The Master of the Mystic Arts has a new director to lead him through the tricky waters of a movie sequel.
Sam Raimi, acclaimed director of the original Spider-Man live action trilogy and Evil Dead, has confirmed reports circulating since February that he will occupy the director’s chair for Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a film that will take the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the realm of horror.
In addition, the movie’s release date has been moved back to Nov. 5, 2021 from the original May date.
Raimi dropped the news during a conversation with ComingSoon.net that dealt not with the Sorcerer Supreme, but with Spider-Man.
It was reported that Raimi was discussing “Spider-Man 2”, which he helmed, and the villain in the film, Dr. Octopus. In a light-hearted scene, Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson tries to come up with a great name for the bad guy for the newspaper’s next edition.
A staffer suggests “Dr. Strange,” but the volatile J.J.J. shoots that down, explaining that the name has already been taken. Stephen Strange never appears in the movie, but the subtle “Easter egg” had been laid.
“I loved Dr. Strange as a kid,” Raimi told ComingSoon, “but he was always after Spider-Man and Batman for me.” The director went on to rate Dr. Strange at “number five for me of great comic book characters.
“He was so original, but when we had that moment in Spider-Man 2, I had no idea we wouldn’t ever be making a Dr. Strange movie, so it was really funny for me that, coincidentally, that line was in the movie.
“I gotta say I wish we had the foresight to know that I was going to be involved in the project,” Raimi joked.
Raimi will take over from Scott Derrickson, who directed the first Dr. Strange movie in 2016. Derrickson, who walked away from directing the sequel in January citing “creative differences,” will remain involved as the film’s executive producer.
The sequel reportedly will bring back Benedict Cumberbatch as the good doctor, Benedict Wong as Wong and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mordo. Elizabeth Olsen will also make an appearance as the Scarlet Witch.
Plot details are sketchy at this point, but Nightmare is expected to be the major villain.
Be sure to keep reading Horror News Network for updates on the arcane adventures of Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
