Director Sam Raimi Reveals How Multiverse of Madness Will Change Doctor Strange

DIRECTOR Sam Raimi teases how Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will change Benedict Cumberbatch’s hero. 

Marvel Studios’ next film is just two weeks away from hitting theaters. Doctor Strange 2 is finally debuting after being delayed multiple times over the course of the coronavirus pandemic; there was once a time it was set to premiere in May of last year.

Raimi came in as a replacement for original director Scott Derrickson, who left Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness due to creative differences. Due to its ties to Spider-Man: No Way Home, the first footage for the upcoming film was tacked onto the Jon Watts-directed blockbuster as its post-credits scene.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as the title suggests, will see the MCU sorcerer traveling through multiple realities as he deals with the ramifications of his decision to meddle in Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) personal woes. The project features an ensemble cast, seeing the return of Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Wong (Benedict Wong), not to mention the introduction of America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez).

Despite its several key players, the main story of Multiverse of Madness will be focused on Doctor Strange’s personal journey in the MCU.

According to filmmaker: “He’s grown a bit throughout the course of the Avengers movies, I’ve seen. I think at the beginning of this film, he starts as a very self-assured – perhaps too much so – person who feels he’s the one that’s best in control of all the decisions. It’s safest that way… He has the most faith in himself, and not so much in other people. And I think in this picture, this little chapter in his life, he learns to let go a little bit. That it’s not all about him [and] that he can trust others.”

Disney and Marvel Studios have been running a measured marketing campaign for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. So despite the string of TV spots and other promotional materials coming out, it’s still difficult to decipher what exactly happens in the film.

For what it’s worth, Patrick Stewart’s involvement is pretty much confirmed. His return as Professor X is tied to the appearance of the MCU’s Illuminati, who will be reprimanding Doctor Strange for his actions in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

While being detained by the governing body, Doctor Strange will meet America Chavez, who will teach him more about the multiverse. Given that, the film’s writer, Michael Waldron recently claimed that the events of Doctor Strange 2 have ties to Loki season 2.

As someone who has always excelled in his job, it makes sense that Doctor Strange is used to doing things by himself. Looking back at his MCU arc thus far, he has mostly executed his plans on his own. In the original Doctor Strange film, he fought Dormammu alone, and in Avengers: Infinity War, he kept his overall plan to defeat Thanos (Josh Brolin) to himself.

Seeing him learn how to rely on other people in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as Raimi reveals, will be interesting to watch. Perhaps this could even be Marvel Studios’ way of grooming him to be the next Avengers leader. (source: screenrant.com)

(ROHN ROMULO)