Scott Derrickson, the visionary horror movie director and the mind behind the first Doctor Strange movie, stirred the superhero fan community with a candid reveal about how his version of the sequel might have differed from what audiences saw in Scott Raimi's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The Exorcism of Emily Rose filmmaker, who departed the Marvel project over creative differences, has occasionally hinted at his distinct vision for the mystical defender's continued adventures. Now, his latest comments come as a more explicit affirmation of a divergent creative path that never came to fruition.
In a recent post to X (formerly Twitter), the Sinister creator shared a rare piece of memorabilia. It was a Marvel-issued blacklight poster from the Sorcerer Supreme’s original big screen outing, noting its unique place among his personal collectibles:
This official Marvel blacklight #DoctorStrange poster is 1 of only 100 made. It’s the only poster of my own film that I’ve hung in my house.
This seemingly innocuous sharing of his film memorabilia set the stage for a deeper revelation regarding the potential sequel the director had planned. Responding to a fan's question about how his sequel would have compared to the relatively well-received Multiverse of Madness, the Deliver Us From Evil filmmaker gave a succinct and revealing answer. Known for his passion for darker themes, his response hinted at a significantly different direction for the sequel, much like insights recently shared by a Strange 2 screenwriter about two different versions of the script. Scott Derrickson responded:
Entirely.
While Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may not be the highest-ranking Marvel movie or the best Sam Raimi film, it was still a lot of fun. And, as cool as it is to imagine what could have been if the Sinister helmer had been able to see his vision through for a sequel, selfishly, I’m sort of happy the director stepped away from the project.
If you’ve seen all the Marvel movies in order, you know the franchise has been facing some uphill battles with audiences seemingly growing board with the properties, resulting in several less-than-stellar box office performances. For my money, I’m happy Scott Derrickson stepped away from the MCU to focus on more original fair, like the adaptation of Joe Hill’s short story The Black Phone. The director behind one of the best Blumhouse movies is better served, in my opinion, by making stories he has more control over. And, as we know, playing in the Marvel sandbox means playing by the committee rules.
Although Scott Derrickson may not have helmed the Master of Black Magic’s sequel, he does have another one in the pipeline. The Black Phone 2 screenwriter recently revealed that horror hounds should expect the follow-up to hit theaters in 2025. I’m not entirely sure how the team plans on bringing the Grabber back following the first BP movie's perfect ending, but either way, I’m pumped! All the while though, I'm sure MCU fans will continue to imagine what Derrickson had in mind for the Sorcerer Supreme.
Both Doctor Strange films are available for streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Additionally, don't forget to explore our 2024 movie schedule to discover the exciting films coming soon to a theater near you, including upcoming superhero flicks.
