Since the release of Doctor Strange 2 way back in the mists of time a week ago, much has been made of the horror elements that director Sam Raimi brought to the table. Some have even argued that the horror was too strong for the MCU or for a PG-13 rating. But it wasn’t just Raimi who brought some of the shocks and brutal moments to the sequel, as Michael Waldron has revealed that he was influenced by one of the best science fiction horror movies of all time when writing the script.
[BIG SPOILER WARNING for Doctor Strange 2!] In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Brian Hiatt tells Waldron that his “favourite part of the movie was when you introduced the alternate-Earth heroes of the Illuminati — and then promptly have Wanda slaughter them, which freaked out some fans.”
Waldron responds; “Yeah, that’s a blast. That’s probably my favourite sequence in the movie. The idea for that was not in my outline; I was writing the first draft and I guess I felt like, as I put it, the movie needed to get drunk.”
Waldron continues; “It felt like we’re at the point where I need to find the madness in the multiverse here. I had no idea: Would I be able to use these characters? Would this even be possible? But I knew with Sam [Raimi] that if we did it this way, it would be amazing. And so I wrote it in.”
“I was watching Aliens a lot as I was writing. Because just tonally this movie is a thriller and a [feature-length] chase. I just love how Aliens goes to great lengths to tell you how badass the space Marines are — and then they just get slaughtered. Then you are really scared of the Xenomorphs for the rest of that movie, and that’s what I wanted to accomplish with Wanda.”
“At the end of that Illuminati sequence, I hope you were truly terrified of the Scarlet Witch. It’s been awesome being in the theatre hearing the cheers, then the gasps and the groans. [Laughs] I mean, you know, people were feeling something at the movies. That’s good!”
For all things strange, squelchy, and squid-like; check out our guide the best alien movies.