There's no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic has been a devastating world event for all involved, but what if I told you that it helped make Marvel's Doctor Strange sequel even scarier? You'd probably accuse me of conjuring some manner of dark magic with these words, but according to the film's co-writer, Michael Waldron, it's entirely true.
In a recent interview with Friends From Work, Waldron revealed that delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic gave Sam Raimi and his team time to take the film in a more frightening direction.
“COVID just gave me and Sam [Raimi] more time to make it our own thing,” said Waldron. “It’s cool, I’m glad that there was the chance to maybe push it in a slightly scarier direction, just because Sam does that so well,” said Waldron. “[Veering into the horror world is] obviously something that Scott Derrickson, the director of the first movie, does so well. Obviously, that influence, you feel it even in the first one. Even though it’s not a horror movie, there is this sort of spookiness throughout it. It’s part of what makes that movie work so well.”
Hearing that Marvel is allowing Raimi to embrace the darker side of his horror roots has me smiling from ear to ear. After all, Doctor Strange dabbles in some truly terrifying territory in the pages of Marvel Comics. Have you seen some of the relics he keeps in his house? Most of that stuff could unmake the world if you breathe on it wrong. I would love to see Raimi summon some of that danger into the new film. My question now is: What does Marvel consider scary? How far will Raimi be permitted to push the envelope? I'm sure that Marvel doesn't want to make the sequel too scary, thereby risking the wrath of concerned parents. Those action figures and collectible cups aren't going to sell themselves, you know.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will have Benedict Cumberbatch’s Stephen Strange “continuing research on the Time Stone,” only to have that research “hindered by a friend-turned-enemy, resulting in Strange unleashing unspeakable evil.” Set to join Cumberbatch for the sequel are Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, and Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez. Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, and Chiwetel Ejiofor also star.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to cast a spell in theaters on March 25, 2022.