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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in strange place, as Black Widow's delay has made the wait between phases even longer. But there are have been a variety of exciting updates about franchise's future both on the small and silver screens. One said announcement revealed that iconic filmmaker Sam Raimi will be helming Doctor Strange's sequel In The Multiverse of Madness. And now original director Scott Derrickson has seemingly explained why he stepped away from the MCU.
Scott Derrickson did a stellar job adapting the story of Doctor Strange for the big screen. He used trippy visuals to open the MCU and carve out a special part of the shared universe. But he ultimately departed from the gig directing a sequel, making room for Sam Raimi's entrance. Derrickson posted on social media about how he approaches filmmaking, and may have revealed the reason for leaving Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Check it out below.
Well, that seems pretty cut and dry. It looks like creative differences with Marvel Studios was the reason behind leaving the Doctor Strange franchise in the rear view. He's since given his support to Sam Raimi, and certainly seems to be at peace with his decision.
Scott Derrickson shared this not-so-subtle comment about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness over on his personal Twitter page. But when speaking about "hard creative choices" he made this year, he referenced another movie: 2008's The Day the Earth Stood Still. That sci-fi movie starred Keanu Reeves and helmed by Derrickson, who clearly has some thoughts about his time behind the camera.
The filmmaker's tweet insinuates that 20th Century Fox and company greatly altered his original vision for The Day the Earth Stood Still. And while it would go on to be a box office success, that experience has changed the way he approaches film projects. So when asked to compromise for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, he instead decided to depart the Marvel blockbuster.
Doctor Strange's tenure in the MCU is currently streaming on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
Given what limited information we know about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it certainly does sound like a much bigger project than Scott Derrickson's original. The film's title shows that its playing with some high concepts, and it'll also include Scarlet Witch and introduce America Chavez. And that might not have been the story that Derrickson wanted to tell.
With characters like Iron Man and Captain America reaching their MCU end with Avengers: Endgame, it should be interesting to see which characters end up with bigger roles in the greater franchise. Doctor Strange certainly seems like he's going to be one of those heroes, as WandaVision will lead directly into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. What's more, Benedict Cumberbatch will reprise his role in the third Spider-Man movie opposite Tom Holland.
Sam Raimi seems like a solid choice to take on the mantle of directing The Multiverse of Madness. His history with horror will hopefully lead to some genre-bending, as the sequel's title does seem to indicate that Strange is going to go a little crazy. Raimi is also known for helming the OG Spider-Man trilogy, so he knows his way around Marvel heroes.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is currently expected to hit theaters on March 25th, 2022. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.
