explaining that the film would just have “scary sequences” similar to the thrills in Raiders of the Lost Ark and other classic adventure movies.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will see the return of physician turned magician Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), who, according to the official synopsis, will unleash an unspeakable evil as he faces a friend-turned-enemy.
Who that friend is, we’re not sure. There are two potential suspects: Wanda ‘Scarlet Witch’ Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Baron Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Benedict Wong and Rachel McAdams are also set to return as Wong and Christine Palmer, respectively. Xochitl Gomez will also star as the new character America Chavez an interdimensional traveler and member of the Young Avengers.
Waldron also wroter Loki, the six episode miniseries currently running on Disney Plus about everyone’s favourite Asgardian. You can read out reviews of episode one, and episode two.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will open in theatres on March 25, 2022.