'Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness' Will Begin Filming Very Soon
Hey, did you remember that Sam Raimi is directing a new Doctor Strange movie? We could all use some good news right about now, so let's turn our attention to just how wild, fun, and totally off the walls a Raimi-directed Strange sequel might be – especially one with a title like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. And while Marvel's release dates are all in flux at the moment, Raimi's sequel is reportedly about to begin shooting very soon. Get the details below, courtesy of star Benedict Cumberbatch.
The coronavirus pandemic has taken everyone's plans, crumpled them into a ball, and booted them into the sun – and that includes the plans of Marvel Studios, which recently made the move to delay its entire 2020 film slate. In an alternate universe, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was supposed to start production early this year. That obviously didn't happen, and now Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the Sorcerer Supreme himself, said in an interview with Watchtime (via Collider) that the film is currently in pre-production and that they "will start filming in late October or early November." The fact that huge movies like this are slowly getting back underway seems to indicate that Hollywood has figured out how to safely work during the pandemic – although not every production has been strictly following the rules.
Michael Waldron, who serves as a writer on the upcoming Loki series for Disney+, is writing the script, which sounds like it's going to be taking some big swings in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Scarlet Witch (Elisabeth Olsen), whom Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige once called the most powerful superhero in the entire MCU, is evidently going to be involved in the film in some way, because this movie crosses paths with the upcoming WandaVision series. And considering today's news that Jamie Foxx is going to be reprising his Amazing Spider-Man 2 role as Electro in the next Spider-Man movie starring Tom Holland, crossing a narrative barrier that seemingly wouldn't make sense without the inclusion of the multiverse, it appears that Spider-Man 3 (or whatever it ends up being called) will also be dealing with alternate universes and windows into different possibilities.
As of right now, Disney and Marvel Studios have carved out a March 25, 2022 theatrical release date for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But since we're not out of the woods with this pandemic yet, don't be too surprised if that ends up shifting back yet again.